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Peck & Peck
The number one bestselling author of global sensation Lessons in Chemistry returns with an irresistible, delightful, and tender story about a young man whose life turns upside down when he is hired by the most prestigious, secretive, and dysfunctional poetry journal in the world: the renowned Peck & Peck of New York City.
Batter Gray is worried about his future. Even when he was eleven, his classmates seemed to have settled on a goal: doctor, lawyer, broker, engineer. Good jobs that automatically command respect, security, 401Ks. Now Batter is in his early twenties, living in New York City, and he wants something different; something that alienates some readers and bores most. Poetry. And yet—to him and exactly thirty-nine editors at a company called Peck & Peck—poetry not only represents the power of humanity but holds the key to its survival.
Batter is named after his mother’s heroic dog. An identical twin who lost his brother at birth, he finds himself confronted by the everyday dualities that make up life: right vs. wrong, truth vs. lies, rejection vs. acceptance. It’s almost as if his dead brother is a reminder: there are always two sides to every story.
No, wait. Make that three.
Batter Gray is worried about his future. Even when he was eleven, his classmates seemed to have settled on a goal: doctor, lawyer, broker, engineer. Good jobs that automatically command respect, security, 401Ks. Now Batter is in his early twenties, living in New York City, and he wants something different; something that alienates some readers and bores most. Poetry. And yet—to him and exactly thirty-nine editors at a company called Peck & Peck—poetry not only represents the power of humanity but holds the key to its survival.
Batter is named after his mother’s heroic dog. An identical twin who lost his brother at birth, he finds himself confronted by the everyday dualities that make up life: right vs. wrong, truth vs. lies, rejection vs. acceptance. It’s almost as if his dead brother is a reminder: there are always two sides to every story.
No, wait. Make that three.
547 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2026
About the author
Bonnie Garmus
3 books15.8k followersBonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who’s worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two pretty amazing daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99.
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Want to Read
April 5, 2026A new book by Lessons in Chemistry author, Bonnie Garmus? I'm there!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.75
This was so witty! After reading this book as well as Lessons in Chemistry, I think I can safely say Bonnie Garmus will deliver on the humour and wit every single time. So many punchlines, that also had meaning behind them. I was LOVING the start of this book, diving back into her very purposeful writing style that just has so much character in itself. (Also... the fact that Peck & Peck discusses the importance of words really required the book itself to also use words impactfully- and I think it did!)
For some reason, when diving in - I expected this story to revolve more around this poetry company trying to make an impact on the world using their words, and we maybe got a bit of that, but it wasn't the focus of the majority of the book! It felt more like a drama & scandal-filled expose inside this fictional poetry publication company mixed with a coming-of-age story of our protagonist, Batter. We had tension between editors within the hierarchy structure, some nepotism within - and the thematic bits about the power of words was shown through the internal struggles within the company itself. We had some characters that truly loved poetry and wanted to support the integrity of the art form, battling with some characters that were focused more on the business and money-making side of it all.
I did find it interesting that even the poetry loving characters in this book at times admitted that poetry can be boring, pretentious and a hard sell to a general audience. So even with the fight to keep poetry alive, some of these characters were also doubting themselves along the way - which I do think is something that exists with most art forms.
While I loved the writing, I do think Batter was a bit of a tough character to get behind and follow. He seemed quite clueless throughout the entire story. We meet him as a lover of poetry... but he doesn't actually have a talent for writing it. We then see him bumbling around trying to make his way up the poetry ladder anyways (which I respect). But throughout the entire story he didn't seem to have much of a moral compass, which resulted in him being pushed around very easily by everyone around him. He also literally didn't seem to be able to observe anything that was happening around him. Many of his big "realization" moments came from other characters essentially telling him he was an idiot and filling him in on the things that were happening right in front of him. I just wish he grew more throughout the story!
In the end, I think this book had a VERY strong start, slowed down through the middle, but came around with a very exciting ending that felt profound. I think I enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry more than this one, but I still think it's a great read!
Also YAY for anthropomorphic dogs ;)
This was so witty! After reading this book as well as Lessons in Chemistry, I think I can safely say Bonnie Garmus will deliver on the humour and wit every single time. So many punchlines, that also had meaning behind them. I was LOVING the start of this book, diving back into her very purposeful writing style that just has so much character in itself. (Also... the fact that Peck & Peck discusses the importance of words really required the book itself to also use words impactfully- and I think it did!)
For some reason, when diving in - I expected this story to revolve more around this poetry company trying to make an impact on the world using their words, and we maybe got a bit of that, but it wasn't the focus of the majority of the book! It felt more like a drama & scandal-filled expose inside this fictional poetry publication company mixed with a coming-of-age story of our protagonist, Batter. We had tension between editors within the hierarchy structure, some nepotism within - and the thematic bits about the power of words was shown through the internal struggles within the company itself. We had some characters that truly loved poetry and wanted to support the integrity of the art form, battling with some characters that were focused more on the business and money-making side of it all.
I did find it interesting that even the poetry loving characters in this book at times admitted that poetry can be boring, pretentious and a hard sell to a general audience. So even with the fight to keep poetry alive, some of these characters were also doubting themselves along the way - which I do think is something that exists with most art forms.
