Driven by an exuberant, searching spirit, Jade Chang’s kaleidoscopic new novel is a deep examination of the ways we commodify belief, the power and precarity of fame, and the delicious terror of being truly seen. What a Time to Be Alive asks if we can look honestly at the world and still love it; the answer is a brilliant, resounding yes. 

“Jade Chang, with deadly humor and immense talent, has written an absolute romp of a novel about our ever-stumbling quest for sublimity and grace. I laughed, I cringed, I held on tight. What a Time to Be Alive is a triumph.” — Justin Torres

"Lola Treasure Gold [is] a heroine so dazzling and bold and psychologically healthy that you will wind up rooting for her with your whole heart. I loved it." — Rufi Thorpe

“What a Time to be Alive is a sly, sexy work of art… This is a novel that you will devour, and share with your friends, and soon want to devour again.” — Angela Flournoy

"…part love song to Los Angeles, part ode to friendship, part meditation on grief—entirely witty and vibrantly alive." — Rachel Khong

“Lola Treasure Gold, the irrepressible heroine of What a Time to Be Alive… becomes an accidental influencer, a lighting-rod guru, and a singular and hilarious guide through TED conferences, moon festivals, the underground LA music scene, online stans, hipster podcasts, debauched desert weekends, free love, familial love, and let’s not forget a rabbit named Aristotle. Jade Chang has created a wise and provocative heroine sure to get people talking.” — Maria Semple