Meet the Newmans

By Jennifer Niven

Book Overview

From #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author Jennifer Niven, a novel about America's favorite TV family, whose perfect fa ade cracks

"I LOVED Meet the Newmans " --Judy Blume, #1 New York Times bestselling author
" A] WITTY AND MOVING novel." --People
"Fans of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY will love Meet the Newmans." --Woman's World

For two decades, Del and Dinah Newman and their sons, Guy and Shep, have ruled television as America's Favorite Family. Millions of viewers tune in every week to watch them play flawless, black-and-white versions of themselves. But now it's 1964, and the Newmans' idealized apple-pie perfection suddenly feels woefully out of touch. Ratings are in free fall, as are the Newmans themselves. Del is keeping an explosive secret from his wife, and Dinah is slowly going numb--literally. Steady, stable Guy is hiding the truth about his love life, and the charmed luck of rock 'n roll idol Shep may have finally run out.

When Del--the creative motor behind the show--is in a mysterious car accident, Dinah decides to take matters into her own hands. She hires Juliet Dunne, an outspoken, impassioned young reporter, to help her write the final episode. But Dinah and Juliet have wildly different perspectives about what it means to be a woman, and a family, in 1964. Can the Newmans hold it together to change television history? Or will they be canceled before they ever have the chance?

Funny, big-hearted, and deeply moving, Meet the Newmans is a rich family story about the dual lives we lead. Because even when our lives aren't televised weekly, we all have a behind-the-scenes.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250372445
• ISBN13: 9781250372444
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Flatiron Books
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.6" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Fun, Nostalgic Read

If you’re looking for a fun, nostalgic read, Meet the Newmans might just fit the bill. Set in the ‘60’s, it’s the tale of a family who has their own reality show following the lives of Del and Dinah and their two sons. Picture-perfect on TV, but is anyone’s life truly perfect? Although a fun read, it is also thought-provoking looking back at the political landscape, and all the changes taking place. One to add to your tbr list.