A new novel lets teenage hearts throb in middle age bodies

NPR | By Justine Kenin

Published April 7, 2026 at 4:54 PM EDT

Emma Straub's new novel, American Fantasy, delves into the world of aging boy bands, their aging fandom and what they each get from one another.

Justine Kenin

Justine Kenin is an editor on All Things Considered. She joined NPR in 1999 as an intern. Nothing makes her happier than getting a book in the right reader's hands – most especially her own.

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