The Topeka School
Novel by Ben LernerWikipedia
8
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4
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Search complete. 8 mentions across 4 episodes found for "The Topeka School".
Oct 8, 2026
Chloe ShihHOST
But it says, "Ask me about folk theory, communist propaganda, [laughs] and Warren Buffett.
Chloe ShihHOST
Right now pondering leftist edge lord culture, limping 26 miles and reading The Topeka School by Ben Lerner."
Holly LiGUEST
Yeah.
Holly LiGUEST
Yeah, that is my website
KateHOST
The Guardian described it as a work of fiction that never quite believes in its own fictitiousness, a novel that fails and fails again at being novelistic.
KateHOST
In 2019, his third was the Topeka School.
KateHOST
He was born, Lerner, in Topeka, Kansas.
KateHOST
He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award.
9 MINS LATER
LauraGUEST
It didn't feel as mature or thoughtful or provocative.
LauraGUEST
He was a bit tiresome.
LauraGUEST
And then I didn't read The Topeka School, but I was looking forward to Transcription.
LauraGUEST
I would say my feelings about this one are hit or miss.
Chas LicciardelloHOST
Mm.
David SmithHOST
So on the recommendation of Pepper Ivan, as well as Pepper colleague and sometime, uh, presenter Brendan O'Connor, I've just read, uh, Ben Lerner's The Topeka School.
David SmithHOST
Now, this w- this is not the greatest novel ever written.
David SmithHOST
Like, you know, I'm an academic, and so when I'm looking at this novel and going, "God, that's a bit academic," it's probably a bit too academic.
David SmithHOST
It is insane.
Chas LicciardelloHOST
[laughs]
David SmithHOST
So when I, when I was doing my PhD at Michigan, University of Michigan has this annual summer camp for high school debaters, which is actually mentioned in The Topeka School.
David SmithHOST
And I remember just going by a room once that was being used as a practice room, and just seeing this 15-year-old on the verge of passing out from lack of oxygen, because they were trying to speak so quickly about the eurozone or some shit.
speaker_0HOST
Yes.
speaker_0HOST
The Topeka School by Ben Lerner, published in 2019.
speaker_1HOST
Ben Lerner is really the master of autobiographical fiction right now.
speaker_1HOST
Hosbrook even shouts out his latest critically acclaimed release from this year, Transcription.
speaker_0HOST
But The Topeka School is where Lerner's style really peaked.
speaker_1HOST
The quote Hosbrook pulls is, "The stories we tell ourselves become the stories we live."
speaker_0HOST
Which sets up the narrative perfectly.
speaker_0HOST
And that ties this entire architecture of truth section together perfectly.