While I loved the writing, I do think Batter was a bit of a tough character to get behind and follow. He seemed quite clueless throughout the entire story. We meet him as a lover of poetry... but he doesn't actually have a talent for writing it. We then see him bumbling around trying to make his way up the poetry ladder anyways (which I respect). But throughout the entire story he didn't seem to have much of a moral compass, which resulted in him being pushed around very easily by everyone around him. He also literally didn't seem to be able to observe anything that was happening around him. Many of his big "realization" moments came from other characters essentially telling him he was an idiot and filling him in on the things that were happening right in front of him. I just wish he grew more throughout the story!
In the end, I think this book had a VERY strong start, slowed down through the middle, but came around with a very exciting ending that felt profound. I think I enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry more than this one, but I still think it's a great read!
Also YAY for anthropomorphic dogs ;)
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
In this novel we have a young man, Batter Gray, who is in his early 20’s and doesn’t know what to do with his life. The reason is that he only cares about poetry, he loves to read it, analyse it, save it - he writes a little but never shows it to anyone.
After some starts and stops he lands a job, albeit in the copy room, of Peck and Peck a prestigious old firm that reviews poetry. They publish a quarterly that showcases new poets.
Batter quickly finds that there are some very unhappy people working at this firm, most of it due to Salton Peck, the Editor and Chief of Peck and Peck. He is obnoxious, self righteous, screams at everyone and generally makes life miserable for all. He is one of the last of the Peck twins to run the company - I had trouble believing that any editors or other staff would work for this person, for this company. He even admits to hating poetry!
The novel follows Batter Gray as he goes through week after week working with no hope of promotion in sight. To say any more would ruin the plot.
Some of my CONS:
The novel moves at a glacial pace, there wasn’t much going until the last 20% of the book.
Batter’s mother is a typesetting designer, something I knew nothing about. The discussions about all things “typesetting” went on throughout the book with every conversation between Batter and his mom.
I was looking forward to reading some poetry but there are very few included in the novel. There are however many references to poets and how to write poetry, the types of poetry, etc.
PROS:
There was some humor in the novel - between Batter and some of the other employees which was great.
The ending wrapped up quickly and made for a feeling of “oh good, things will turn out o.k.”
The story of Batter’s namesake, a dog, was a fun addition - his mother insists that the dog was a hero and her stories are great to read.
I have sat on this review because I wanted to be fair and honest - so for me this book was a solid 3*. I would definitely recommend it as there is some great writing here. I’m wondering if this book would be better on audio with the many different characters???
I received an ARC of this novel from the publishers through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel.
After some starts and stops he lands a job, albeit in the copy room, of Peck and Peck a prestigious old firm that reviews poetry. They publish a quarterly that showcases new poets.
Batter quickly finds that there are some very unhappy people working at this firm, most of it due to Salton Peck, the Editor and Chief of Peck and Peck. He is obnoxious, self righteous, screams at everyone and generally makes life miserable for all. He is one of the last of the Peck twins to run the company - I had trouble believing that any editors or other staff would work for this person, for this company. He even admits to hating poetry!
The novel follows Batter Gray as he goes through week after week working with no hope of promotion in sight. To say any more would ruin the plot.
Some of my CONS:
The novel moves at a glacial pace, there wasn’t much going until the last 20% of the book.
Batter’s mother is a typesetting designer, something I knew nothing about. The discussions about all things “typesetting” went on throughout the book with every conversation between Batter and his mom.
I was looking forward to reading some poetry but there are very few included in the novel. There are however many references to poets and how to write poetry, the types of poetry, etc.
PROS:
There was some humor in the novel - between Batter and some of the other employees which was great.
The ending wrapped up quickly and made for a feeling of “oh good, things will turn out o.k.”
The story of Batter’s namesake, a dog, was a fun addition - his mother insists that the dog was a hero and her stories are great to read.
I have sat on this review because I wanted to be fair and honest - so for me this book was a solid 3*. I would definitely recommend it as there is some great writing here. I’m wondering if this book would be better on audio with the many different characters???
I received an ARC of this novel from the publishers through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel.
Read
September 21, 2026Another weird looking book 👀
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Embarrassing secret - in the 1970s, I was a creative writing major who fancied herself a poet. I wrote poetry, but it was bad poetry. Like Batter, I had no idea how I would actually earn a living and couldn’t find anything else to catch my interest. So, I was immediately drawn to Batter. When he finally gets a job with Peck &Peck, the illustrious poetry journal, he’s convinced he’s finally made it. Until he realizes the job isn’t editorial, it’s manning the three copy machines in the basement.
The story started strong. Lots of humor. I found Batter’s mother’s stories about the hero dog for whom Batter is named, droll. And learning the true story of Batter did bring a tear to my eye. I loved some of the secondary characters - Andy, Rainey, Paul, Mr. Radley. But then, too many of the scenarios felt forced and cliched, as did the villain. I found Lessons in Chemistry quirky. But this was more just plain silly. It had more saccharine than I would have preferred. And the pacing was uneven, with the middle section just dragging. The action in the last quarter helped and Garmus brings everything to a favorable resolution.
In short, read this for the characters but don’t expect another Lessons in Chemistry.
My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.
The story started strong. Lots of humor. I found Batter’s mother’s stories about the hero dog for whom Batter is named, droll. And learning the true story of Batter did bring a tear to my eye. I loved some of the secondary characters - Andy, Rainey, Paul, Mr. Radley. But then, too many of the scenarios felt forced and cliched, as did the villain. I found Lessons in Chemistry quirky. But this was more just plain silly. It had more saccharine than I would have preferred. And the pacing was uneven, with the middle section just dragging. The action in the last quarter helped and Garmus brings everything to a favorable resolution.
