Join us

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Newsletter

Seth Greenland

The Hazards of Good Fortune

Cover: The Hazards of Good Fortune - Seth Greenland

Seth Greenland

The Hazards of Good Fortune

2018, pp. 624, Paperback
ISBN: 9781609454623
Region: United States
Available as ebook Available as ebook Available as ebook
$ 20.00

The book

Seth Greenland’s witty, clear-eyed new novel is a story of interconnecting lives, in which generations, races, and religions converge and conflict.

Jay Gladstone was born to privilege. He is a civic leader and a generous philanthropist, as well as the owner of an NBA team. But in today’s New York, even a wealthy man’s life can spin out of control, no matter the money or influence he possesses.

Jay sees himself as a moral man, determined not to repeat his father’s mistakes. He would rather focus on his unstable second marriage and his daughter Aviva than worry about questions of race or privilege. However, he moves through a sensitive and aware world: that of Dag Maxwell, the black star forward, and white Officer Russell Plesko, who makes a decision that has resonating consequences—particularly for DA Christine Lupo, whose hopes for a future in politics will rest on an explosive prosecution.

Set during Barack Obama’s presidency, this artful novel illuminates contemporary America and does not shy away from our scalding social divide: why is conversation about race so fraught, to what degree is the justice system impartial, and does great wealth inoculate those who have it? At times shocking, but always recognizable, this captivating tale explores the aftermath of unforgivable errors and the unpredictability of the court of public opinion. With a brilliant eye for character, Greenland creates a story that mixes biting humor with uncomfortable truth.

The author

Seth Greenland
Seth Greenland is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and author of five novels, including Shining City (a Washington Post Best Book of the Year) and The Hazards of Good Fortune (nominated for the 2019 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger). Born in New York City, Greenland lives in Los Angeles with his wife.  

Press

From the same country

  • Cover: Ashland - Dan Simon

    Dan Simon

    Ashland

    2026, pp. 208, $ 26.00
    A deeply moving family story unfolding in richly evocative prose and a poetic portrayal of a town in decline during the final decades of the American...
  • Cover: In a Distant Valley - Shannon Bowring

    Shannon Bowring

    In a Distant Valley

    2025, pp. 336, $ 18.00
    Both a love letter and a window into the rural places that have shaped many, In a Distant Valley sets the stage for a final act to play out...
  • Cover: Theory of Bastards - Audrey Schulman

    Audrey Schulman

    Theory of Bastards

    2025, pp. , $ 18.95
    Audrey Schulman has written an absorbing, recognizable story, a book that is humane, generous and surprising. Readers will shiver as they keep turning...
  • Cover: The Distant Marvels - Chantel Acevedo

    Chantel Acevedo

    The Distant Marvels

    2025, pp. 304, $ 18.95
    Maria Sirena tells stories. She does it for money, and for love. But now she will be asked to tell one last story so that eight women can keep...
  • Cover: Where the Forest Meets the River - Shannon Bowring

    Shannon Bowring

    Where the Forest Meets the River

    2024, pp. 336, $ 18.00
    Return to Dalton as Shannon Bowring draws another stunningly human portrait of small town America.
  • Cover: Bite Your Friends - Fernanda Eberstadt

    Fernanda Eberstadt

    Bite Your Friends

    2024, pp. 288, $ 28.00
    Raw, sinuous, high-stakes, Bite Your Friends is a subversive memoir and a mesmerizing history of the body as a site of resistance...

More suggestions

  • Cover: Madelaine Before the Dawn - Sandrine Collette

    Sandrine Collette

    Madelaine Before the Dawn

    2026, pp. 176, $ 18.00
    A Masterful New Novel by Sandrine Collette, One of France’s Most Daring and Acclaimed Writers.
  • Cover: A Mask the Color of the Sky - Bassem Khandaqji

    Bassem Khandaqji

    A Mask the Color of the Sky

    2026, pp. 224, $ 19.00
    A bold, psychologically rich novel of identity, exile, and resistance from one of Palestine’s most vital literary voices—written entirely from...
  • Cover: Ashland - Dan Simon

    Dan Simon

    Ashland

    2026, pp. 208, $ 26.00
    A deeply moving family story unfolding in richly evocative prose and a poetic portrayal of a town in decline during the final decades of the American...
  • Cover: Floodlines - Saleem Haddad

    Saleem Haddad

    Floodlines

    2026, pp. 336, $ 19.00
    A sweeping, multigenerational novel of art, exile, memory, and the enduring legacies of war—set between London and Baghdad in the shadow of the...
  • Cover: Tangerinn - Emanuela Anechoum

    Emanuela Anechoum

    Tangerinn

    2026, pp. 256, $ 19.00
    Winner of the Città di Lugnano Debut Novel Prize and a finalist for the Bancarella and Rapallo BPER Bank Prize
  • Cover: The Burning Origin - Daniele Mencarelli

    Daniele Mencarelli

    The Burning Origin

    2025, pp. 192, $ 18.00
    A searing story about homecoming and belonging set in contemporary Rome 

Join Our Newsletter and receive a FREE eBook!

Stay updated on Europa’s forthcoming releases, author tours and major news.

Are you a bookseller? Click here!

Are you a librarian? Click here!

X