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Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

April 11, 2025 11:00 AM

Eric Puchner’s new novel circles around a love triangle that spans a lifetime

Dream State — Eric Puchner's new novel, "Dream State," is set in Montana and follows a love triangle for 50 years as the friends grapple with their choices.
Photo by Ariana Mygatt | Cover courtesy of Doubleday

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Can one decision be the fulcrum of a life?

Or is destiny really millions of tiny choices swirled with events out of our control?

That’s one of the many questions at the heart of Eric Puchner’s gorgeous new novel, “Dream State.” It’s received a dizzying amount of praise since it was released in February — making the New York Times best seller list, becoming an Oprah Book Club pick. But despite the buzz, the novel is deceptively hard to pin down.

Set in rural Montana, the book begins with two college buddies, as one of them, Charlie, prepares to marry the love of his life. But when Cece heads to the family cabin early to prepare for the wedding and meets no-nonsense best friend Garrett, her world wobbles.

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What happens next — amidst a wedding besieged by norovirus — launches the next 50 years, as the three friends remain intertwined by regrets and grief, possibilities and love.

Puchner joins host Kerri Miller for a wide-ranging conversation on this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas. Among topics of discussion: why so few authors write about male friendship, why meeting friends from your beloved’s past can be so perilous and why setting “Dream State” in a Montana cabin was so crucial to the plot.

Guest:

Eric Puchner is an associate professor in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University and the author of the novel “Model Home,” as well as several short stories. His new book is “Dream State.”

Subscribe to Big Books and Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS or anywhere you get your podcasts.

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