Target New ArrivalsFourth of JulyGift Ideas for DadClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesHome & DecorKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenGroceryHousehold EssentialsBabyBeautyPersonal CareSports & OutdoorsHealthWellnessLuggageSchool & Office SuppliesToys & GamesElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksParty SuppliesGift IdeasGift CardsPetsUlta Beauty at TargetShop by CommunityTarget OpticalDealsClearanceNew ArrivalsGift Ideas for DadBack to SchoolCollegeTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores
The Brightness - by  Chad Harbach (Hardcover) - 1 of 1

The Brightness - by Chad Harbach (Hardcover)

Pre-order

Free & easy returns
Free & easy returns
Return this item by mail or in store within 90 days for a full refund.
Eligible for registries and wish lists

About this item

Highlights

  • From the bestselling author of literary sensation The Art of Fielding comes an urgent, deeply felt story of friendship, art, love, and grief, following two young women on the brink of irrevocable change.
  • About the Author: Chad Harbach is the author of the novels The Brightness and The Art of Fielding, which has been translated into more than twenty languages.
  • 672 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Literary

Description



Book Synopsis



From the bestselling author of literary sensation The Art of Fielding comes an urgent, deeply felt story of friendship, art, love, and grief, following two young women on the brink of irrevocable change.

Parties and weddings, messy hookups and marred friendships, art and love and grief--The Brightness follows the electric, chaotic, everything-can-happen lives of Pella and her best friend, Irma, as they fumble their way out of sleepy, Midwestern Westish College and into a larger world that will upend their connection and everything they thought they understood about their own place within it.

At 27, Pella's life looks settled: she's a recent college grad, engaged to Mike, her longtime boyfriend, and helping her friend Owen pull off his own destination wedding on Block Island. But over that wild wedding weekend, Pella's past and present collide spectacularly, blowing up her plans and sending her spiraling toward an unplanned future in New York City. Meanwhile, back at Westish College, 21-year-old Irma's involvement with a politically charged prank--one that has roiled both the campus and the world beyond--threatens to derail her brilliant future. As Irma and Pella cycle through possibilities and identities, both navigate the heights and depths of passion and ambition, and the incalculable wages of love and loss.

In stunning scenes and spectacular characters--each drawn with an almost superhuman vividness and humanity--Chad Harbach captures that specific, shimmering anxiety of your twenties when life still feels wide open, even as hard and irreversible choices start closing in. Energetic, funny, and deeply human, this much-anticipated follow-up to The Art of Fielding confirms Chad Harbach as one of the most accomplished and deep-seeing writers of our time.



Review Quotes




"A good book is propulsive, you can't put it down, etc. A really good book fosters scarcity and you want to put it down as frequently as you can to live in the narrative longer. But a great book makes you feel a sort of frustration with the author that they wrote it before you. This is a good, really good, and great book. It captures a. what it was like to be a girl in college in 2016, which I was but imagine Chad wasn't, which makes it all the more impressive, b. the complicated nature of female friendship, and c. the wonderful excruciating confusion of growing up. I could not put it down, except when I had to in order to savor it."--Madeline Cash, author of Lost Lambs



About the Author



Chad Harbach is the author of the novels The Brightness and The Art of Fielding, which has been translated into more than twenty languages. He is a founding editor of n+1 and the editor of the essay collection MFA vs. NYC. He lives in northern California with his son and dog.

Dimensions (Overall): 9.5 Inches (H) x 6.25 Inches (W) x 2.06 Inches (D)
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 672
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Literary
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Format: Hardcover
Author: Chad Harbach
Language: English
Street Date: October 27, 2026
TCIN: 1010336001
UPC: 9780316455695
Item Number (DPCI): 247-13-6134
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 2.06 inches length x 6.25 inches width x 9.5 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.
See the return policy for complete information.

Q: What themes are explored in the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book explores themes of friendship, art, love, grief, and the complexities of growing up.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What age group is this book suitable for?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book is suggested for readers aged 22 years and up, reflecting mature themes.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: Who are the main characters in the story?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The main characters are Pella and her best friend Irma, navigating life changes and challenges.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What is the setting of the novel?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The novel is primarily set in Westish College and later transitions to New York City.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What is the author's writing style like?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: Chad Harbach's writing is energetic, funny, and deeply human, capturing vivid characters and emotions.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
    Ai generated

Additional product information and recommendations

Discover more options

Frequently bought together

Guests also viewed

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy