The Romantics [Paperback]

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING KATIE HOLMES, JOSH DUHAMEL, AND ANNA PAQUIN, IN THEATERS SEPTEMBER 24th, 2010

Laura and Lila were college roommates--one brooding and Jewish, the other the epitome of golden WASP-dom. Now it's ten years later, a day before Lila's wedding to Laura's former boyfriend, and as the guests arrive, Laura finds herself the only one not coupled up. Struggling with the traditionally thankless role of maid of honor, Laura realizes for the first time why she can't stop thinking about her long, tangled relationship with the groom. And it appears that he is not entirely ready for the altar himself. Unfolding over two days off the coast of Maine,The Romanticsfollows the shifting allegiances among an unforgettable set of characters.

A smart, edgy novel that is wickedly insightful about class and privilege, amusingly cynical about love and friendship, and thoroughly entertaining throughout. Tom Perrotta

Illustrates why well-wrought cynicism never goes out of style. The New York Times

An engrossing tale of family drama and true love--one that offers the pleasures of a layered, old-fashioned romance. People on A Taxonomy of Barnacles

Droll and sophisticated . . . a winning, screwball comedy. Entertainment Weekly on A Taxonomy of Barnacles

A clever, comic melodrama . . . At its funniest,A Taxonomy of Barnaclesreminded me of the classic Hollywood screwball comedies from the thirties. USA Today on A Taxonomy of Barnacles

Discussion Questions

1. At the start of the book, we learn that rivalry glued the girls together in a way that regular contact could not. How does their rivalry hold them together? How does competition mix with affection? Do you think rivalry can be a good thing in friendships?

2. The novel can be read as a satire of Wasp culture and the privileged lives of these Ivy League graduates. What are the common tral6