Friends, we are going to have some work to do this fall. Luckily, it'll be a labor of love.
The already-announced (and I'm sure there are more coming) autumn slate of books is, in a word, huge -- books with page counts matched in weight only by the stature of the authors who have written them. If you're like me, you're totally here for a season of doorstops! (Not every book on my list is long, but a good percentage of them are!) Here's my list of top 10 books I can't wait to read this fall.
(Reminder: Preorders are massively important for authors and publishers, AND, when you preorder with the links below, I get a little kickback, which I can use to buy more books, which I can then tell you about. Everyone wins.)
The Disappearers, by Marlon James (Sept. 1, 640 pages) -- I couldn't find my way into James's latest fantasy series, and so I'm really excited for this, his first "non-fantasy" novel since the absolute masterpiece that was 2014's A Brief History of Seven Killings. The Disappearers (be careful, it's NOT The Disappears, and typing The Disappearers just looks like a mistake. But it's not. I've quintuple checked.), about "the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic consequences" sounds like it's in a similar vein as Seven Killings. And similar heft. Woohoo!
Under Story, by Chloe Benjamin (Sept. 1, 502 pages) -- This will be my first time reading Chloe Benjamin and I cannot wait! The early reviews for this novel, which sounds like a combination of Richard Powers's environmental fiction, Emily St. John Mandel's universe, and even maybe a little David Mitchell, are absolutely breathless and ecstatic. It's described as "a modern epic of science and soul." All in!
Taipei Story, by R.F. Kuang (Sept. 8, 288 pages) -- It's a pretty big upset that of all the books on this list, a new R.F. Kuang novel is the SHORTEST one. 😂 The proficient Kuang returns with a novel about a woman searching for clues about her family history. This seems to lean more realism than fantasy, but with Kuang, there are sure to be surprises.
Exit Party, by Emily St. John Mandel (Sept. 15, 320 pages) -- St. John Mandel for me is always a MUST read. Beginning in Los Angeles in 2031 after the US has collapsed (holy shit, that's only five years from now...but yeah, doesn't seem too far-fetched, does it?) and jumping through time and place (including a domed colony on the moon), this sounds like quintessential St. John Mandel.
Hollywood Ending, by John Green (Sept. 22, 320 pages) -- Nobody has broken the internet (for good news, at least) for a long time, but John Green almost did when he announced this new novel. The man is beloved. And this new novel, about a pair of young actors maybe falling in love, sounds extremely lovable and charming, as well.
American Hagwon, by Min Jin Lee (Sept. 29, 656 pages) -- Even the biggest bro reader you know read Pachinko. So a new novel from Lee, and even longer this time, is hugely exciting. A family saga set in near-modern times over three continents, the novel is about how small actions ripple into huge repercussions.
Ply, by Hernan Diaz (Sept. 29, 464 pages) -- Diaz is a writer/magician. You read his work and go "Wow, how did he do that?" This is a speculative piece set in a distant future where humans are trying to reestablish how to connect with one another and coexist with nature. Promises to be wild.
The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, by Deesha Philyaw (Sept. 29, 432 pages) -- Oh man, this sounds so delightfully scandalous and fun. A woman marries a megachurch pastor 15 years her senior, and then on the eve of her greatest success, is rocked by a revelation of secrets from her past. This is Philyaw's debut novel after her award-winning and hugely loved collection of short stories, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.
Life Out of Order, by Audrey Niffenegger (Oct. 6, 544 pages) -- Okay, wow, what an absolutely wonderful surprise. Indeed, a gift. This is a sequel to the beloved novel The Time Traveler's Wife, which I still think about frequently (and every time I visit the Newberry Library). The story centers on Henry and Clare's daughter, Alba, who has the same "Chrono-Displacement Disorder" as her father. This novel, also, is the runaway winner for this year's best title. So many layers!
The Brightness, by Chad Harbach (Oct. 27, 672 pages) -- My MOST anticipated book of this fall is the return, after 15 years, of The Art of Fielding author Harbach. This was an audible gasp situation when the owner of our bookstore texted me a photo of an ARC of this book from Winter Institute. The Brightness sounds like a "friendship-through-the-years" story, which, you know me: I freakin' love.
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