April brings with a host of noteworthy books in a variety of styles. There’s nonfiction from some of the best prose stylists out there, a memoir from a composer who helped refine a now-ubiquitous style, philosophical novels, collections of jarring fiction–there’s plenty for avid readers to delight in this month. What follows are some of our most-anticipated books for this month.

Seed, Stanley Crawford
(April 1, FC2)

Stanley Crawford has been writing difficult-to-describe books since the late 1960s. He is quite likely the greatest novelist/garlic farmer in American letters right now; Seed, his first novel since 2005, is the story of the end of one man’s life.

Hospice, Gregory Howard
(April 1, FC2)

Gregory Howard’s disquieting novel follows a young woman living on society’s margins, encountering the young and the old, and shifting from the surreal to the gritty.

Words Without Music: A Memoir, Philip Glass
(April 1, Liveright)

It’s not a stretch to say that Philip Glass is one of the defining figures of American classical music in the second half of the 20th century. This is his memoir. Much like Kim Gordon’s from earlier this year, it promises to be a vital read for the musically-inclined.

After the Tall Timber: Collected Nonfiction, Renata Adler
(April 7, NYRB Classics)

The words “Renata Adler” and “collected nonfiction” tell you all you need to know.

The Folded Clock: A Diary, Heidi Julavits
(April 7, Doubleday)

In this unconventional look at two years of her life, Heidi Julavits takes as her raw material a series of diary entries, rearranging them in unpredictable ways, and meditating along the way on family, class, and art.

The Little Free Library Book, Margaret Aldrich
(April 14, Coffee House)

If you’re an admirer of the concept of Little Free Libraries–small spaces where passers-by can take or leave books–you’ll probably find plenty to enjoy in Margaret Aldrich’s look at said libraries from around the country.

Fifteen Dogs, André Alexis
(April 14, Coach House)

Alternately philosophical and satirical, the new novel from André Alexis follows a group of dogs who are granted human intelligence as a result of a wager between two gods. The story that emerges is a fascinating look at language, consciousness, and society as a whole.

Gutshot, Amelia Gray
(April 14, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Amelia Gray’s fourth book (and third collection overall) continues her string of balancing the absurd and the visceral. There are gleefully metafictional stories to be found here alongside nerve-wracking dissections of frayed and fraught relationships.

James Merrill: Life and Art, Langdon Hammer
(April 14, Knopf)

Langdon Hammer’s biography of the poet and novelist James Merrill is also large enough to smite your enemies. If you’re looking for a portrait of mid-century American literature and a look at the evolution of poetry in the 20th century, you’ll have plenty to devour here.

The Blondes, Emily Schultz
(April 14, Thomas Dunne Books)

Readers who have encountered Schultz’s satirical horror novel have applauded its blend of seemingly disparate elements. The setup: a disease turns blonde women violently homicidal. After hearing an abundance of glowing reviews from Canada and elsewhere, getting to read this book Stateside is a welcome thing.

The Truth Is We Are Perfect, Janaka Stucky
(April 14, Third Man Books)

The third collection from the acclaimed poet and Black Ocean founder Janaka Stucky will be released via Third Man Books, aka Jack White’s foray into publishing. It’s the second release from said publisher overall, following the massive anthology Language Lessons: Vol 1.

The Brink, Austin Bunn
(April 28, Harper Perennial)

Austin Bunn’s debut book is an impressively taut work, delving into a variety of topics, including Cold War anxiety and childhood politics. It’s a remarkably well-made and well-assembled collection.

Follow Vol. 1 Brooklyn on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, our Tumblr, and sign up for our mailing list.