Nostalgia, cruises, and new kids: emma straub charts a quirky course
Emma Straub, the beloved author and proprietor of Brooklyn’s Books Are Magic, has always possessed a remarkable ability to distill the everyday into something quietly profound. Now, she’s turned her perceptive gaze toward the peculiar intersection of boy-band fandom and luxury cruise culture, resulting in her latest novel, American Fantasy. But this isn’t mere whimsical escapism; Straub’s work, as she reveals in a recent conversation with Vogue, is a deeply personal exploration of grief, memory, and the enduring power of pop culture.
Trading sadness for sequins: the genesis of a novel
The seed for American Fantasy sprouted from a particularly poignant moment. Following the loss of her father and the publication of a “really sad book,” Straub sought a creative departure, a shift in emotional gears. “I wanted to write something really different,” she explains, and the seemingly absurd idea of a New Kids on the Block cruise—discovered via a casual online search—provided the perfect antidote. It was, she admits with a laugh, a desire to be “trapped at sea with [her] favorite boy band.”
The choice to embark on this research solo speaks volumes about Straub’s approach. Eschewing the potential complications of traveling with others, she deliberately sought anonymity, fading into the background to observe the cruise ship ecosystem. “I didn’t have to worry about whether someone else was having a good time or if they thought it was a total nightmare,” she notes, emphasizing the importance of detached observation in shaping her narrative.
The enduring appeal of boy bands: more than just music
Straub isn’t alone in her fascination with boy bands. They represent a potent cultural touchstone, a repository of adolescent dreams and unfulfilled desires. But why do these groups hold such a profound grip on our collective memory? “Well, let me ask: What was your boy band?” she playfully poses to Vogue, referencing her own lifelong devotion to New Kids on the Block and a childhood slightly marred by the absence of a live concert experience.
She connects this nostalgia to broader cultural patterns, noting, “The things that we love in childhood and adolescence have a profound hold on us.for some people it’s boy bands and for some people it’s horses or Laura Ingalls Wilder or Harry Potter or whatever, you know?” It's a sentiment that resonates with anyone who’s ever clung to a piece of their past as a source of comfort or connection.
Balancing bookstore and author: a juggling act
Running Books Are Magic alongside a career as a novelist presents a unique set of challenges, but Straub has found a rhythm. “Bookstore-wise, we are in such a good place now,” she says, praising her capable team, and acknowledging the support of her husband. However, the constant barrage of New Kids on the Block conversations did test the patience of her family. The pub day celebration itself—a charmed sequence of well-wishes and a complimentary matcha and croissant—underscores the warmth and community that define Straub’s life and work.
American Fantasy isn't just a quirky, entertaining read; it’s a testament to the power of embracing the unexpected, finding solace in the familiar, and recognizing the profound beauty in the seemingly trivial. Straub’s novel proves that sometimes, the most meaningful journeys are those taken on a cruise ship with a boy band—and a sharp, observant writer at the helm.