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- 14 February 2012
'The House I Loved' by Tatiana de Rosnay
The author of 'Sarah's Key' takes on Haussman-era Paris, where one woman fights to preserve her home—and the history of her city. Rosnay is exceptional when it comes to writing about French history, and 1860s Paris is a fascinating world that doesn't get much page time in historical fiction.
- 1 March 2012
'The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin'
Journalist Masha Gessen fearlessly takes on the life of Vladimir Putin, the autocratic Russian leader who has hijacked his country and its nominal democracy. Big hit at the Frankfurt Book Fair; there are concerns about Gessen's safety once the book has been published. (Riverhead)
- 13 March 2012
'Arcadia' by Lauren Groff
Groff's playful debut, THE MONSTERS OF TEMPLETON, marked her as an author to watch, and we've been waiting to see what she'll do next. Answer: write a coming-of-age story set in a 1960s commune. Might sound trite, but Groff is one of the most imaginative young writers working these days, and we think her spin on this will be something special. (HMH)
- 27 March 2012
'The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R.' by Carole DeSanti
DeSanti is an editor for Viking who has worked with authors like Tracy Chevalier, Beverly Swerling and Deborah Harkness; now she's taking on the novel directly in this sweeping historical saga set during France's Second Empire, just before the Franco-Prussian war.
'The New Republic' by Lionel Shriver
I'm something of a Shriver evangelist, so I couldn't be more pleased to hear that while she's putting the finishing touches on her current project*, a novel she wrote in 1998 will finally see the light of day. Seems that publishing three bestsellers in a row gives you a little more leeway when it comes to choosing difficult material as your subject.
Shriver says The New Republic deals with terrorism "on a peninsula in Portugal which doesn’t exist—I drew it onto the map. I wrote it in 1998 and at that time I had trouble getting American publishers interested in the manuscript. . . . Now in some ways the US cares too much about terrorism and for a long time I felt it would be wrong to publish something that has a sense of humour about the issue. Enough time has gone by for a droll novel to be well received."
- 3 April 2012
'The Beginner's Goodbye' by Anne Tyler
The Beginner's Goodbye is the story of Aaron, a man who loses his wife suddenly when a tree falls on their house.
Aaron and Dorothy's marriage had been affectionate but not particularly passionate, yet once she is gone he finds himself surprisingly adrift—and continues to see his dead wife everywhere he goes. . Can he figure out a way to say goodbye? (Knopf)
- 10 April 2012
'The Cove' by Ron Rash
Ecco's lead title for spring "captures the wondrous beauty of nature and love and the darkness of superstition and fear in this atmospheric and exquisitely rendered novel set in Appalachia during World War I." (Another for my WWI list!) The catalog also promises that it is "as mesmerizing as the brilliant Serena," which is saying something—if you like memorable heroines, 2008's Serena is a novel that is not to be missed. As reviewer Kristy Kiernan put it in BookPage, Serena "has all the markings of a career-making novel, and should firmly establish poet and novelist Rash as a literary star."
- 24 April 2012
'Farther Away: Essays' by Jonathan Franzen
This is a collection of Franzen's essays and speeches over the past five years, exploring themes of literary rivalry, environmental concern and more. (FSG)
- 1 May 2012
'The Newlyweds' by Nell Freudenberger
No, it's not based on the show starring Nick & Jessica. Literary luminary Freudenberger (she was one of the New Yorker's best 20 under 40) follows her impressive debut novel THE DISSIDENTS with a story of a couple who meet online, marry, and then uncover each other's secrets. A modern take on star-crossed romance.
'Are You My Mother?' by Alison Bechdel
This second graphic memoir from Bechdel—whose FUN HOME was a bestseller that made it onto countless best books lists upon its release in 2006—focuses on her brilliant but distant mother, whose life was both an inspiration and a cautionary tale to her equally talented daughter.
'Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake' by Anna Quindlen
Recently, Anna Quindlen has been focusing on fiction—but readers are sure to rejoice when they hear that the former Newsweek and New York Times columnist will be contemplating life once again this May in Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake (Random House).
- 8 May 2012
'In One Person' by John Irving
This new novel explores the life of a 60-year-old bisexual man and is told in the first person—Irving’s first novel from that point of view since A Prayer for Owen Meany. It's also his first with S&S after leaving longtime publisher Random House.
'Home' by Toni Morrison
The works of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison go beyond thought-provoking to what could better be called thought-demanding, with their lush prose, deep themes and occasional touches of magic or mysticism. But that's just what readers and critics appreciate about Morrison, who is one of America's most treasured writers. Her next novel, Home, will be published by Knopf on May 8. It's the story of a Korean War veteran who returns to small-town Georgia, disappointed in its racist culture and trying to help his emotionally unstable sister while still recovering from the physical and emotional aftereffects of war.
- 15 May 2012
'The Chemistry of Tears' by Peter Carey
This “portrait of love and loss” from the two-time Booker Prize winner is told from the point of view of a museum curator who throws herself into her job when her secret lover dies suddenly. She finds a 19th-century automaton in a box along with its creator’s diary, and becomes obsessed with uncovering its secrets and its history. (Knopf)
- 22 May 2012
'Canada' by Richard Ford
The first novel in more than five years from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford is narrated by 15-year-old Dell Parsons, who flees his Montana home after his parents are arrested for robbing a bank. He ends up on the plains of southern Saskatchewan, taken in by a “charismatic” American who is more sinister than he appears. (Harper)
- 12 June 2012
'Heading Out to Wonderful' by Robert Goolrick
(Algonquin) The author of the smash hit A RELIABLE WIFE returns. This time, the setting is 1948 Virginia, and a mysterious man rolls into town with only two suitcases to his name. But it's when he becomes involved with the wife of the richest man in town that things really get complicated.