In short, read this for the characters but don’t expect another Lessons in Chemistry.
My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.
September 13, 2026
New York City, 1982. Batter Gray has just finished college, he loves poetry and while his friends have real jobs, he's stuck folding T-shirts at the Gap and working in a restaurant.
Peck & Peck is published quarterly, Batter is a huge fan and he applies for a job here, the owner is an odd ball Salton Peck and he finds himself stuck in a small room and with three photocopying machines. Not what Batter was expecting at all, at Peck & Peck all poems must be sent in exactly as specified by Salton, and the poet waits for a response, which can take up to six months and notified by postcard.
Batter has no idea Peck & Peck is the location of a battle between dysfunctional twin brothers Salton and Declonius and the latter has spent jail time for fraud, embezzlement, and is not allowed to enter the building.
I received a copy of Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus from NetGalley and Bonnier, in exchange for an honest review and I was excited. I loved Lessons in Chemistry and l felt confused most of the time reading the authors new book. All of the characters were odd, the only three I liked were Batter and his college roommate Paul and later his mum.
The only thing I understood was why the egg was a symbol of the three monthly periodical, it also showed Batters hidden potential and strength to survive in a brutal work environment where he didn't know who he could trust and three stars. Please don’t let my negative review of Peck & Peck put you off reading the novel as it might have a deep and meaningful meaning that I didn’t get and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Peck & Peck is published quarterly, Batter is a huge fan and he applies for a job here, the owner is an odd ball Salton Peck and he finds himself stuck in a small room and with three photocopying machines. Not what Batter was expecting at all, at Peck & Peck all poems must be sent in exactly as specified by Salton, and the poet waits for a response, which can take up to six months and notified by postcard.
Batter has no idea Peck & Peck is the location of a battle between dysfunctional twin brothers Salton and Declonius and the latter has spent jail time for fraud, embezzlement, and is not allowed to enter the building.
I received a copy of Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus from NetGalley and Bonnier, in exchange for an honest review and I was excited. I loved Lessons in Chemistry and l felt confused most of the time reading the authors new book. All of the characters were odd, the only three I liked were Batter and his college roommate Paul and later his mum.
The only thing I understood was why the egg was a symbol of the three monthly periodical, it also showed Batters hidden potential and strength to survive in a brutal work environment where he didn't know who he could trust and three stars. Please don’t let my negative review of Peck & Peck put you off reading the novel as it might have a deep and meaningful meaning that I didn’t get and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Want to Read
March 22, 2026literally beyond excited for the next book from bonnie garmus' genius mind — this time about a young man working at the most prestigious publishing house in nyc: peck & peck 🤭📝
October 16, 2026
I absolutely loved this books predecessor Lessons in Chemistry, so it was hard not to pick up this story with a very high bar having been set!
This book is focused on poetry and the world of publishing poetry. The central character is Batter Gray, whose identical twin died at birth, and who was named after his mother's dog. Batter's parents do their best for him, but he constantly feels like he is not meeting their expectations of him, especially with his love of poetry and desire to be a poet.
I don't want to say more about the plot as it may spoil the story, at times the story is bleak and heart breaking, at others it is simply astonishing and wonderful, as well as frustrating and then equally unbelievable or funny.
Overall, I found the book hard to put down and the character of Batter compelling. Despite the constant bad luck he suffered, he never gave up (although he came very close). The book is a study of poetry, family, friendship, grief, kindness, greed, hope, love, jealousy and publishing. It is also quirky, odd and weird. I can see that it may polarise readers on how they feel about it.
I am happy to recommend this book! Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier/Manilla Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.
This book is focused on poetry and the world of publishing poetry. The central character is Batter Gray, whose identical twin died at birth, and who was named after his mother's dog. Batter's parents do their best for him, but he constantly feels like he is not meeting their expectations of him, especially with his love of poetry and desire to be a poet.
I don't want to say more about the plot as it may spoil the story, at times the story is bleak and heart breaking, at others it is simply astonishing and wonderful, as well as frustrating and then equally unbelievable or funny.
Overall, I found the book hard to put down and the character of Batter compelling. Despite the constant bad luck he suffered, he never gave up (although he came very close). The book is a study of poetry, family, friendship, grief, kindness, greed, hope, love, jealousy and publishing. It is also quirky, odd and weird. I can see that it may polarise readers on how they feel about it.
I am happy to recommend this book! Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier/Manilla Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.
September 7, 2026
Bonnie Garmus did the unthinkable in her highly anticipated sophomore novel: wrote a book devoted to poetry, poets, and the people who love to hate it, and by this I don’t want to release any spoilers on a fine detail or lack thereof.
Peck & Peck is a quintessential literary fiction novel, based on Batter Gray (named after a beloved family dog), who snags a pivotal job at the prestigious, Fort Knox like quarterly poetry publication simply titled Peck & Peck. Batter finds himself entrenched into an unknown world, where family secrets lie, where editors are forced to reckon with the hardships of the publishing world, and the mystery of the Peck family unfolds.
Poetry both equally loved and hated, is a world where no one makes any money being a poet, yet everyone wants to somehow be involved in the creation of it.
The story takes place in 1982 though there are mentions of Bed, Bath & Beyond, TJ Maxx, and Bose (long before they became household names). The story really dives into this era - no cell phones or computers. IBM Selects are used to edit the poetry. Copy machines were still pivotal office machines.
