David Hopen ‘17 discusses his debut novel “The Orchard”

February 1, 2021

Since its publication in November, “The Orchard,” a debut novel by first-year Yale Law School student and Yale College graduate David Hopen ’17 has been reviewed or cited in publications as varied as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The New Yorker, Goop, and Jewish Insider, and was featured as one of the best books of that month on “Good Morning America.” Hopen suddenly found himself doing remote interviews and book talks while also prepping for final exams. In the midst of the media attention and end-of-semester academic work, Hopen took the time to talk with YaleNews about the novel, and how his time at Yale College, where he majored in English, shaped its creation.

The following conversation has been edited and condensed.