In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Andrew Lipstein's Something Rotten, about a canceled and vulnerable NPR host traveling abroad and his European Svengali, exploring contemporary masculinity and culture clashes. In its review, PW said, "This razor-sharp morality tale is Lipstein’s best yet."

Andrew Lipstein

Author

“The book was swept up by a few things I couldn’t stop thinking about—mortality, masculinity, and how identity is tied to the culture it’s embedded within. I tend to write obsessively, and this manuscript was no different: I finished the first draft in four months, took another four to edit, and then sent it to my agent, Ellen Levine.”

Ellen Levine

Executive Vice President, Trident Media Group

“I had the good fortune of representing Andrew’s last terrific novel, The Vegan. When I read Something Rotten, I was once again riveted by Andrew’s ingenious work. The novel is electrifying and surprising, reminding me that Andrew’s inventiveness has no limits.”

Jonathan Galassi

Chairman and Executive Editor, FSG

“Andrew knows where he's going before he starts writing. I'm there to kibitz and comment and maybe curb his enthusiasm a bit. But just a bit. I know very few writers with his drive and insight. I don't know how he does it. He has taught me an enormous amount.”

Na Kim

Creative Director, FSG

“The book at its core, I think, works as a reflection of masculinity. I think an image of a crying baby paired with the title Something Rotten in that acidic almost putrid yellow creates interesting discourse about the subject, while still conveying that the book is incredibly readable and entertaining.”