Peck & Peck at its core, is a love letter to the poets. It’s a secret world and Garmus wants in. As readers, we are invited into the building where 50 editors run amok, under the tutelage of the worse boss on the planet- Salton Peck. If HR existed, he would be handed a lawsuit a day. The building where the majority of the book occurs, is a character all its own, surrounded by dead trees, an Aviary, staircases leading to where the magic of poetry happens, much like a poem itself.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, despite most of the characters being unlikable, major lack of poetry actually in the book, because I couldn’t wait to see what Garmus was going to do with this unique story line.
Peck & Peck will be hotly discussed when it releases on 10/13/26, as it’s nothing like her beloved debut Lessons in Chemistry.
I was lucky to have a friend loan me a copy of her ARC!
Peck & Peck is a quintessential literary fiction novel, based on Batter Gray (named after a beloved family dog), who snags a pivotal job at the prestigious, Fort Knox like quarterly poetry publication simply titled Peck & Peck. Batter finds himself entrenched into an unknown world, where family secrets lie, where editors are forced to reckon with the hardships of the publishing world, and the mystery of the Peck family unfolds.
Poetry both equally loved and hated, is a world where no one makes any money being a poet, yet everyone wants to somehow be involved in the creation of it.
The story takes place in 1982 though there are mentions of Bed, Bath & Beyond, TJ Maxx, and Bose (long before they became household names). The story really dives into this era - no cell phones or computers. IBM Selects are used to edit the poetry. Copy machines were still pivotal office machines.
Peck & Peck at its core, is a love letter to the poets. It’s a secret world and Garmus wants in. As readers, we are invited into the building where 50 editors run amok, under the tutelage of the worse boss on the planet- Salton Peck. If HR existed, he would be handed a lawsuit a day. The building where the majority of the book occurs, is a character all its own, surrounded by dead trees, an Aviary, staircases leading to where the magic of poetry happens, much like a poem itself.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, despite most of the characters being unlikable, major lack of poetry actually in the book, because I couldn’t wait to see what Garmus was going to do with this unique story line.
Peck & Peck will be hotly discussed when it releases on 10/13/26, as it’s nothing like her beloved debut Lessons in Chemistry.
I was lucky to have a friend loan me a copy of her ARC!
September 22, 2026
Batter's mother is a total joy!
I laughed and laughed at her eccentric - often outrageous - commentaries on just about any topic you can think of. I actually looked forward to Batter's references to his mother's wacky take on everyone and everything. Bonnie Garmus should write a sequel and make it all about this zany but lovable woman!
I didn't want to read this one too quickly. Just like Lessons in Chemistry, I wanted to savour it. To quote Loverboy: Loving Every Minute of it!!!
For my part, I'm glad that this is a departure from Lessons in Chemistry: The adventure begins...!) I'm still making my way through this unputdownable read! (My full review to follow shortly!)
I laughed and laughed at her eccentric - often outrageous - commentaries on just about any topic you can think of. I actually looked forward to Batter's references to his mother's wacky take on everyone and everything. Bonnie Garmus should write a sequel and make it all about this zany but lovable woman!
I didn't want to read this one too quickly. Just like Lessons in Chemistry, I wanted to savour it. To quote Loverboy: Loving Every Minute of it!!!
For my part, I'm glad that this is a departure from Lessons in Chemistry: The adventure begins...!) I'm still making my way through this unputdownable read! (My full review to follow shortly!)
June 16, 2026
I loved it! I don’t know if I like it better than Lessons, but it’s just as good for different reasons. I found it humorous yet profound, and everyone should read it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Started quite strong but reeeaaalllly dragged for the second half ?? quite disappointing
June 6, 2026
I very much looked forward to reading this second novel by Bonnie Garmus. Lessons in Chemistry was an amazing reading surprise. This second novel disappointed me. The first half of the novel is very slow, a bit tedious, but I persisted. Much more activity in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome my initial reaction.
June 30, 2026
I really was enjoying this until it went completely off the rails and leaving me unsure of what Garmus sought out to do here.
Read
October 15, 2026Vibes-wise, this is a book version of Gilmore Girls. Here's my case:
🍂 fall vibes (despite unfolding across multiple years, not just a season)
✨ quirky cast
💕 upbeat mood, even when dealing with big drama
🔒 despite desperate situations, it never actually feels desperate — I was never truly in fear for any of the characters, as I was certain they’d all be fine
🐕 a protagonist named after a likely fictional hero dog is so Stars Hollow
📈 the plot is incidental, whether you enjoy this story or not depends much more on your connection to the characters and the ways they interact.
If you've read it, do you agree?
🍂 fall vibes (despite unfolding across multiple years, not just a season)
✨ quirky cast
💕 upbeat mood, even when dealing with big drama
🔒 despite desperate situations, it never actually feels desperate — I was never truly in fear for any of the characters, as I was certain they’d all be fine
🐕 a protagonist named after a likely fictional hero dog is so Stars Hollow
📈 the plot is incidental, whether you enjoy this story or not depends much more on your connection to the characters and the ways they interact.
If you've read it, do you agree?
September 24, 2026
An unlikely but utterly compelling story about intrigue, backbiting, betrayal, and love in the poetry publishing industry.
