Queed: A Novel

In the bustling streets of early‑twentieth‑century Boston and New York, a young doctor named Queey wrestles with a stubborn ego that feels as fatal as any illness. He drifts through cramped boarding houses, colorful landlords, and the demanding circles of academia, each encounter framed by razor‑sharp humor and a keen eye for the absurdities of modern life. The novel opens with a parade of eccentric figures—Mrs. Paynter, the well‑meaning but uncharitable landlady; Fifi, the sharp‑tongued daughter learning altruism from a dictionary; and the ambitious Charles Gardiner West—who all orbit Queey’s restless mind.

As Queey accepts a precarious post under the influential Colonel Cowles, his attempts at self‑improvement quickly tangle with petty schemes, awkward gifts, and a growing sense that his “medicine” may be more about pride than pills. Amidst lectures, late‑night proofreading mishaps, and bewildering conversations with an old professor, the narrative balances witty social satire with a genuine curiosity about the cost of ambition. Listeners will find a lively portrait of a man whose brief triumphs are as fleeting as the hurried conversations that fill his world.