Medium Rare by A. Natasha Joukovsky - ISBN: 9781685892470
Paperback
Fame, folly, and a perfect bracket: a modern myth takes flight.

Medium Rare

$42.07

  • Paperback

    304 pages

  • Release Date

    24 March 2026

Check Delivery Options

Summary

From the author of The Portrait of a Mirror, a modern tragicomedy transforms the myth of Icarus into a blazing romp through bureaucracy, B-list fame, and college basketball.

Phil is ordinary. A mid-level Washington lobbyist for a decidedly unsexy organization, unhappy in the way all mildly successful, minimally influential men are. That is until the spring of 2019, when Phil’s picks for the NCAA March Madness Tournament start panning out, and heads begin to turn his way. He r…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781685892470
ISBN-10:1685892477
Author:A. Natasha Joukovsky
Publisher:Melville House Publishing
Imprint:Melville House Publishing
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:304
Release Date:24 March 2026
Weight:369g
Dimensions:140mm x 210mm
A-Format
B-Format
Medium Rare by A. Natasha Joukovsky - ISBN: 9781685892470
140 × 210 mm
C-Format
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“Funny, propulsive, and more than a little ruthless, Medium Rare is a shrewd interrogation of the American political class, the attention economy, and the Millennial worldview’s inherent contradictions. It’s also tremendous fun. A. Natasha Joukovsky’s prose moves along a high-speed rail of exquisite wit and incisive observation. I could not stop reading.” — Liv Stratman, author of Cheat Day

“Lovers of sports, political intrigue, and mythology will enjoy deciphering characters, motives, and plot in this captivating, creative novel.” Booklist

“A. Natasha Joukovsky’s delicious, multilayered novel Medium Rare muses on contemporary American culture … A joyful satirical novel, Medium Rare follows an ordinary man’s experience of extraordinary success with nuance, wit, and deep appreciation for the arts of language and storytelling.” Foreword Reviews

“It’s a basketball novel the way Infinite Jest is a tennis novel: hilarious and exuberantly written, a virtuosic, language-obsessed reimagining of a classic story.” Defector

“A modern comedy that unfolds in a culture of sports predictions, political gamesmanship, and Silicon Valley which still manages to say some serious and really smart things about the power of narratives, and where dumb luck can take you in a society of spectacle.” —Martin Riker, author of The Guest Lecture


“A riveting, messy story about the perils of luck, the dangers of money, and delicacy of friendship written with merciless honesty. It is rare to read a novel that eviscerates the striving bleak cadre of lower-upper class professionals so thoroughly and enjoyably. I could not put this book down.” –Kelsey McKinney, New York Times bestselling author of You Didn’t Hear This From Me


“Joukovsky fillets the American dream with the razor-sharp knife it deserves. Medium Rare is a brilliant delight. I devoured it.” — Isabel Kaplan, author of NSFW

“Erudite and immensely fun, this is brimming with Joukovsky’s signature wry observation and superb comedic timing. This novel also packs an emotional punch, holding a funhouse mirror to our current American psyche. A must read.” — Julia Fine, author of The Upstairs House

About The Author

A. Natasha Joukovsky

A. NATASHA JOUKOVSKY is the author of The Portrait of a Mirror. Her writing has been published in Literary Hub, Electric Lit, The Common, and Still Alive. Natasha holds a BA in English from the University of Virginia and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. She lives in Washington, DC.

Returns

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.