Nostalgia, cruises, and nkotb: emma straub charts a course for literary fun
Emma Straub, the celebrated author and proprietor of Brooklyn’s Books Are Magic, has set sail on a delightfully unexpected literary voyage. Her new novel, American Fantasy, explores the potent pull of nostalgia and fandom through the lens of a solo traveler’s experience aboard a New Kids on the Block cruise—a premise as quirky as it is compelling.
A father's loss and a boy band's appeal
The genesis of American Fantasy wasn't a calculated move, but rather a deeply personal response to grief. Following the death of her father and the completion of a particularly somber book, Straub sought an antidote to the prevailing melancholy. “I was crying every day,” she admits, “and I wanted to write something really different.” The seemingly random sighting of an advertisement for a New Kids on the Block cruise proved to be the catalyst. “I just thought, Well, that’s my next novel.”
The choice of a boy band cruise as the setting—and subject—might raise eyebrows, but Straub deftly navigates the terrain, tapping into a universal longing for uncomplicated joy and the comfort of cherished memories. As she explains, “The things that we love in childhood and adolescence have a profound hold on us…for some people it’s boy bands, for some people it’s horses or Laura Ingalls Wilder.” The nostalgia factor isn't merely a plot device; it's an exploration of how we grapple with the past and seek solace in familiar touchstones.
Solo at sea: a writer's observation
Straub's decision to embark on the cruise solo wasn't about avoiding scrutiny, but about maximizing observation. “I went by myself because I was not interested in being perceived, and I did not want to have to take care of anyone else,” she says. This detachment allowed her to become a keen observer of the cruise’s dynamics, absorbing the nuances of human behavior and the peculiar energy of a group united by a shared passion for 1980s pop music. She emphasizes the crucial role this hands-on research played in shaping the narrative, noting that the novel would have been “a far inferior version” without it.
Balancing the demands of running a bookstore with the creative process proved manageable thanks to a trusted team and a supportive husband. But, as she wryly adds, “My family got really sick of me talking about New Kids on the Block.” The small price to pay for a novel that promises to resonate with anyone who has ever felt the powerful pull of a childhood obsession.
Straub celebrated the book’s release with a charmingly low-key ritual—a complimentary matcha and almond croissant at the coffee shop across the street from her bookstore. “I feel like I live in the village from Beauty and the Beast,” she remarked, “where I’m just sort of twirling down the sidewalk and strangers are calling out, ‘Happy pub day!’ to me.” A sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the warmth and humanity woven into the pages of American Fantasy. The novel serves as a reminder that even amidst the manufactured bliss of a celebrity cruise, genuine connection and meaningful reflection can be found—often in the most unexpected places.