Clothes really do make the man.

"Bohjalian’s wonderful book is a morality tale, a snapshot of a strange, careless time in a particular slice of America, a psychological exploration of guilt and its repercussions, a portrait of a girl going off the rails — and then, because of an exciting plot twist, a courtroom drama." — Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review

(Here with novelist Deborah Goodrich Royce at her Ocean House Author Series — in a suit and holding an “amateur” ball cap.)

15 August 2026

Dear Friends Who Read and Readers Who Are Friends,

The last two weeks I’ve been on THE AMATEUR book tour.

One early morning in Manhattan, a young couple approached me in clear desperation: they had forgotten their phones on the train and were literally lost without them. They were trying to find the nearby restaurant where they were meeting relatives and were running late. I found them the address and texted the group waiting that they were almost there. (I didn’t inquire how they had both managed to lose their phones, because I was young once. At that age, I could have lost a pony in a petting zoo.)

Then three tourists asked me where to find the nearest subway entrance for a particular line. I told them.

Finally, a woman inquired if I knew where the Strand Bookstore was. I did (Of course!) and pointed them toward Broadway.

This all happened in minutes. Why was I the go-to guy for all these people? Because I was wearing a crisp suit and I was alone. In other words, I looked competent and they would be troubling only a single individual.

On the other hand, when I’m home in Vermont, I often look like that guy who back in the day was at Woodstock and still dresses the part. I’m writing this right now after returning from my Saturday morning walk with my dog, Jesse, and my jeans have three chasm-like rips in them, my M. Judson Bookstore T shirt has a coffee stain that never came out, I haven’t shaved, and my hair (the little I have) looks like Christopher Lloyd’s in “Back to the Future.” And later today, I will be wearing bike shorts and a cycling jersey that I’ve probably worn one too many times.

Yup, my lovely bride is one lucky lady.

When I’m on a book tour, however, I’m a pretty smart dresser.

And the reason I always wear a suit and tie when I speak is out of deference to my audience and my readers. If someone is going to give me some of their time, either by reading my work or listening to me speak, then I am going to show them some respect in return by dressing up.

Moreover, dressing up changes me.

There is actually a term for this: “enclothed cognition,” or the influence that clothing has on how we think about ourselves. In other words, the suits and ties, the dress shoes and the fun socks (Batman, books, and bikes) don’t just make me look competent to others. It may lead me to conduct myself a little differently and project a more confident vibe.

So, does this mean that I should start dressing up to write in the morning? Maybe. But it’s not happening, and there are two reasons why:

1) My cats and my dog are my only company when I write, and they know I respect them.

2) I don’t want to mess with my formula. Dressing up to write alone in my library might be my New Coke moment. New Coke was the disastrous reformulation of Coca-Cola in 1985 that was soon discontinued.

In any case, the next time you see me around Vermont in bike shorts or tattered jeans and a hoodie with coffee stains, feel free to ask me directions.

I may not look (or be) as competent as that guy in the suit on the book tour, but chances are I can still point you in the right direction.

All the best,

Chris

www.chrisbohjalian.com

PS: Once again, my deepest thanks to the booksellers and librarians who ran the events on the tour. They were amazing. I want to thank my team at Doubleday Books for managing this madness. I want to thank all of the book review editors and book critics and book bloggers who are championing THE AMATEUR. And I want to thanks the thousands of readers who joined me. You — forgive me — “complete me.”

1. You can still get signed copies at indie bookstores across the country, and they all ship. Call one today and order yours, or pop into the store, or simply visit their websites.

2. This is the last weekend you can get the novel for 50% off at your local Barnes & Noble or bn.com. Just an FYI because inflation is a beast.

3. Thanks to all of you, THE AMATEUR was a New York Times (and Publishers Weekly and USA Today) bestseller. That will never get old, and I am grateful beyond words.

   

“Unputdownable. . . . The 26th page-turner from Chris Bohjalian, like many of its predecessors, gets its narrative pizzazz from a brilliantly-evoked time and place. . . . Expect late-breaking reveals and a big, juicy 11th-hour plot twist. . . . Masterful.”
—Marion Winik, The Boston Globe“On one hand, this may be Bohjalian’s most polished, commercial novel yet, surpassing even The Flight Attendant in its screen-friendly elements. . . . On the other hand, this may be Bohjalian’s most psychological novel, with a first-person perspective through hubris, breakdown, and a hard-earned second chance at life.”
—Bethanne Patrick, The Los Angeles Times

“An irresistible, insightful retelling of Lolita.”
—Oprah Daily“Chris Bohjalian’s latest is, quite simply, a masterpiece. I cannot praise this novel enough. It’s delicate, haunting, complex, and startling. . . . A prescient reminder that those who feel most inclined towards guilt are often the least deserving of blame. The Amateur is a standout stunner of a story, and the perfect gateway into Bohjalian’s substantial literary oeuvre.”
—Molly Odintz, CrimeReads