Batter Gray is a college graduate with an exceptional skill: an ear for poetry. Unfortunately this doesn’t prevent him from being largely unemployable. Peck & Peck is a mysterious and prestigious quarterly poetry publication, with the two feuding Peck brothers as figureheads. When Batter appears to land his dream job at Peck and Peck, he inadvertently adds to an ongoing car crash in the company that plays out for a majority of the book.
This was a joy to read. Bonnie Garmus has created some loveable and quirky characters: from Batter’s gentle mother Rainey, who is a quiet expert on typefaces, to the mysterious and tragic Declonius Peck, and his bombastic brother Salton.
The story feels like a love letter to the power of poetry to reach people’s hearts and uncover truth - but this is never heavy-handed, and feels inclusive, never elitist. There is a rich thread of humour that runs through all of the characters (especially Rainey - I love Rainey), without undermining the characters or the story. The plot is fast moving, as the machinations of the Peck brothers and the history and relationships between many of the characters unfold, collapse, and re-form. And I was pleased to see all of the story threads wrap up in a mixed and sometimes poignant way, rather than being unequivocally Happy Ever After.
This is an excellent second novel, which I enjoyed every bit as much as Lessons in Chemistry.
Thank you #NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK / Manilla Press for the free review copy of #PeckPeck without obligation. All opinions are my own.
Batter Gray is a college graduate with an exceptional skill: an ear for poetry. Unfortunately this doesn’t prevent him from being largely unemployable. Peck & Peck is a mysterious and prestigious quarterly poetry publication, with the two feuding Peck brothers as figureheads. When Batter appears to land his dream job at Peck and Peck, he inadvertently adds to an ongoing car crash in the company that plays out for a majority of the book.
This was a joy to read. Bonnie Garmus has created some loveable and quirky characters: from Batter’s gentle mother Rainey, who is a quiet expert on typefaces, to the mysterious and tragic Declonius Peck, and his bombastic brother Salton.
The story feels like a love letter to the power of poetry to reach people’s hearts and uncover truth - but this is never heavy-handed, and feels inclusive, never elitist. There is a rich thread of humour that runs through all of the characters (especially Rainey - I love Rainey), without undermining the characters or the story. The plot is fast moving, as the machinations of the Peck brothers and the history and relationships between many of the characters unfold, collapse, and re-form. And I was pleased to see all of the story threads wrap up in a mixed and sometimes poignant way, rather than being unequivocally Happy Ever After.
This is an excellent second novel, which I enjoyed every bit as much as Lessons in Chemistry.
Thank you #NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK / Manilla Press for the free review copy of #PeckPeck without obligation. All opinions are my own.
June 22, 2026
This book is DELICIOUS! Oh my. A little corny but I love corn. 🌽 The WHOLE TIME I was reading it, I wore a huge grin. There are so many great parts, put together into a PERFECT read. Such fun characters you want to befriend them , love them, hate them, BE THEM. Laughter, shock, tears, joy. All of it. DARE I SAY BETTER THAN LESSONS.. ???? You bet I do!!!!
Chapter 81. First line. Perfect quote.
Chapter 81. First line. Perfect quote.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I refuse to believe this was written by the same person who wrote Lessons in Chemistry. This was a slog for me, and I almost DNF'd it several times. Nothing particularly interesting happens for the first 50% of the book. The beginning was so slow. Basically, Batter is obsessed with poetry, has a very ordinary uninteresting privileged childhood, has good parents, goes to school, goes to university, still loves poetry, and eventually lands an entry-level job at his favorite poetry magazine Peck & Peck. This magazine ends up being run by a corrupt, almost Trump-like boss, and his experience there is pretty miserable. The company is run so strangely that I never really bought into any of it, none of it made sense. The story picks up around the 70% mark, but then things just get weirder and weirder, with each event feeling more ridiculous than the last. Nothing about this story felt believable to me. I was disappointed because Lessons in Chemistry is one of my favorites. While this one wasn't for me, I look forward to reading what Bonnie Garmus comes up with next. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Bound in a thin, leathery field-guide-type cover that seemed to suggest it could survive any storm, Peck & Peck was completely devoid of any of the trademarks of a modern publication. There were no happy blurbs extolling the virtues of the work inside; no hints of what might be included; no table of contents; no banner running across the upper right; nothing that seemed to indicate any faith in or excitement about what lay within. Even the word "poetry" was missing. On the cover-and I would later learn that every cover was the same-was an exquisitely detailed drawing of a mottled quail egg. The egg, which stood on end, seemed to emit a small glow.
Just above the egg was the publication's name, Peck & Peck, perfectly set in a thirty-two-point serif type called Bembo, a humanist typeface designed in 1496 by Francesco Griffo. (There were very few printed items that made their way into our household that weren't identified by typeface. "Has anyone seen the newspaper?" my father would call. And my mother would answer, John, could you be more specific? Is it the one with the incredibly uninspired use of Caslon, or the one that substituted Baskerville for Sabon-as if they thought we wouldn't notice." By age eleven, I knew hundreds of typefaces by sight.)
Sans serif meets Lassie meets The Poetry Review in Bonnie Garmus’s rather charmingly bonkers follow up to her popular bestseller debut “Lessons in Chemistry” – an ode to the importance of typefaces, loyal dogs and poetry.
