As the chillier weather has begun to settle in and the frost of winter approaches, new books are being released hot off the press and are waiting to be read.
The most exciting anticipation of new books has been an event that I have taken a part of more, funnily, after graduating from my English program. Thankfully, I have more time and mental space to absorb all the literary goodness as I am not simultaneously attempting to learn to read Old English (although that is a skill I highly recommend anyone with time and enthusiasm to gain).
This particular recommendations are particularly interesting because I have based them off of authors that people relatively know, but have not heard from recently or did not anticipate their return. An author or two on the list are known more for other accomplishments or maybe just for one particular book they had released. Some of the others have had long, illustrious careers, but are just releasing a new work after years.
What I look forward to most is the furthering of conversation on these legends of the industry, and for those we haven't heard from in a while, I look forward to seeing how their voice has shifted and changed, if at all, over the events of the last few years.
I am also interested in seeing how the audience of readers has alos changed and what they might be looking forward to or interpreting due to current events.
Without further adieu, let's get into some of these exciting new books that have or are coming out this fall!
1. "Quichotte" by Salman Rushdie
Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is not only well known for his contribution to the literary canon with works like The Satanic Verses and Midnight's Children, but he is also famous for having won the Booker Prize for the latter.
His influence over the field is clear because of his knighthood and I am most excited to read this release since it comes after a long break between works.
2. "The Testaments" by Margaret Atwood
The premise of this book is tempting enough: it takes place 15 years after the events of the Handmaid's Tale and Margaret Atwood is a force to be reckoned with based off of her writing of the last work.
I am excited to see the story goes, but also to see how Atwood's writing has changed and what her perspective will be with the occurrences in the last few years.
3. "The Institute" by Stephen King
Of course, with Halloween coming around the corner, with spooks lurking about, a Stephen King novel is of the highest need. Everyone knows King and that he's where to go if you're looking for some quality autumnal horror. I have not been reading horror for a while, but this one makes me want to dive right back into that scary hole.
4. "The Water Dancer" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Many have heard of the journalistic work of Ta-Nehisi Coates and if you attended UCLA in 2016, you received a copy of Between the World and Me, which was the book club pick for the start of the year. This particular work is the debut novel of the author and I, personally, cannot wait to start reading it.
5. "Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love" by Jonathan Van Ness
I am most excited to get my hand on Jonathan Van Ness' memoir as I am an avid fan of Queer Eye and JVN's comedy in general. I was fortunate enough to see Jonathan Van Ness live in San Francisco over the summer while attending Clusterfest, a comedy festival. I have incredible respect for his life, his coming out as non-binary is empowering, and I want to hear everything I ever read in his bigger-than-life voice.
Although this may seem like a hodgepodge of authors from different genres and industrial backgrounds, these are the ones I am most excited to read. The titles I've mentioned may not be the most light-hearted of choices, but they are exciting and ground-breaking. Hopefully, you have enough of a push to start adding to your fall collection!
