The Optimists
Categories: Literature & Fiction
The Optimists is a 2026 novel by Brian Platzer, a former education columnist for The Atlantic and a teacher in New York, published by Little, Brown. Mr. Keating, a gifted and joke-loving Manhattan schoolteacher, tells the story of his most dazzling student, Clara Hightower, over three decades as she goes from kindergarten thief to high school genius, Silicon Valley celebrity and finally animal rights activist turned terrorist, and in doing so tells the story of his own marriage, career and stroke.
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- Sarah Jessica Parker: “I offer an early 2026 round up. ... Sorry a bit about the length of the post but I didn't want to short shrift any of the authors. Hope some of or all of the books find their way to your hands.”