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Table of Contents
Featured Content
About the Book
A BEST BOOK OF THE FALL FOR OPRAH DAILY TIME, AND THE NEW YORK POST
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK FOR CBS, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE BOSTON GLOBE, COUNTRY LIVING, LIT HUB, BOOKPAGE, AND MORE!
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of global sensation Lessons in Chemistry returns with an irresistible, delightful, and tender literary novel set in the publishing world of 1980s New York City 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.
Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
It’s 1982, New York City. Crime is on the rise, muggings are in the streets, and Batter Gray, recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While all of his friends have real jobs, he’s folding T-shirts at the Gap. As for love? No. Not unless you count Sallie Mae, the student loan tyrant. He hears from Sallie all the time.
But when Batter gets a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most prestigious poetry quarterly in the world, his life moves into the literary fast lane. Soon Batter is knee-deep in the secret war between the two Editors in Chief, the famous Peck brothers—twins and enemies—as well as being privy to the private affairs of their thirty-nine editors, whose professed mission is the same: Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
And by burn, they mean incinerate. Because at Peck & Peck, “good” isn’t good enough, “interesting” doesn’t cut it, plagiarists aren’t tolerated, and parolees run the mailroom. Still want to submit your poem? Go with God.
Welcome to another dazzling and unforgettable novel from Bonnie Garmus. If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you will love Peck & Peck.
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK FOR CBS, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE BOSTON GLOBE, COUNTRY LIVING, LIT HUB, BOOKPAGE, AND MORE!
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of global sensation Lessons in Chemistry returns with an irresistible, delightful, and tender literary novel set in the publishing world of 1980s New York City 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.
Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
It’s 1982, New York City. Crime is on the rise, muggings are in the streets, and Batter Gray, recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While all of his friends have real jobs, he’s folding T-shirts at the Gap. As for love? No. Not unless you count Sallie Mae, the student loan tyrant. He hears from Sallie all the time.
But when Batter gets a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most prestigious poetry quarterly in the world, his life moves into the literary fast lane. Soon Batter is knee-deep in the secret war between the two Editors in Chief, the famous Peck brothers—twins and enemies—as well as being privy to the private affairs of their thirty-nine editors, whose professed mission is the same: Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.
And by burn, they mean incinerate. Because at Peck & Peck, “good” isn’t good enough, “interesting” doesn’t cut it, plagiarists aren’t tolerated, and parolees run the mailroom. Still want to submit your poem? Go with God.
Welcome to another dazzling and unforgettable novel from Bonnie Garmus. If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you will love Peck & Peck.
Appearances
OCT 16
7:00PM
St. Louis County Library
1640 S Lindbergh Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63131
OCT 17
3:00PM
Books-A-Million
1810 Cumming Hwy
Suite 610
Canton, GA 30115
OCT 18
12:00AM
Wordfest
18 Mt Royal Cir SW
Calgary, AB T3E 7N5
OCT 19
7:00PM
Calvary Presbyterian Church
2515 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115
OCT 21
7:00PM
Hanes Auditorium (Salem Academy & College)
601 S Church St
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
OCT 22
7:00PM
In Person
Bonnie Garmus
Keynote speaker at ASML Adult Author Series. In Conversation with Debby Applegate.
Learn MoreWilton Library Association at the Wilton Library G
137 Old Ridgefield Road
Wilton, CT 06897
OCT 23
7:00PM
Portsmouth Music Hall's Historic Theater
28 Chestnut St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
OCT 24
7:00PM
The First Parish in Cambridge
1446 Massachusetts Avenue
3 Church St Main Office
Cambridge, MA 02138
OCT 25
6:00PM
The JPT Film & Event Center
49 Touro St
Newport, RI 02840
OCT 26
7:00PM
First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
2125 Chestnut S
Philadelphia, PA 19103
OCT 27
7:00PM
Lincoln Theatre
1215 U St NW
Washington, DC 20009
NOV 15
4:00PM
The University of San Diego
5555 Marian Way
San Diego, CA 92110
NOV 16
7:30PM
Writers Guild Theater
135 S Doheny Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
NOV 17
6:00PM
First Baptist Church of Austin
901 Trinity St
Austin, TX 78701
NOV 18
7:00PM
All Souls Unitarian Church
2952 S Peoria Ave
Tulsa, OK 74114
NOV 19
6:30PM
The Langford Auditorium at Vanderbilt
2209 Garland Ave,
Nashville, TN 37232
NOV 20
7:00PM
AC Hotel Greenville
315 S Main St
Greenville, SC 29601
NOV 21
2:45PM
The Miami Book Fair
300 NE Second Ave
Miami, FL 33132
NOV 23
7:00PM
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
A200,
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
Reading Group Guide
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This reading group guide for PECK & PECK includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
Batter Gray, a recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While his peers have settled on the tried-and-true—medicine, law, finance, engineering—Batter is still folding T-shirts at the Gap. Until he stumbles into a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most famous, prestigious, dysfunctional poetry quarterly in the world. Peck & Peck is everything Batter has ever wanted, but as he gets to know the company, tensions grow and political machinations rise to the surface. Caught in a web of deceit, money, power, and sibling rivalry, the quarterly seems to be taking a turn for the worse. But does it really matter? After all, it’s only poetry.
