The November Criminals is a novel by Sam Munson published in 2010.
The book is the author's first novel; by April 2010, it was found in over 300 WorldCat libraries.WorldCat It was published by Doubleday in 2010,Munson, Sam. The November Criminals: A Novel. New York: Doubleday, 2010, and reprinted as an Anchor paperback in 2011.Anchor edition of The November Criminals at Fantastic Fiction It was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review,Joseph Salvatore, "Uncommon App", New York Times, June 6, 2010 the Washington Post,Michael Lindgren "Book review: Sam Munson's 'The November Criminals'" Washington Post, May 26, 2010 and in the magazine Commentary, published by the American Jewish Committee.Review by D G Myers. Commentary, Jun., (2010): 54-55 It was the subject of an essay in the New York Times education section,Jacques Steinberg "A Murder Mystery Unfurled in a College Admissions Essay" and was listed by them as an "Editors Choice".NY Times Editor's Choice, June 11, 2010
Plot summary
The hero of the book is 18-year-old Addison Schacht, a Jewish high-school senior in Washington D.C. He is in the process of applying to the University of Chicago, where he plans to study classics. The book is his response to the essay question, "What are your best and worst qualities?". He explains he has only "worst qualities", as illustrated by the events of his senior year. They include collecting offensive jokes; dealing drugs to his classmates; and insulting teachers, fellow students, and his girlfriend's mother. But when his classmate Kevin Broadus is killed in a senseless shooting, Addison develops a plan to investigate the death in hopes of finding the killer, and maybe finding some "best qualities" in himself.
Film adaptation A film based on the novel, titled November Criminals, was released in 2017. It stars Ansel Elgort and Chloë Grace Moretz in the lead roles.
References
External links Excerpt from the book published in the New York Times