NPR

'Vera Kelly' Finds The Connections Between Deep Cover And The Closet

The personal is most definitely political in Rosalie Knecht's crisp, lively and subversive novel about a queer woman who discovers her early life in the closet makes her well-suited for espionage.
"Who is Vera Kelly" by Rosalie Knecht

The personal is most definitely political in Rosalie Knecht's crisp, lively and subversive second novel, The author has sly, intelligent fun with the idea that the mindset necessary to live as a closeted queer woman transfers seamlessly to high-stakes espionage work; a spy and a not-yet-out lesbian are both undercover, in a sense — both are accustomed to subverting identity, using coded

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Trump's Immunity Arguments And The Experiences Of The Justices Who Might Support It
Five of the six conservatives spent much of their lives in the Beltway, working in the White House and Justice Department, seeing their administrations as targets of unfair harassment by Democrats.
NPR2 min read
More Than 500 People Have Been Arrested At Pro-Palestinian Protests At Colleges
Students and others are protesting Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and, in some cases, their school's investments in Israel. Presidents at several schools face calls to resign amid the protests.
NPR8 min read
Whither The West Coast Gangsta?
A familiar rap character, the Cali hustler cruising in a low-rider, has faded in the 21st century. On new albums by G Perico, Mozzy and Gangrene, that figure is alive and well, living in the margins.

Related Books & Audiobooks