Or is it?
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. Chapter 1 opens with “I’ve been called a thief, a rebel, an upstart, a traitor, and—maybe this one won’t come as a surprise based on the others—Prisoner 83A0956” (p. 1). How does this introduction affect your first impression of Batter’s character?
2. Rainey Gray, Batter’s mother, describes typefaces as “practical and emotional, a volatile combination that should only ever be handled by a trained professional” (p. 15). Why does Rainey believe type design is so important? Can a typeface really change minds or save lives, as she implies? How much thought do you give to the typeface you use?
3. Batter is an identical twin whose brother died at birth. How does his yearning for a brother he’s never met affect his feelings about himself? And had his twin lived, how does he imagine his life would have been different? All of us have an inner life, and some psychologists believe it’s a kind of twin we each carry inside. When you feel something “in your gut,” is that your inner twin speaking? Do you ever feel like you have an evil twin?
4. Many people believe twins always get along, but twin research proves otherwise. What causes sibling rivalry? And how does sibling rivalry affect others? A company is often compared to a family because its day-to-day activity is influenced by roles, alliances, and professional jealousies. As in a family, there is a pecking order. How much is your company like a family? How is it different?
5. When Batter goes to the Aviary for the first time, he observes the collection of eggs: “every egg is a calcified fortress, a citadel designed to withstand weight, weather, and wear. We consider them as fragile; they’re anything but” (p. 116). In other words, the eggshell, like several characters in the book, defies expectations. Which characters do the same, revealing themselves to be more than they seem? Do you think most people hide behind a shell?
6. Crime is a consistent theme throughout the book. Some crimes are committed for noble reasons—for example, when poets speak out against a fascist leader. But other crimes—bribes, plagiarism, accounting fraud—are typically byproducts of greed and/or desperation. Some believe today’s Generative AI platforms are an example of this latter type of crime because, like bribes, they make the end user complicit by promoting plagiarism as an acceptable way to get things done faster. AI is unregulated, which means none of us have a say in how it is built or used. What are your thoughts on AI regulation? Does Peck & Peck seem odd for insisting that the only way to protect a writer’s rejected work is to burn their copy? Given the way that AI scrapes without permission, does Peck & Peck seem ahead of its time? Is scraping justifiable in order for companies to form one source of knowledge? Is it okay to ignore copyright law? Finally, how do you protect what you do (e.g., research, law briefs, emails, essays, songs, books, voice, visual likenesses, family photos) from being used by AI without your permission? Is plagiarism the price of progress?
7. Batter and Paul, like Declonius and Salton, are complete opposites. Yet the brotherhood shared by Batter and Paul is a reminder that family isn’t always defined by blood. Despite their different life experiences, what makes Batter and Paul friends? And despite their common upbringing, what makes Declonius and Salton enemies? How are both pairs surprised by each other at the end?
8. Every edition of Peck & Peck is fronted by the poem “Come. Home.” Declonius explains it refers to a person’s knowledge of who they are and what they stand for—to “come home” is to return to your values. What values guide you? Do you ever feel like your values are threatened by the work you do? How well does your company, government, or school represent your values?
