NPR's Book of the Day A follow-up 15 years in the making: Chad Harbach on 'The Brightness'
Nov 6, 2026
Chad Harbach, novelist of The Art of Fielding and co-founder of n+1, returns to Westish College in The Brightness. He discusses a provocative campus prank confronting sexual abuse, setting the story in the pre-Trump, pre-TikTok era, and being “scooped by reality.” He also explores female friendship, literary ambition, and the complicated shadow of his bestselling debut.
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Harbach Rejected Baseball’s Reliable Story Scaffold
- Chad Harbach deliberately abandoned baseball’s built-in season-and-championship structure after using it in The Art of Fielding.
- Returning to Westish was the only continuity he wanted, while everything else became a creative challenge.
Pella Pulled Harbach Back To Westish
- Harbach initially planned a completely new world but kept writing about Pella Affenlight in his notebook.
- After months of resistance, he accepted that Pella’s story was the one he wanted to follow.
Passion Often Arrives Before A Clear Political Plan
- Irma, Dahlia, and Pemi launch a politically charged prank addressing sexual abuse without a clearly defined end goal.
- Their incomplete planning reflects how young people act passionately before anticipating consequences.