Our narrator Batter Grey - the single son (his twin brother having died at birth) of a local school historian father and professional type designer mother (who herself is an important character in a novel which might otherwise surprise readers of the author’s debut by having a male protagonist) – is a wanabee poet; he is named after his parent’s deceased pet dog (about who his mother tells stories of unbelievable feats of rescue and heroism) and starts the novel in prison.
Most of the novel is set in 1982 crime-ridden New York, when Batter is 25 and pretending to his parents to have moved to New York for study but instead working a variety of casual jobs, stumbles suspiciously serendipitously into a job at a legendary poetry quarterly the family run Peck and Peck which is set in a magnificently eccentric building and run equally eccentrically by (this something of a family tradition) one of two twins (the other banned from the firm after arrest for fraud) – the magazine is famous for its minimalist covers, rigorous refusal policy (including effectively banning poets from its building) but is becoming increasingly commercial (including reciprocal poetry and product placement links with a famous actress).
Batter’s job is not as he hopes a copy editor but as a copier of editorial in a dingy basement – but it still throws him into the cut throat and complex world of the Peck Pecking order and politics, including basement visits from the banned brother, an entanglement with a female poet who it seems his dating a key Peck player who seems to hate him, the Editor in Chief’s continuous references to a mysterious reference which got Batter the job and more – so much more in a plot with more new complications per page than the widely spaced journal likely has words; complications which rapidly venture into allegations and counter allegations: Batter not helping himself with an impulsive decision to take some rejected poems out of the building in contrary to Peck and Peck’s policy to burn them all.
Overall this was a pretty easy reading novel – not really to my normal literary tastes but one whose gently persuasive peons to poetry (which just about survives amidst the rather too extravagant, unlikely and overstuffed plot) were rather well timed as I read it the day that poet Anne Carson was named Nobel laureate and was encouraged to buy her work.
My thanks to Bonnier Books for an ARC via NetGalley
That's how I used poetry. To understand the world. To decode, analyze, interpret, think. Gave me a huge leg up. .... The poetry section, with the now defunct Peck & Peck leading the pack, was like that: full of short, distilled explanations of where and why people went wrong-and occasionally right. It didn't seem to matter what the topic was-love, war, hate, jealousy, crime, retribution, revenge, or reconciliation - the poets had it covered. And they provided actual answers. Plus, despite what my pre-law classes would call an appalling lack of evidence, their answers always seemed right. Or something even more unlikely. Truthful.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I wanted SO much to love this book after absolutely loving this author's first book Lessons in Chemistry. It isn't that I didn't get the symbolism of good vs. bad and the twins and eggs, etc. I got it but it still was very strange. You may like it better than I did but it just didn't catch my interest anywhere near the way Lessons in Chemistry did.
Disclaimer: I won this ARC in a GoodReads Giveaway but that in no way influenced my review.
Disclaimer: I won this ARC in a GoodReads Giveaway but that in no way influenced my review.
Want to Read
March 23, 2026My most anticipated release of the year!! I will read literally anything Bonnie Garmus writes.
I listened to a podcast interview she did about this book, and I'm super intrigued...
I listened to a podcast interview she did about this book, and I'm super intrigued...
August 13, 2026
What happens when a young man dreams of becoming a poet but finds himself operating three copiers inside the strangest literary magazine in New York? 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A special thank you to Kinokuniya Dubai for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
Peck and Peck by Bonnie Garmus is a highly anticipated second novel which centres on a young poet working at a quirky New York City literary magazine.
Batter Gray has never wanted the kind of career that promises money, security and respect. While everyone around him dreams of becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer, Batter wants to become a poet.
His dream leads him into the strange and highly respected world of Peck & Peck, a famous poetry publication. What follows is a slow-burning story filled with humour, drama, rejection, secrets, suspense and unexpected twists.
Batter Gray grew up in Yuba City with an unusual name and the feeling that half of him was missing. He was born an identical twin, but his brother died at birth. His mother, Rainey, told him he was named after a heroic dog, although Batter never fully understood what that name meant.
In his early twenties, Batter moved to New York and lied to his parents about working in a print shop. In reality, he had entered the strange world of Peck & Peck's secretive and highly respected poetry quarterly.
His job was not glamorous. He spent his days operating three copiers inside a converted bomb shelter. Above him, thirty-nine editors argued about poems, commas and quail eggs. The office felt like a beautiful literary cult, complete with marble stairs, alphabet-shaped plants and a pneumatic tube system racing through the building.
Rainey was easily my favourite character. She is outspoken, clever, wounded and wonderfully exhausting. She can begin a conversation about being late and somehow travel through Christopher Columbus, typography, and Macy’s before finally criticizing Batter’s posture. Her long speeches are hilarious, although a few occasionally feel too heavy.
The middle of the book is slow, and some of the many editors are difficult to tell apart. A shorter version might have made the mystery feel sharper. Still, the final part rewards your patience as hidden truths begin to change everything you thought you understood.
Beneath the workplace comedy lies a thoughtful story about identity, grief, ambition, and the names we inherit. Batter believes he is searching for permission to become a poet, but he is really searching for the truth about his family and himself. Batter wanted to be taken seriously as a poet, but Peck & Peck seemed designed to reject people like him. As he tried to find his place, he became caught up in workplace politics, family secrets, romance, and a mystery that would eventually lead to his becoming Prisoner 83A0956.
Strange, funny, melancholy and completely original, Peck & Peck may not be perfect, but it has a voice unlike anything else I have read. 📚If you appreciate an expertly maneuvered plot, winding tales, and a narrative that strikes a deep chord in the heart, go ahead and pre-order this one. You're going to want it on your shelf.