'The Red House' by Mark Haddon
An dazzlingly inventive novel about modern family, from the author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. (Doubleday)
'Beautiful Ruins' by Jess Walter
Jess Walter's latest is a little lighter than his last two novels—it deals with Hollywood and unrequited love rather than the aftermath of 9/11 or the implications of our financial crisis. The action begins on the coast of Italy in 1962, where a young man glimpses a beautiful actress and falls in love. Fifty years later, he heads to Hollywood to find her. (Harper)
- 19 June 2012
'Mrs Robinson's Disgrace' by Kate Summerscale
From the author of the bestseller THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER comes another investigation of a famous case that shook the foundations of middle-class Victorian life. This time, it's a divorce scandal. (Walker)
- 10 July 2012
'Gold' by Chris Cleave
We can't wait for Chris Cleave's take on the friendship between two female athletes who, on the eve of the Olympics, must make a choice between their personal and professional goals. (S&S)
- 24 July 2012
'Broken Harbor' by Tana French
From the publisher: In Broken Harbour, a ghost estate outside Dublin - half-built, half-inhabited, half-abandoned - two children and their father are dead. The mother is on her way to intensive care. Scorcher Kennedy is given the case because he is the Murder squad's star detective. At first he and his rookie partner, Richie, think this is a simple one: Pat Spain was a casualty of the recession, so he killed his children, tried to kill his wife Jenny, and finished off with himself. But there are too many inexplicable details and the evidence is pointing in two directions at once. (Viking)
- 31 July 2012
'Where We Belong' by Emily Giffin
A successful TV producer in her 30s sees her life come crashing down when the child she gave up for adoption 18 years ago comes knocking on her door.
- 21 August 2012
'The Devil in Silver' by Victor LaValle
The author of BookPage favorite 'Big Machine' returns with a gripping haunted house story.
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Category Archives: what we're reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Professionals’
The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen Putnam • $25.95 • ISBN 9780399157899 March 29, 2012 Owen Laukkanen’s debut novel has a timely hook. Four friends—recent college grads—are frustrated with the job market when they earn their diplomas. So what do they … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘Wild Abandon’ by Joe Dunthorne
Wild Abandon by Joe Dunthorne Random House • $25 • ISBN 9781400066841 January 2012 Wild Abandon, the second novel from a writer who’s been called “the British Dave Eggers,” is as fun and quirky as its cover. A cross between The … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Submission’
The Submission by Amy Waldman FSG • $26 • ISBN 9780374271565 Published August 16, 2011 (Paperback on sale March 27, 2012) Now that 2012 is in full swing, I know many of you are making plans for the year’s book … Continue reading
What We’re Reading Wednesday: ‘The Art of Hearing Heartbeats’
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker Other Press • $14.95 • ISBN 9781590514634 On sale January 31, 2012 Do you ever wonder what books avid readers are devouring in other countries? Being in the book business makes me … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Last Nude’
The Last Nude by Ellis Avery Riverhead • $25.95 • ISBN 9781594488139 Published January 5, 2012 I was drawn to Ellis Avery’s The Last Nude because a) how could you not be drawn to that bold jacket? b) I had … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Might-Have-Been’
The Might-Have-Been by Joseph M. Schuster Random House • $25 • ISBN 9780345530264 Published March 20, 2012 I have expressed my love of baseball novels—and baseball in general—many times on this blog (see: here, here, here, here). So, it was … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Other Side of the Sun’
The Other Side of the Sun by Madeline L’Engle published in 1971 • text from the 1972 Fawcett paperback printing With the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time coming up in January. Madeline L’Engle has been on my mind. … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘This Burns My Heart’ by Samuel Park
This Burns My Heart by Samuel Park Simon & Schuster • $25 • ISBN 9781439199619 Published July 2011 • paperback available March 2012 Samuel Park’s moving debut features a strong, memorable heroine torn between love and duty, tradition and freedom, … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘An Object of Beauty’
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin Grand Central Publishing • $14.99 • ISBN 9780446573658 On sale now Steve Martin’s An Object of Beauty has been out for a while—the hardcover was our Top Pick in Fiction in December 2010, … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘A Good American’
A Good American by Alex George Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam • $25.95 • ISBN 9780399157592 on sale February 7, 2012 This time of year is always about looking back—what were my favorite books of the year? It’s fun to catalog and … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘A Partial History of Lost Causes’
A Partial History of Lost Causes by Jennifer DuBois Dial • $26 • ISBN 9781400069774 on sale March 20, 2012 A blurb from Gary Shteyngart and back cover copy that started with the words “In St. Petersburg, Russia . . … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘The Sibling Effect’ by Jeffrey Kluger
The Sibling Effect by Jeffrey Kluger Penguin • $26.95 • ISBN 9781594488313 Published September 15, 2011 Part memoir, part science, Jeffrey Kluger’s latest book is 100% fascinating. Weaving stories of his youth as the second of four brothers* alongside the latest … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘Inheritance’
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini Alfred A. Knopf for Young Readers • $27.99 • ISBN 9780375856112 On sale November 8, 2011 The much-anticipated final installment in Christopher Paolini‘s international best-selling Inheritance Cycle hit shelves yesterday! We started our Inheritance countdown back … Continue reading
What we’re reading Wednesday: ‘Everything We Every Wanted’
Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard Harper • $14.99 • ISBN 9780062080066 On sale October 11, 2011 I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, but I have to say that I picked up Everything We … Continue reading