Ben Lerner is one of the most acclaimed American writers working today. Gris meets him to discuss good parenting, male rage and why "autofiction" (fiction infused with autobiography) isn't narcissistic, despite what people think.

One of the biggest books of 2019, Lerner's new novel The Topeka School is arguably his most ambitious to date. Set partly in Kansas in the 1990s, it tells the story of one family -- and of the US at large. Can it help us understand how we got here?

Get in touch! We’re putting together an episode of our cultural highlights from 2019, and we’d love to know what yours have been. Which books, films, TV shows and other trends have you enjoyed this year? Let us know on Twitter @FTCultureCall or by emailing us at culturecall@ft.com. And if you like the show, you can help us out by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or recommending it to your friends!

Links from the episode:

- FT review of Ben Lerner's novel The Topeka School (paywall) : https://www.ft.com/content/5147ef78-fa37-11e9-a354-36acbbb0d9b6

- Gris' podcast interview with Sheila Heti, another great writer of autofiction: https://www.ft.com/content/8dd9fc2d-9172-47ea-bbd7-0256d4ee4c4d

- Lilah's piece on the rebirth of astrology for the FT (paywall): https://www.ft.com/content/2816a0ec-000c-11ea-be59-e49b2a136b8d

- India Ross's piece on the "OK boomer" meme for the FT (paywall): https://www.ft.com/content/52d858a0-06da-11ea-9afa-d9e2401fa7ca

- FT's NextGen package, featuring pieces about the post-millennial generation: https://www.ft.com/nextgen

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Novelist Ben Lerner on angry white men and the origins of Trump 49:21 Share

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Novelist Ben Lerner on angry white men and the origins of Trump