The Sterns Are Listening

by Jonathan Wells

From acclaimed poet and memoirist Jonathan Wells comes a raucous and aching New York novel about family derangement, Boomer laments and youthful revolt, rock and roll, and the sacrifices we make for what we love.  Benjamin and Dita Stern are seasoned New Yorkers whose life in the pre-war, Upper East Side building Benjamin’s grandfather built has settled into stasis—two children no longer at home, professional lives never fully realized. Then Benjamin’s brash younger brother Spence, founder and CEO of the hearing aid company Belphonics, asks him to collaborate on a new product line inspired by the brothers’ rock-and-roll youth at CBGB—the club where, Spence believes, his hearing was permanently damaged. If the idea works, it might salvage Benjamin and Dita’s tenuous financial position. Yet they both know that getting involved in Spence’s schemes comes at a high price.  That same evening, with the Sterns’ daughter Alessandra over for dinner, Benjamin’s news is upstaged by the startling appearance of their son, Giorgio, whose violent adolescent behavior resulted in his being sent away for most of high school. Now seventeen, he is adrift and still a very troubled young man. As Benjamin and Dita reckon with their parental choices, Giorgio takes the reins of his own story, and we learn not only that his name is not, in fact, Giorgio, but also the extent to which all the Sterns share some measure of responsibility for his plight.  A funny and deeply felt debut novel from poet and memoirist Jonathan Wells, The Sterns Are Listening explores a family on the verge of both collapse and regeneration. Brimming with affection for its troubled characters and the troubled city they call home, the novel traces a courageous path to the deeply uncomfortable heart of the matter, one that just might lead to redemption.

257 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2023

Reviews

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, I couldn't stop reading. This immersive novel is alive with textures, sounds and emotion punctuated with surprises and humor. A terrific read!

[Matilda]

2.5 stars. I think this book had so much potential but really didn't hit home for me. A little slow and nothing really happened?

[Michael Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little novel about a couple brothers who, decades after their many ventures to the punk club CBGBs, are having some ear trouble, and come up with a hearing aid called the Rocker for people like them. The brothers don't get along, as one is a legit a-hole, and committed a pretty grave sin involving his older brother's son.
The son, meanwhile, gets sent out west after some violent acts, enrolled in a program where naughty kids hike all day and sleep outside. He returns home and confronts his uncle on the dastardly act from years before.
The story builds up to its climax at, yes, CBGBs, as the brothers have the release party for the Rocker there. Things don't go as planned.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so thoroughly disappointed in this book. I was so eager to read it and now I feel as if this were 250 pages I’ll never get back. All the characters are awful, the big climax was stupid and boring and it captures none of the feeling or ambiance of the New York music scene of the 70s/80s as promised. Great blurb writer, book is not worth it.