Morning Book Club: Anita De Monte Laughs Last

This month we discuss Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez.

Who gets to leave a legacy? 1985: Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City. Her tragic death is the talk of the town, until it isn't. By 1998, Anita's name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by progeny of film producers, C-Suite executives, and international art dealers—most of whom float through life knowing that their futures are secured, Raquel feels herself an outsider. Students of color, like Raquel, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita's story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art that dares to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.