The Late Americans is a deeply involving new novel by Brandon Taylor, the Booker Prize finalist and acclaimed author of Real Life and Filthy Animals. Set in the shared and private spaces of Iowa City, the novel follows a loose circle of lovers and friends through a volatile year of self-discovery. Among them are Seamus, a young poet; Ivan, a dancer turned aspiring banker; Fatima, whose independence and work ethic complicate her relationships; and Noah, who experiences sex as something that comes to him unexpectedly.

The characters are surrounded by a diverse cast, including artists, landlords, meatpacking workers, and mathematicians who populate the cafes, classrooms, and kitchens of the city. Their interactions sometimes lead to violent and electrifying consequences. As each individual prepares for an uncertain future, they gather at a cabin to bid farewell to their former lives—a moment of reckoning that changes them forever.

The Late Americans is a novel about friendship, chosen family, love, sex, ambition, and the precarious nature of contemporary life. It poses fresh questions and offers a rich, involving narrative that cements Brandon Taylor's position as a perceptive chronicler of our times.