LARB Book Club Discussion: “Television” by Lauren Rothery

Join LARB staff and members in conversation about the latest Book Club pick, Lauren Rothery’s Television! In her debut novel, Rothery weaves three alternating narratives in a sharp exploration of fame, excess, and friendship. The conversation will take place on January 28, 2026, at 6 p.m. PT on Zoom. Log in to your account before registering for the discussion here.

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BoJack Horseman meets Joan Didion in this smart, sly, and irresistibly stylish debut novel about a jaded movie star and the two differently conflicted women in his orbit.

An aging, A-list movie star lotteries off the entirety of his mega-million blockbuster salary to a member of the general viewing public before taking up with a much younger model. His unfamous best friend (and often lover) looks on impassively, while recollecting their 20-odd years of unlikely connection. And an aspiring filmmaker, unknown to them both, labors over a script about best friends and lovers while longing for the financial freedom to make great art.

Told in their alternating, intricately linked perspectives, Television is a funny, philosophically astute novel about phenomenal luck, whether windfall or chance encounter. Like Joan Didion’s classic Play It as It Lays, but speaking to a since irrevocably changed Hollywood, it portrays a culture in crisis and the disparities in wealth, beauty, talent, gender, and youth at the heart of contemporary American life. In this glittering but strange new world, lit up by social media and streaming services—what, if not love, can be counted in your favor?

With plays in chronology, bright, nimble dialogue, and a profoundly modern style, Lauren Rothery’s debut novel is an arresting feat of literary impressionism, and marks the arrival of a significant new talent to the landscape of American fiction.

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“Television sent me on paths I didn’t expect, turning timeless topics such as love, lust, and success into characters, at once elusive and incessant, as they are in life. With quick, surefooted language sometimes giving way to epiphanic fragments that nearly break the fourth wall, we're on high alert that nothing is so easily explained by some idea of reality, especially when actors are involved.” - Natasha Stagg, author of Grand Rapids

“Television is as stylish as it is substantial. A timely and timeless novel for readers of Joan Didion and Gary Indiana. An excellent first book.” - Stephanie Wambugu, author of Lonely Crowds

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Lauren Rothery was born in London and raised in San Diego. She spent her twenties writing and directing short films and music videos between New York and Los Angeles. In 2020, she moved to Europe and began writing fiction. Television is her first novel.

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LARB Friend-level members and higher receive a free copy with their membership and access to the discussion. All other members are invited to join the discussion and purchase a copy of Television at a bookstore near you, or through our partnership with Bookshop.org. Check out the latest membership newsletter for the 10% off discount code with Bookshop.org, or email us!

If you are not a member, please upgrade or join to access member-only perks, like the LARB classic tote, a subscription to our signature print magazine, conversations with LARB editors and members, and more. Join the LARB Book Club and support the work of LARB staff and writers.

If you have questions or thoughts about the book that you want to address during the discussion, please email membership@lareviewofbooks.org before October 28, 2025.