Susan Coll

Susan Coll is an accomplished author known for her sharp wit and insightful portrayals of contemporary life. She has published seven novels, including "Bookish People," "Real Life & Other Fictions," and "Acceptance," a satire of the college admissions process that was adapted into a 2009 television movie starring Joan Cusack and Mae Whitman. Her other notable works include "The Stager," "Beach Week," "Rockville Pike," and "karlmarx.com." Coll's writing has been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR.org.

Born in New York and educated at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Coll combines humor with astute social commentary in her novels. Her works often explore themes of ambition, identity, and the complexities of modern relationships. Beyond her writing career, she has served as president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and is an integral part of the events team at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C. Her contributions to literature and the literary community reflect her deep engagement with storytelling and advocacy for the arts.
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 karlmarx.com: A Love Story 2001
2 Rockville Pike 2004
3 Acceptance 2007
4 Beach Week 2010
5 The Stager 2014
6 Bookish People 2022
7 Real Life and Other Fictions 2024
Susan Coll Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Enhanced Gravity: More Fiction By Washington Area Women 2006
2 Why I Like This Story 2019