THE MEN CAN'T BE SAVED

“I read Ben Purkert's The Men Can't Be Saved in a state of rapacious pleasure, thrilled by both the smartness of the sentences and the ruthless, propulsive narrative voice. In Seth we have that rarest and most entertaining kind of character—clear-eyed and brazen while having little sense, and perhaps even less interest, in the consequences of his actions—an anti-hero for our delusional age. This is a razor sharp, gripping novel about masculinity, complicity, ambition, and their many discontents. I absolutely loved it.” — Liv Stratman, Book Club Bar, New York, NY “A critical, yet empathetic, examination of masculinity, addiction, and contemporary culture, The Men Can't Be Saved is timely and timeless, written with such expert control that it feels almost insufficient to count it amongst debut novels. Purkert has a brilliant career ahead of him, and I'm excited to be along for the ride.” — Bernie Lombardi, Little City Books, Hoboken, NJ “Toxicity surrounds the junior copywriter in the gut of Ben Purkert's lyrical debut novel. Grappling with shifting definitions and expectations of masculinity, this fractured hero's journey navigates a transgressive road trip in pursuit of validation, identity, and maybe even a chance at redemption. This sprawling ego study explores and refines what it means to be a good person in a nihilistic world.” — Steven Warren, WORD Bookstore, Jersey City, NJ Purkert_int_3p_1-24-23.indd 1 1/24/23 7:33 AM “The Men Can't Be Saved is an experience that transcends the act of reading fiction. It is, in many ways, an indictment, a call to self-examine and ask questions that might lead one to stumble towards some useful action. But it manages this while still being playful, while still being lighthearted, and while still being generous to both the reader and the many worlds the reader is stepping into. Beyond all of the delightful inner machinery of the book, what I love most about Ben's writing—across genres—is that it manages to find a perfect line between a voice that is confident, but also grounding itself in the realities of uncertain living. That is a gift, and it shines through these pages.” — Hanif Abdurraqib, award-winning author of A Little Devil in America “Funny, witty, and incisor-sharp, Purkert nails down the hypocrisies of modern masculinity and capitalism with the graceful hand of a poet. This novel says so much so well about the absurd moment in which we, grudgingly, live.” — Alexandra Kleeman, award-winning author of Something New Under the Sun and You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine “A brilliant skewering of modern-day masculinity. Wildly gripping, charmingly funny, bone-hard, and real. Purkert is the kind of writer whose work I'll follow anywhere.” — Kaveh Akbar, award-winning poet and novelist