9. Batter is named after Batter the dog. What role do Rainey’s dog stories play in the book? And why is each story tied to a distinct psychological issue (anxiety, low self-esteem, narcissism, etc.)? Does she really suffer from “nerves,” or is it, as she says, just the opposite—that most people lack nerve? Why does she insist that Batman would be nothing without Alfred? Does every hero require help?
10. Batter proves that he has excellent first instincts, but his desire to do the right thing often puts him in harm’s way. As he says, “Doing the brave thing and doing the right thing were usually the same. But why was doing the right thing so hard?” (p. 191). Where do we see these instincts at play? What are some instances where Batter succeeds by trusting his gut?
11. The Peck & Peck building is a character in its own right. What does the building represent? Why are we drawn to things that aren’t carbon copies? Can you name a building you love?
12. Batter isn’t sure who he is, a problem, especially when money is tight. Have you ever felt like you’re waiting for your life to begin? What sorts of things keep you from knowing what you want to do? Do you think it’s harder to be a success in the humanities? What would happen if the humanities disappeared?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Research the typefaces mentioned in the book. What is the history behind each? Do you have a favorite?
2. Choose one of the poets mentioned in the book and read five of their poems. Discuss which ones spoke to you (or didn’t) and why. Do you have a favorite poet?
3. Host your own Phone Book Party!
Introduction
Batter Gray, a recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While his peers have settled on the tried-and-true—medicine, law, finance, engineering—Batter is still folding T-shirts at the Gap. Until he stumbles into a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most famous, prestigious, dysfunctional poetry quarterly in the world. Peck & Peck is everything Batter has ever wanted, but as he gets to know the company, tensions grow and political machinations rise to the surface. Caught in a web of deceit, money, power, and sibling rivalry, the quarterly seems to be taking a turn for the worse. But does it really matter? After all, it’s only poetry.
Or is it?
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. Chapter 1 opens with “I’ve been called a thief, a rebel, an upstart, a traitor, and—maybe this one won’t come as a surprise based on the others—Prisoner 83A0956” (p. 1). How does this introduction affect your first impression of Batter’s character?
2. Rainey Gray, Batter’s mother, describes typefaces as “practical and emotional, a volatile combination that should only ever be handled by a trained professional” (p. 15). Why does Rainey believe type design is so important? Can a typeface really change minds or save lives, as she implies? How much thought do you give to the typeface you use?
3. Batter is an identical twin whose brother died at birth. How does his yearning for a brother he’s never met affect his feelings about himself? And had his twin lived, how does he imagine his life would have been different? All of us have an inner life, and some psychologists believe it’s a kind of twin we each carry inside. When you feel something “in your gut,” is that your inner twin speaking? Do you ever feel like you have an evil twin?
4. Many people believe twins always get along, but twin research proves otherwise. What causes sibling rivalry? And how does sibling rivalry affect others? A company is often compared to a family because its day-to-day activity is influenced by roles, alliances, and professional jealousies. As in a family, there is a pecking order. How much is your company like a family? How is it different?
5. When Batter goes to the Aviary for the first time, he observes the collection of eggs: “every egg is a calcified fortress, a citadel designed to withstand weight, weather, and wear. We consider them as fragile; they’re anything but” (p. 116). In other words, the eggshell, like several characters in the book, defies expectations. Which characters do the same, revealing themselves to be more than they seem? Do you think most people hide behind a shell?
6. Crime is a consistent theme throughout the book. Some crimes are committed for noble reasons—for example, when poets speak out against a fascist leader. But other crimes—bribes, plagiarism, accounting fraud—are typically byproducts of greed and/or desperation. Some believe today’s Generative AI platforms are an example of this latter type of crime because, like bribes, they make the end user complicit by promoting plagiarism as an acceptable way to get things done faster. AI is unregulated, which means none of us have a say in how it is built or used. What are your thoughts on AI regulation? Does Peck & Peck seem odd for insisting that the only way to protect a writer’s rejected work is to burn their copy? Given the way that AI scrapes without permission, does Peck & Peck seem ahead of its time? Is scraping justifiable in order for companies to form one source of knowledge? Is it okay to ignore copyright law? Finally, how do you protect what you do (e.g., research, law briefs, emails, essays, songs, books, voice, visual likenesses, family photos) from being used by AI without your permission? Is plagiarism the price of progress?
