Faculty News

Too Good To Be True

Benjamin Anastas' acclaimed memoir Too Good to Be True will be available in paperback on October 25. 

Too Good to Be True was originally published by New Harvest October 2012 and has been widely and favorably reviewed. Of the book, Jonathan Franzen said, “The failure is real, the voice is raw, the story is haunting.”

The New York Times Sunday Book Review wrote: "It’s all very funny and a joy to read, but what lifts this memoir from good to outstanding is that the humor and the darkness are merely a patina. Under the irony there is no irony. Under the panic lies a remorseful heart, a steady determination to figure this out and become a better person.”

The Los Angeles Review of Books observed that "Anastas’ humor and self-deprecation put you on his side, make it easy to forgive the failures he so readily cops to.”

Bookforum asserted that "Too Good to Be True should be required reading for all creative writing MFA candidates and, come to think of it, anybody who is engaged to be married.”

Anastas was filmed answering questions about his memoir. You can watch it here