The Counting House

Private equity manager and novelist Sernovitz (The Contrarians) peels back the cover on the world of college endowments in his energetic but esoteric latest. The protagonist, a man referred to only as the CIO, oversees the multibillion-dollar endowment of an unnamed university that has performed poorly over the past few years. In a series of meetings with groups hoping to manage parts of the fund, the CIO lambasts the various proposals. One, involving high-interest loans to dentists, is not “novel” enough. Another concerns betting on venture capital for a babysitting app (“You think I like trusting money to Greenwich dads who finance buildings in Tulsa/Wichita to fill the hours before honing their sons’ lacrosse skills?”). Some of the school’s trustees suggest reaching out to a billionaire alum who’s yet to share investment advice or offer a donation, setting up a tense interaction with the CIO. Although Sernovitz shines a light on the uneasy relationship between higher education and finance, the story doesn’t amount to much more than a funny recounting of boring conversations. This gets lost in the weeds. Agent: Gretchen Crary, February Media. (Nov.)