A special thank you to Kinokuniya Dubai for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
Peck and Peck by Bonnie Garmus is a highly anticipated second novel which centres on a young poet working at a quirky New York City literary magazine.
Batter Gray has never wanted the kind of career that promises money, security and respect. While everyone around him dreams of becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer, Batter wants to become a poet.
His dream leads him into the strange and highly respected world of Peck & Peck, a famous poetry publication. What follows is a slow-burning story filled with humour, drama, rejection, secrets, suspense and unexpected twists.
Batter Gray grew up in Yuba City with an unusual name and the feeling that half of him was missing. He was born an identical twin, but his brother died at birth. His mother, Rainey, told him he was named after a heroic dog, although Batter never fully understood what that name meant.
In his early twenties, Batter moved to New York and lied to his parents about working in a print shop. In reality, he had entered the strange world of Peck & Peck's secretive and highly respected poetry quarterly.
His job was not glamorous. He spent his days operating three copiers inside a converted bomb shelter. Above him, thirty-nine editors argued about poems, commas and quail eggs. The office felt like a beautiful literary cult, complete with marble stairs, alphabet-shaped plants and a pneumatic tube system racing through the building.
Rainey was easily my favourite character. She is outspoken, clever, wounded and wonderfully exhausting. She can begin a conversation about being late and somehow travel through Christopher Columbus, typography, and Macy’s before finally criticizing Batter’s posture. Her long speeches are hilarious, although a few occasionally feel too heavy.
The middle of the book is slow, and some of the many editors are difficult to tell apart. A shorter version might have made the mystery feel sharper. Still, the final part rewards your patience as hidden truths begin to change everything you thought you understood.
Beneath the workplace comedy lies a thoughtful story about identity, grief, ambition, and the names we inherit. Batter believes he is searching for permission to become a poet, but he is really searching for the truth about his family and himself. Batter wanted to be taken seriously as a poet, but Peck & Peck seemed designed to reject people like him. As he tried to find his place, he became caught up in workplace politics, family secrets, romance, and a mystery that would eventually lead to his becoming Prisoner 83A0956.
Strange, funny, melancholy and completely original, Peck & Peck may not be perfect, but it has a voice unlike anything else I have read. 📚If you appreciate an expertly maneuvered plot, winding tales, and a narrative that strikes a deep chord in the heart, go ahead and pre-order this one. You're going to want it on your shelf.
September 19, 2026
Delightfully tender. Beautifully crafted.
Read
September 5, 2026Lead tow face of coine to be mine
its not birdsin
sit chrestofer colombos sail at sea of poems
fun to laugh at thee
detremain to have best hike
due to dived at yallow paige
sinke to hold rare dream
best affair
take a prize
words as flawer be
atted far from thee
suspict one dream
poems
its not birdsin
sit chrestofer colombos sail at sea of poems
fun to laugh at thee
detremain to have best hike
due to dived at yallow paige
sinke to hold rare dream
best affair
take a prize
words as flawer be
atted far from thee
suspict one dream
poems
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved Lessons in Chemistry so much that I wanted to love Peck & Peck as well, but this slow-moving novel about poetry simply didn't work for me on any level. The plot was preposterous, but not in an entertaining way. The characters were unbelievable and, for the most part, irritating. The frequent discussions of fonts were clearly intended to be charming and enlightening but just came across as annoying. The tacked-on love story served zero purpose and wasn't believable in any way. And don't even get me started on the fact that the "bad" character shouted his confession in a big courtroom scene at the climax of the novel. And then there was the later confession by the other "bad" character that just made me roll my eyes.
What made this novel especially disappointing was the fact that it had the kernel of an interesting idea, which got buried under a pile (or, more accurately, an avalanche) of twee nonsense. The editors should have encouraged Bonnie Garmus to write several more drafts of Peck & Peck before publishing it. Let's hope her editors do a better job guiding her next time.
Skip this turkey of a novel, and reread Lessons in Chemistry instead.
What made this novel especially disappointing was the fact that it had the kernel of an interesting idea, which got buried under a pile (or, more accurately, an avalanche) of twee nonsense. The editors should have encouraged Bonnie Garmus to write several more drafts of Peck & Peck before publishing it. Let's hope her editors do a better job guiding her next time.
Skip this turkey of a novel, and reread Lessons in Chemistry instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2026
I loved Lessons in Chemistry (reviewed here) and was excited to learn that Bonnie Garmus has a new book (releasing tomorrow). I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy! I was really hoping that Peck & Peck would live up to its predecessor.
Having said that, I have mixed feelings about the novel overall. You'd think someone who did verse reading on their high school speech team would appreciate poetry more. You'd be wrong. I know some people love poetry, but it's just not for me. (This did not pass down to my older son, as he writes poems and has shared some with me.) I did know about some of the poets mentioned, so that was helpful. So reading a book that centers on poetry isn't my usual modus operandi. However, I made an exception because of the author and what I was hoping she could do with this novel.
Some parts of this novel were really interesting and held my attention. It made me think of The Devil Wears Prada, but for poetry. Batter felt very relatable, even though he's half my age. I just totally sympathized with him, especially when it felt like he was always messing up at work somehow. He was quirky too and I enjoyed getting into his head. Batter was named for his mom's dog, and she had some great stories about him. I loved hearing the dog stories and I wish there had been even more. There were also some other interesting characters throughout the story. I liked his roommate Paul a lot. Batter's mom Rainey was great too. The cover is gorgeous and looks all gold and glittery. The story takes place in early 1980s New York City, which was fun to picture in my mind.