7. Batter and Paul, like Declonius and Salton, are complete opposites. Yet the brotherhood shared by Batter and Paul is a reminder that family isn’t always defined by blood. Despite their different life experiences, what makes Batter and Paul friends? And despite their common upbringing, what makes Declonius and Salton enemies? How are both pairs surprised by each other at the end?
8. Every edition of Peck & Peck is fronted by the poem “Come. Home.” Declonius explains it refers to a person’s knowledge of who they are and what they stand for—to “come home” is to return to your values. What values guide you? Do you ever feel like your values are threatened by the work you do? How well does your company, government, or school represent your values?
9. Batter is named after Batter the dog. What role do Rainey’s dog stories play in the book? And why is each story tied to a distinct psychological issue (anxiety, low self-esteem, narcissism, etc.)? Does she really suffer from “nerves,” or is it, as she says, just the opposite—that most people lack nerve? Why does she insist that Batman would be nothing without Alfred? Does every hero require help?
10. Batter proves that he has excellent first instincts, but his desire to do the right thing often puts him in harm’s way. As he says, “Doing the brave thing and doing the right thing were usually the same. But why was doing the right thing so hard?” (p. 191). Where do we see these instincts at play? What are some instances where Batter succeeds by trusting his gut?
11. The Peck & Peck building is a character in its own right. What does the building represent? Why are we drawn to things that aren’t carbon copies? Can you name a building you love?
12. Batter isn’t sure who he is, a problem, especially when money is tight. Have you ever felt like you’re waiting for your life to begin? What sorts of things keep you from knowing what you want to do? Do you think it’s harder to be a success in the humanities? What would happen if the humanities disappeared?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Research the typefaces mentioned in the book. What is the history behind each? Do you have a favorite?
2. Choose one of the poets mentioned in the book and read five of their poems. Discuss which ones spoke to you (or didn’t) and why. Do you have a favorite poet?
3. Host your own Phone Book Party!
About the Author
Photograph by Moya Nolan
Bonnie Garmus is a coffee-dependent American novelist. Her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, was a Good Morning America Book Club Pick, a Goodreads Choice Best Book of the Year, spent nearly two years on the New York Times bestseller list and was named by Times readers as one of the top 100 books of the 21st century. Translated into over forty languages, Lessons in Chemistry was honored with sixteen international literary awards and made into an Apple TV limited series. Peck & Peck is her second novel.
Product Details
- Publisher: Scribner (October 13, 2026)
- Length: 432 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668251065
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Raves and Reviews
"Part caper, part time capsule... Bonnie Garmus poses hard questions about the high stakes of culture and ambition, who has real talent and who sorely lacks it." —TIME
"The extravagantly twisty plot here isn’t the draw. Rather it’s in the roster of offbeat characters—among them, an action-film star who has surprising literary talent; Batter’s loving, endlessly optimistic mother, a typeface designer; and Batter himself… an affecting ode to poetry.” —The Wall Street Journal
“After Lessons in Chemistry became one of the most successful debuts in recent memory, Garmus introduces another irresistible oddball protagonist. Batter Gray—named after a heroic family dog, raised by a type designer mother, reading Auden in fourth grade—lands a job at Peck & Peck, an illustrious New York literary journal, where he is immediately disliked by everyone who matters, none of whom can ever say his name right. This is a love story, a workplace romp, a satire with a soft heart for fonts, and an ode to poetry and the people who can't live without it.” —Oprah Daily, "Best Books of Fall 2026"
"Peck & Peck is stuffed to the brim with plot and characters too numerous to mention here, which snap together delightfully. There are unexpected surprises and sweet connections. This all makes for a rollicking good story. If [Lessons in Chemistry] made you love chemistry, this one might just make you fall for poetry. Such is the force of happiness." —Carolyn Kellogg, The Boston Globe
"[A] joyous ode to finding one’s calling… a funny, tender tale.” —Library Journal (starred)
“Some fans may fear that Garmus can't create another story as tender, captivating, or triumphant as her 2022 hit, Lessons in Chemistry. But good news—she can, in a book both poignant and heartwarming. In this vividly drawn tale, readers will feel all the emotions Gray does and suffer through his confusion, desperation, and finally, his exhilaration, as he discovers and understands who he is. A stunning novel.” —Booklist (starred)
