10:04

By: Ben Lerner

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

In the last year, the narrator of 10:04 has enjoyed unexpected literary success, has been diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart condition, and has been asked by his best friend to help her conceive a child, despite his dating a rising star in the visual arts. In a New York of increasingly frequent super storms and political unrest, he must reckon with his biological mortality, the possibility of a literary afterlife, and the prospect of (unconventional) fatherhood in a city that might soon be under water. Exploring sex, friendship, medicine, memory, art, and politics, 10:04 is both a riveting work of fiction and a brilliant examination of the role fiction plays in our lives.

©2014 Ben Lerner (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Masterful, young voice

If you could sum up 10:04 in three words, what would they be?

Masterful young voice

What did you like best about this story?

Subtle poetic phrasing and a self-deprecating tone combine to make this a totally engaging story.

Which character – as performed by Eric Michael Summerer – was your favorite?

The protagonist is my favorite. He bumbles his way through life with a positive attitude.

Any additional comments?

The book is consistently focused on typical life experiences, covering a wide range from birth to death without being overbearing or pretentious.

The erudite language is intended to be annoying.

I didn’t feel connected to the characters or the story but I admire Ben Lerner’s ability to evoke the Uber—cool world of Brooklyn and the artistes there in.

Perhaps The Most Influential Book I've Ever Read

10:04 changed my life. I've never identified so closely to an author in my entire life and for the first time in my existence I feel as though I may not be as alone as I feel.

The author as octopus poet

Ben Lerner gives us, his and Whitman's"you," a novel of walking and talking with a mind as sieve, straining out frightened emotions through the ink clouds of the overactive protection of intellect. A fine novel from a strong poet.

Into the Future

This is a brilliant story about modern life. Lerner has honed his art to perfection in the book and I was in awe as I listened to this tale which captures the vast ambiguities and uncertainties of life in America today.