Other parts of this novel felt really slow and I hung in there in hopes things would pick up again. Thankfully, they did, but there was a lot of ebb and flow. Still, many parts of this story amused and surprised me. Even as entertaining as this one was, I prefer Lessons and am hoping Bonnie will write another novel that is on par with that one.
I didn't have a lot of casting ideas for this novel, but I easily picture Sam Nivola as Batter.
(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)
Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.
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TW: Bullying, loss of finances, mugging, difficult childbirth/stillbirth, death of sibling/child (from stillbirth), toxic work environment, people being framed
Having said that, I have mixed feelings about the novel overall. You'd think someone who did verse reading on their high school speech team would appreciate poetry more. You'd be wrong. I know some people love poetry, but it's just not for me. (This did not pass down to my older son, as he writes poems and has shared some with me.) I did know about some of the poets mentioned, so that was helpful. So reading a book that centers on poetry isn't my usual modus operandi. However, I made an exception because of the author and what I was hoping she could do with this novel.
Some parts of this novel were really interesting and held my attention. It made me think of The Devil Wears Prada, but for poetry. Batter felt very relatable, even though he's half my age. I just totally sympathized with him, especially when it felt like he was always messing up at work somehow. He was quirky too and I enjoyed getting into his head. Batter was named for his mom's dog, and she had some great stories about him. I loved hearing the dog stories and I wish there had been even more. There were also some other interesting characters throughout the story. I liked his roommate Paul a lot. Batter's mom Rainey was great too. The cover is gorgeous and looks all gold and glittery. The story takes place in early 1980s New York City, which was fun to picture in my mind.
Other parts of this novel felt really slow and I hung in there in hopes things would pick up again. Thankfully, they did, but there was a lot of ebb and flow. Still, many parts of this story amused and surprised me. Even as entertaining as this one was, I prefer Lessons and am hoping Bonnie will write another novel that is on par with that one.
I didn't have a lot of casting ideas for this novel, but I easily picture Sam Nivola as Batter.
(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)
Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.
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TW: Bullying, loss of finances, mugging, difficult childbirth/stillbirth, death of sibling/child (from stillbirth), toxic work environment, people being framed
October 14, 2026
Bonnie Garmus has given us, once again, the gift of unique, eccentric, quirky and highly intelligent characters, albeit a whole new cast. This book is deeply satirical and leans toward the absurd in humor. The story backdrop contrasts ultimate life consuming dedication to poetry against a cutthroat corporate /dysfunctional family dynasty that owns a quarterly poetry journal. I enjoyed it. It both makes fun of and celebrates the world of poetry and the people who love it or hate it. I found myself rooting for the main character who gets hated on by everyone else. I have a suspicion that writers and any poetry fans will like it. Mainstream readers might find it a harder pill to swallow. Bonnie Garmus is such a wonderful and intelligent writer in her humor, characters, and storytelling!
October 18, 2026
As someone who has found such a love of poetry in the last few years, I couldn't wait to read this book! :) And let me tell you, it didn't disappoint!!
What a quirky cast of characters. They are all so unique and highly entertaining!
There is a part of the book that absolutely undid me. I actually had to put it down and come back to it later.
I absolutely loved how neatly wrapped in a bow the ending was. I sat here grinning until I turned the last page.
There is something so, so special about Bonnie's writing. I am always completely captivated. I would highly recommend for a book club read as there is sooooo much to discuss!
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy.
What a quirky cast of characters. They are all so unique and highly entertaining!
There is a part of the book that absolutely undid me. I actually had to put it down and come back to it later.
I absolutely loved how neatly wrapped in a bow the ending was. I sat here grinning until I turned the last page.
There is something so, so special about Bonnie's writing. I am always completely captivated. I would highly recommend for a book club read as there is sooooo much to discuss!
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy.
September 13, 2026
Batter, named after his Mother’s famous dog, has always been obsessed with poetry. At a young age a librarian introduced him to the illustrious Peck & Peck, a poetry quarterly. From that moment poetry is his guide even if his college counselor prefers accounting. So what happens when he gets his dream job and gets put square between the twin Peck brothers? Well chaos and calamity ensure. This is poetry after all.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Peck and Peck is the second novel from the author of Lessons in Chemistry . Where you immediately fell in love with Chemistry's protagonist-it was hard for me to even like Peck's protagonist. He seemed unfocused and immature. The characters in Peck & Peck were equally unlikable, if not totally unbelievable. The story dragged for me. The novel centered on a journal of poetry published and distributed by the Peck family.
To publish a second novel after the unexpected and massive success of a first novel is tough-and likely that nothing can live up to the expectations and enormous popularity of the first novel. That was certainly true in this case. I am sure many will pick up this book based solely on the author but I predict it will not enjoy the word of mouth endorsement or pass-along benefit or Lessons in Chemistry .
To publish a second novel after the unexpected and massive success of a first novel is tough-and likely that nothing can live up to the expectations and enormous popularity of the first novel. That was certainly true in this case. I am sure many will pick up this book based solely on the author but I predict it will not enjoy the word of mouth endorsement or pass-along benefit or Lessons in Chemistry .
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