Now on Kindle: "Gentleman’s Agreement" by Laura Z. Hobson

“It was one hell of an assignment.” So begins one the most provocative bestsellers of all time: Gentleman's Agreement by Laura Z. Hobson. A scathing fictional exploration of anti-Semitism in American life, Hobson’s novel spent five months straight as a #1 bestseller on the New York Times list when it was first released decades ago—and its themes of prejudice, class warfare and discrimination are just as relevant today.

The story begins with journalist Phil Green, a newcomer to New York City who is asked to write an article on anti-Semitism in America. Taking a risk, Phil makes himself a guinea pig: he decides to adopt a Jewish identity for himself and to write about his own firsthand experiences. He opens himself up to a world of subtle and not so subtle discrimination against Jews, finding himself barred from buying homes in particular neighborhoods, inexplicably disallowed into country clubs and hotel resorts. Phil’s ruse also creates considerable problems for the people in his new life—among them, his son and new social climbing fiancé.

Ever been frustrated by people who have dismissed charges of bigotry with the rationalization that, “some of my best friends are Jews”? Deemed “required reading for every thoughtful citizen” by the New York Times, this one is for you.

Also available on the Kindle are five more celebrated stories by Laura Z. Hobson: 

• The Celebrity, which trails a writer’s path from obscurity to sudden fame, exploring the unexpected impact of his stardom among his family and friends

• First Papers, a tender portrait of mixed feelings for a new culture and lost homeland

• The Tenth Month, the story of a woman whose life is overturned by an unexpected pregnancy

• Consenting Adult, a stunning tribute to familial bonds in the shifting landscape of 1960’s America

• The Trespassers, Hobson’s debut novel about a once-wealthy Austrian family struggling to live in exile