Last Wednesday night at the Waverly Inn, Josh Duboff stepped out of his own book party and onto the sidewalk—not for a cigarette with the surprisingly large clutch of smokers outside but for some fresh air. He did this several times as the crowd inside the warm, narrow garden room grew larger, younger, and drunker.
“I mean, it seems like everyone here is in their early 30s,” said one guest, in her cups and pleased with her play on the title of Duboff’s debut novel, Early Thirties, which was published the day before the party. The book follows two best friends, Victor and Zoey, as they navigate the challenges of adulthood in New York City and try to avoid what seems to be inevitable: drifting apart.
