What does this November hold for us, in terms of new books? For whatever reason, this month seems to abound with compelling fiction, from gripping tales of characters in flux to immersive explorations of inner lives. Some of the books we’re most excited about are the latest works from writers we admire; others fall into the category of highly-anticipated debuts. As the weather outside gets colder, here are some suggestions for your autumn reading.
William Boyle, Shoot the Moonlight Out
(Nov. 2, Pegasus Crime)
Over the course of several novels, William Boyle has established his skills at evoking the recent history of New York City (and, in particular, Brooklyn) — and setting gripping works of fiction there. His latest novel, Shoot the Moonlight Out, transports the reader back to the city in 1996 and 2001, following several characters whose lives overlap in unexpected ways.
Sarah Hall, Burntcoat
(Nov. 2, Custom House)
Sarah Hall’s fiction often incorporates high concepts and unexpected settings — all the better to illustrate communities dealing with stresses and revisiting their relationship to the world around them. Her latest novel, Burntcoat, follows the life of an artist retreating into isolation during a pandemic, and the transformative effect it has on the world around her.
Wolfgang Hilbig, The Interim; translated by Isabel Fargo Cole
(Nov. 2, Two Lines Press)
Set during the last days of a divided Germany, Wilfgang Hilbig’s newly-translated novel The Interim follows the life of a writer who traverses between East and West Germany. This is the sort of novel that transports the reader directly into the mind of a flawed but compelling figure — an artist struggling with his own life and those of the people around him.
Rax King, Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer
(Nov. 2, Vintage)
We’ve published some of Rax King’s writing in these very pages; as a result, we’re thrilled to delve into her new collection of nonfiction. Tacky focuses on pop culture — specifically, pop culture that’s often frowned upon, like the show Jersey Shore. Can pondering Guy Fieri change your life? Rax King makes a compelling case that it can.
Courttia Newland, Cosmogramma
(Nov. 2, Akashic Books)
Novelist, playwright, and screenwriter Courttia Newland has drawn acclaim for much of his work — including working with Steve McQueen on Small Axe. Newland’s latest book, Cosmogramma, ventures into speculative territory, featuring a host of stories centered around the African diaspora. We’re suitably intrigued.
SJ Sindu, Blue-Skinned Gods
(Nov. 2, Soho Press)
What would it mean to learn that you were the incarnation of a god? What effect would it have on you if you began to question that? Those are among the questions posed in SJ Sindu’s new novel Blue-Skinned Gods, about a young man growing up who may be the latest incarnation of the god Vishnu.
Kyle Lucia Wu, Win Me Something
(Nov. 2, Tin House)
In her debut novel, Kyle Lucia Wu explores a host of big themes — including race, class, and identity — in focusing on a young woman’s experience coming of age and revisiting her turbulent childhood. We’ve been eager to read this ever since it was first announced, and are thrilled to see it out in the world now.
Diane Exavier, The Math of St. Felix
(Nov. 9, 3rd Thing)
Last year, in an interview with Brooklyn Poets, Diane Exavier spoke about her then-forthcoming The Math of St. Felix. “While the book is about many things, it is ultimately a work of grief; and the illegibility of grief has it jumping between poetry, prose and dramatic writing in ways that make sense to me,” she said — and if that description doesn’t pique your interest, we’re not sure what will.
Sang Young Park, Love in the Big City; translated by Anton Hur
(Nov. 16, Grove Press)
A massive success when it was first published in South Korea, Sang Young Park’s Love in the Big City is now making its way into English — and readying itself for a host of new readers. It tells the story of a young man navigating relationships and questions of family in contemporary Seoul, making for an account of both quotidian life and opportunities for transcendence.
Christian TeBordo, The Apology
(Nov. 30, Astrophil Press)
We’ve long admired Christian TeBordo’s shapeshifting fiction, which moves from realism to the bizarre and back again. His latest novel, The Apology, heads into the realm of the office novel, telling the story of a misanthropic man working as an office manager whose life goes thoroughly haywire over the course of one week.
Note: all cover artwork and release dates are subject to change.
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