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AudioBook information:
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Narrated by: Seth Numrich
Release date: October 13, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 17 h 44 min
Summary:Â A BEST BOOK OF THE FALL FOR OPRAH DAILY TIME, AND THE NEW YORK POST
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK FOR CBS, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE BOSTON GLOBE,COUNTRY LIVING, LIT HUB, BOOKPAGE, AND MORE!
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of global sensation Lessons in Chemistry returns with an irresistible, delightful, and tender literary novel set in the publishing world of 1980s New York City about a young man whose life turns upside down when he is hired by the most prestigious, secretive, and dysfunctional poetry journal in the world: the renowned Peck & Peck.
Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
It’s 1982, New York City. Crime is on the rise, muggings are in the streets, and Batter Gray, recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While all of his friends have real jobs, he’s folding T-shirts at the Gap. As for love? No. Not unless you count Sallie Mae, the student loan tyrant. He hears from Sallie all the time.
But when Batter gets a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most prestigious poetry quarterly in the world, his life moves into the literary fast lane. Soon Batter is knee-deep in the secret war between the two Editors in Chief, the famous Peck brothers—twins and enemies—as well as being privy to the private affairs of their thirty-nine editors, whose professed mission is the same: Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
And by burn, they mean incinerate. Because at Peck & Peck, “good” isn’t good enough, “interesting” doesn’t cut it, plagiarists aren’t tolerated, and parolees run the mailroom. Still want to submit your poem? Go with God.
Welcome to another dazzling and unforgettable novel from Bonnie Garmus. If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you will love Peck & Peck.
Reviews:
“Part caper, part time capsule… Bonnie Garmus poses hard questions about the high stakes of culture and ambition, who has real talent and who sorely lacks it.” —TIME
“The extravagantly twisty plot here isn’t the draw. Rather it’s in the roster of offbeat characters—among them, an action-film star who has surprising literary talent; Batter’s loving, endlessly optimistic mother, a typeface designer; and Batter himself… an affecting ode to poetry.” —The Wall Street Journal
“After Lessons in Chemistry became one of the most successful debuts in recent memory, Garmus introduces another irresistible oddball protagonist. Batter Gray—named after a heroic family dog, raised by a type designer mother, reading Auden in fourth grade—lands a job at Peck & Peck, an illustrious New York literary journal, where he is immediately disliked by everyone who matters, none of whom can ever say his name right. This is a love story, a workplace romp, a satire with a soft heart for fonts, and an ode to poetry and the people who can’t live without it.” —Oprah Daily, “Best Books of Fall 2026”
“[A] joyous ode to finding one’s calling… a funny, tender tale.” —Library Journal (starred)
“Some fans may fear that Garmus can’t create another story as tender, captivating, or triumphant as her 2022 hit, Lessons in Chemistry. But good news—she can, in a book both poignant and heartwarming. In this vividly drawn tale, readers will feel all the emotions Gray does and suffer through his confusion, desperation, and finally, his exhilaration, as he discovers and understands who he is. A stunning novel.” —Booklist (starred)
“Tender-hearted… [Garmus] packs the novel with the antic humor and colorful characterizations that drew readers to her debut. There’s much to cherish in this charming tale.” —Publishers Weekly
“Prepare to be charmed.” —Boston Globe
“A reflection on the intersections of art, originality, capital and culture. It is about how to decide when to use one’s voice, and about what stories we value. Plus, it’s a fun read, with surprising characters, swift action and lively, vivid descriptions of these most self-serious of people and their lofty, and possibly noble, pursuit of art.” —Bookpage
“[People are] hungry for another Bonnie Garmus hit. Thankfully Peck & Peck is here to feed those gaping mouths… With the trappings of the literary world, and the heart of a bildungsroman, Peck & Peck vows to fill the void in all our hearts with a needed dash of wit and poignancy.” —Literary Hub, Most Anticipated Books of 2026, Part Two
“An absolute delight! Garmus creates a world where poetry is beloved, families are complicated and a dog (once again) saves the day. Fans will be delighted at this creative, enjoyable world.” —Woman’s World
“Garmus applies her unique comic sensibility to the story of Batter Gray… charming… with some really lovely things to say about poetry.” —Kirkus
“Magnificent. Captivating, funny, wise and wonderful. Peck and Peck is the book the literary world has been waiting for, and it delivers on every level. I couldn’t love it more.” —Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark
“I’m absolutely over the moon about Bonnie Garmus’ new novel. It is EXACTLY what I needed to read right now. Charming, uplifting, soulful, and original, this is the perfect successor to Lessons in Chemistry. If you loved Elizabeth Zott, you will adore Batter Gray. Book clubs will adore this novel. I loved it.” —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Women
“An absolute triumph of storytelling, writing and characterisation… This is a glorious celebration of, and plea for, the creative arts, with a cast of truly unforgettable characters, from the eponymous Peck & Peck to the excellently named narrator Batter Gray. I won’t forget this book. Ever.” —Jennie Godfrey, Sunday Times bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
“It was an absolute delight to escape into Bonnie Garmus’s world of delinquent poets, demented publishers and recherchĂ© fonts. Her exuberant comedy and freewheeling imagination reminded me of John Irving in his prime. Many congratulations – no ‘difficult second album’ for Bonnie Garmus – I thought it was even better than her first.” —Clare Chambers, bestselling author of Small Pleasures
“This novel is everything: a love story, a literary thriller, a brilliant satire that’s full of humor and heart. Only Bonnie Garmus can write like this.” —Meg Mason, internationally bestselling author of You Be Mother and Sorrow and Bliss
“One of the best books I’ve ever read. Genius level clever. A superbly crafted, intricate story about life, love and standing up for what you believe in. I absolutely loved it.” —Donna Ashworth, bestselling poet and author of To the Women
SELECTED PRAISE FOR LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY
GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR:The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Elle, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, GoodReads, Bookpage, Kirkus
“Full of charm, energy and hope—and featuring a really great dog—it’s one to savor.”
—People Magazine
“The most delightful novel I read this year—fresh and surprising—was Lessons in Chemistry: a fish-out-of-water story about a feminist hero who never stops pushing for what’s right. (I laughed out loud!)”
—Philip Galanes, The New York Times
“Darkly funny and poignant…Irresistible, a gorgeous tribute to resilience and the many types of love that sustain us.”
—Leigh Haber, Oprah Daily
“Lessons in Chemistry will make you wonder about all the real-life women born ahead of their time—women who were sidelined, ignored and worse because they weren’t as resourceful, determined and lucky as Elizabeth Zott.”
—Elizabeth Egan, New York Times Book Review
“It’s the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side. Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty.”
—Maggie Shipstead, author of Great Circle
“A breath of fresh air—a witty, propulsive, and refreshingly hopeful novel populated with singular characters. This book is an utter delight—wry, warm, and compulsively readable.”
—Claire Lombardo, author of The Most Fun We Ever Had
“Elizabeth Zott swept me away with her intellect, honesty, and unapologetic selfhood…[A] story for all the smart girls who refuse to dumb themselves down despite a culture that demands otherwise. Though a creation of the 50s & 60s, Zott is a feminist icon for our time.”
—Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch
About the Author:
Bonnie Garmusis a coffee-dependent American novelist. Her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, was a Good Morning America Book Club Pick, a Goodreads Choice Best Book of the Year, spent nearly two years on the New York Times bestseller list and was named by Times readers as one of the top 100 books of the 21st century. Translated into over forty languages, Lessons in Chemistry was honored with sixteen international literary awards and made into an Apple TV limited series. Peck & Peck is her second novel.