Jersey Collective Reads Teenager by Bud Smith
Our May selection
Our pick for May is TEENAGER by Bud Smith!
About the book & why we picked it
From the publisher: “Leaving their abusive pasts behind them in Jersey, Kody and Teal set off on a cross-country road trip equal parts self-destruction and self-discovery, making their way, one stolen car at a time, toward bigger, wider, bluer skies.”
Courtney says: “I’ve been craving road trip novels lately, and can’t think of a better way to kick off spring than hitting the road with Bud Smith’s TEENAGER. New Jersey serves as a springboard in this novel—the place our two main characters have to leave behind. I’ve long been a fan of Smith’s short fiction, and can’t wait to see his characterization of New Jersey and America at large unfurl in long-form.”
Kerri says: “I’ve really enjoyed a few of Bud Smith’s short stories and I’m excited to get to know his work better over 400 pages. I’m looking forward to discussing not only the novel, but also New Jersey as a setting for work and life, and balancing a writing career with another career.”
From the reviews: “Read it on a plane, read it on the beach, and throw it into the ocean, and then buy another one. Read it to know where the American Dream has gone. This book is our new myth . . . Teenager is one of the few great books about teenagers because it is funny without condescension, sad without sentimentality, and has no moral at the end. It made me feel alive without lying to me . . . The whole thing rolls out like a beautiful song.”
—Conor Hultman, The Local Voice (Mississippi)
Other info: 400 pages, published by Vintage (May 2022).
Attend our chat with the author
We are really looking forward to chatting with Bud Smith about Teenager and New Jersey! Register to join us for a fun discussion on Zoom on Tuesday, May 30 at 7:00 PM EST. The meeting will be recorded and shared on our YouTube channel.
If you want to read the book beforehand, get it from your favorite New Jersey bookseller, from Bookshop.org, or borrow it from your local library.
If you don’t have time to read it but want to come a little prepared, you can learn more about Bud and the book from the following:
This interview with Bud in The Creative Independent
Read one of his short stories (linked here from his website)
Help us spread the work about the event by sharing this post with/tagging a friend!
March Recap
In March, we talked to Andy Mulvihill and Jake Rossen, co-authors of Action Park about their process of working together to tell the story of the amusement park and having their story adapted to other mediums.
If you missed it, we recorded it and you can watch (or listen) to it here:
About Jersey Collective Reads
Jersey Collective Reads promotes homegrown books and authors. We feature a mix of fiction and non-fiction, new releases and backlist titles, on a variety of subjects, from presses big and small.
We feature one selection a month–sometimes a book and other times essays, longform journalism pieces, or short stories–and host a virtual event with the author.
You won’t have to read the books ahead of time to enjoy the events (but of course you’re encouraged to)! We host Zoom-based events to keep it accessible to all, no matter where you’re based. We will also host some in-person1 casual meetups and outings throughout the year so you can connect with other New Jersey book-lovers in person.
Team Members
Courtney Preiss, an Asbury Park-based writer and creative director. Her debut novel WELCOME HOME, CAROLINE KLINE is about baseball and recovery on the Jersey Shore, and is forthcoming from Putnam/Penguin Random House next year. You can find her on Twitter + Instagram @cocogolightly.
Kerri Sullivan, founder of Jersey Collective as well as editor of New Jersey Fan Club (Rutgers University Press 2022) and public librarian. Her Instagram is @ksulphoto.
I’ve been thinking about planning something for late spring/early summer! Keep an eye out here and on our Instagram for event announcements. If you have any ideas of what kind of event you’d like to attend, feel free to reach out with suggestions!