“Tender-hearted… [Garmus] packs the novel with the antic humor and colorful characterizations that drew readers to her debut. There’s much to cherish in this charming tale.” —Publishers Weekly
"Prepare to be charmed.” —Boston Globe
“A reflection on the intersections of art, originality, capital and culture. It is about how to decide when to use one’s voice, and about what stories we value. Plus, it’s a fun read, with surprising characters, swift action and lively, vivid descriptions of these most self-serious of people and their lofty, and possibly noble, pursuit of art." —Bookpage
“[People are] hungry for another Bonnie Garmus hit. Thankfully Peck & Peck is here to feed those gaping mouths... With the trappings of the literary world, and the heart of a bildungsroman, Peck & Peck vows to fill the void in all our hearts with a needed dash of wit and poignancy." —Literary Hub, Most Anticipated Books of 2026, Part Two
“An absolute delight! Garmus creates a world where poetry is beloved, families are complicated and a dog (once again) saves the day. Fans will be delighted at this creative, enjoyable world.” —Woman's World
“The characters are both eclectic and eccentric. Their oddness opens many a can of worms. But they grow on you. And you will find yourself rooting them on and praying for miracles... It’s simply brilliant.” —Florida Weekly
“Garmus applies her unique comic sensibility to the story of Batter Gray… charming… with some really lovely things to say about poetry.” —Kirkus
"Magnificent. Captivating, funny, wise and wonderful. Peck and Peck is the book the literary world has been waiting for, and it delivers on every level. I couldn’t love it more." —Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark
"I'm absolutely over the moon about Bonnie Garmus' new novel. It is EXACTLY what I needed to read right now. Charming, uplifting, soulful, and original, this is the perfect successor to Lessons in Chemistry. If you loved Elizabeth Zott, you will adore Batter Gray. Book clubs will adore this novel. I loved it." —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Women
"An absolute triumph of storytelling, writing and characterisation... This is a glorious celebration of, and plea for, the creative arts, with a cast of truly unforgettable characters, from the eponymous Peck & Peck to the excellently named narrator Batter Gray. I won't forget this book. Ever." —Jennie Godfrey, Sunday Times bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
"It was an absolute delight to escape into Bonnie Garmus's world of delinquent poets, demented publishers and recherché fonts. Her exuberant comedy and freewheeling imagination reminded me of John Irving in his prime. Many congratulations - no 'difficult second album' for Bonnie Garmus - I thought it was even better than her first." —Clare Chambers, bestselling author of Small Pleasures
“This novel is everything: a love story, a literary thriller, a brilliant satire that’s full of humor and heart. Only Bonnie Garmus can write like this.” —Meg Mason, internationally bestselling author of You Be Mother and Sorrow and Bliss
"One of the best books I've ever read. Genius level clever. A superbly crafted, intricate story about life, love and standing up for what you believe in. I absolutely loved it." —Donna Ashworth, bestselling poet and author of To the Women
SELECTED PRAISE FOR LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY
GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Elle, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, GoodReads, Bookpage, Kirkus
“Full of charm, energy and hope—and featuring a really great dog—it’s one to savor.”
—People Magazine
"The most delightful novel I read this year—fresh and surprising—was Lessons in Chemistry: a fish-out-of-water story about a feminist hero who never stops pushing for what’s right. (I laughed out loud!)"
—Philip Galanes, The New York Times
"Darkly funny and poignant…Irresistible, a gorgeous tribute to resilience and the many types of love that sustain us."
—Leigh Haber, Oprah Daily
“Lessons in Chemistry will make you wonder about all the real-life women born ahead of their time—women who were sidelined, ignored and worse because they weren’t as resourceful, determined and lucky as Elizabeth Zott.”
—Elizabeth Egan, New York Times Book Review
"It's the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side. Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty."
—Maggie Shipstead, author of Great Circle
"A breath of fresh air—a witty, propulsive, and refreshingly hopeful novel populated with singular characters. This book is an utter delight—wry, warm, and compulsively readable."
—Claire Lombardo, author of The Most Fun We Ever Had
"Elizabeth Zott swept me away with her intellect, honesty, and unapologetic selfhood…[A] story for all the smart girls who refuse to dumb themselves down despite a culture that demands otherwise. Though a creation of the 50s & 60s, Zott is a feminist icon for our time."
—Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch
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