By: Paul Barclay
The title of Tejas Desai’s latest novel, Bad Americans: Part I, lands with a sharp edge. Before even opening the book, readers are invited to wrestle with a provocative question: What exactly is a bad American?
That question lies at the heart of Desai’s newest installment in his anthology series The Human Tragedy, which began with Good Americans. Just as the earlier book asked readers to define a “good” American, this follow-up flips the perspective. The result is a sweeping, layered exploration of flawed, complex characters caught in extraordinary times — characters who, under ordinary circumstances, would never cross paths.
The Great American Pandemic Novel
At its core, Bad Americans: Part I is as much a chronicle of the COVID-19 era as it is a work of fiction. Desai describes the book as “The Great American Pandemic Novel,” a phrase that captures both its ambition and its urgency.
“I wanted to portray the pandemic experience as accurately as possible,” Desai explains. “Not just the facts, but how it felt from a variety of perspectives.”
The authenticity comes in part from Desai’s own lived experience. In early 2020, he contracted the virus himself. He quarantined from his library job in Queens, New York, while his mother worked on the front lines at Elmhurst Hospital, and his father fell gravely ill. Friends and neighbors passed away during those chaotic months. These personal brushes with the pandemic’s devastation gave him an unfiltered vantage point — but he didn’t stop there.
He sought out the voices of frontline nurses, social workers, soldiers, and even models, weaving their realities into the fabric of his fictional world. The result is not just a novel, but a rich mosaic of lived experiences, carefully fact-checked and beta-read to ensure both realism and emotional depth.
Fiction Meets Gritty Realism
Balancing truth and storytelling was one of Desai’s biggest challenges. His aim was to avoid sentimentality while still engaging readers emotionally. The characters are deeply flawed, yet their humanity shines through their struggles.
One of the most distinctive elements of Bad Americans is its frame narrative. Rather than presenting each story in a uniform style, Desai incorporated a mock reality-TV structure, contrasting the excesses of privileged characters with the harsher realities documented in the book’s core stories. “The frame narrative was the real challenge,” he admits. “I wanted it to feel less contrived and more like reality, with a different kind of drama running alongside the stories.”
Influences, Hidden in Plain Sight
When asked whether real-life events or figures inspired specific characters, Desai is deliberately vague. “Yes,” he says, “but I won’t tell. You’ll have to figure that out yourself. Another mind-exercise for you…”
That playful challenge fits perfectly with the novel’s design: it doesn’t lecture, but rather nudges readers to confront their own definitions of morality, patriotism, and responsibility.
A Universal Message in Specific Stories
For all its raw detail and political resonance, Bad Americans: Part I ultimately circles back to a simple but powerful truth.
“The human experience is diverse,” Desai reflects, “but it still retains a core truth: we’re all flawed, we’re all living on borrowed time, and yet we can make the most of it and do meaningful things. We can all care about each other.”
It’s a message that resonates far beyond the pandemic and well beyond America’s borders. By daring to ask uncomfortable questions, Desai doesn’t just capture a historical moment — he opens a window into the broader human condition.
Readers ready to explore the moral complexity of America, the pandemic experience, and the diversity of human character may find value in Bad Americans: Part I. Pick up a copy today and join the conversation about what it truly means to be an American — imperfect, hopeful, and profoundly human.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice or an endorsement of any political or social stance. The book Bad Americans: Part I is a work of fiction, and any similarities to real events or people are purely coincidental.
