It is about a young woman, Veblen, and her relationships with her fiancé Paul, their families, and squirrels.

The New York Times described The Portable Veblen as "a screwball comedy with a dash of mental illness; a conventional tale of family pathos; a sendup of Big Pharma; a meditation on consumption, marriage, the nature of work."

and concluded that it "is a novel of such festive originality that it would be a shame to miss.

"[1] The Portable Veblen has also been reviewed by The Guardian,[2] Library Journal,[3] Booklist,[4] Slate,[5] the Los Angeles Times,[6] The Irish Times,[7] Kirkus Reviews.

[11] It was on the 2016 National Book Award longlist,[12] and the 2016 Baileys Prize for Women's Fiction shortlist.