Even though I’m taking some time to assess and explore how I blog, I didn’t mean for this place to go to radio silence this week (or to get woefully behind on responding to comments). But that’s life I guess, and I’m not beating myself up about it.
I haven’t been reading a ton this month, but not for lack of great books available for me to choose from. I’ve got a bunch of fall releases on my shelves that I’m hoping to pick up before the end of the year. Here are nine of them, three each for the next three months:
September (aka Books I’ve Already “Missed”)
Although September is almost over, there are several books that came out this month that I have but haven’t gotten to read yet.
- Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink, a chunkster of investigative journalism about patient deaths at a hospital in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I’m taking this one with me when I’m traveling this weekend — it looks awesome.
- The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai, the story of a young American psychiatrist sent to evaluate Hermann Göring after the fall of the Nazi’s. The description of this one calls it a “cautionary tale about the dangers of coming too close to evil” — awesome, right?
- Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking by Anya Von Bremzen, a food memoir about life in the USSR in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. I love a good food memoir, especially one that incorporates family as deeply as this one seems to do.
October (aka The Month of Big Books)
October is the month of the chunkster. In addition to the books I’m including below, keep an eye out for We Are Water by Wally Lamb (576 pages), The Abominable by Dan Simmons (672 pages), and The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (848 pages).
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, probably the biggest fiction release this fall. I read the first few pages of this earlier in the month and can already tell it’s going to be amazing! (784 pages)
- Social by Matthew D. Lieberman, a look at the current research in “social neuroscience,” which argues that humans are fundamentally wired to connect with other people in the social world. Science!
- We Killed by Yawl Kohen, a look at the rise of women in comedy. Technically this is coming out in paperback, but I’m so excited about it that I’m breaking my own rules to include it.
November (aka The Final Countdown)
December is such a crazy month with the holidays, I tend to think of November as the last month of “new” books until we hit January. Luckily, there are some good ones coming out.
- This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Anne Patchett, a collection of essays on “love, friendship, work and art.” I don’t always love Patchett’s plots, but her writing is gorgeous. I’m excited about this one.
- Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez Mcrobbie, a look at the ruthless behavior and closet skeletons of some of the worlds most interesting princesses. Can’t wait!
- Anything That Moves by Dana Goodyear, a look at the extreme edges of the American culinary establishment. Goodyear is a New Yorker writer described as a mix between Mary Roach and Anthony Bourdain — it’s hard to resist that.
What books are you excited to read during the rest of the year?
Comments on this entry are closed.
OK this early in the morning my eyes are already bugging out over the Nazi and the Psychiatrist. The description reminds me of “Into That Darkness” which is a true story about an investigative journalist interviewing a Kommandant from one of the camps, trying to figure out WHY. How could a family man do this? Very very thought provoking.
Ooo, Into That Darkness sounds really interesting!
I hadn’t heard about The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, but you totally put it on my radar. I’m really excited about all three of your November picks, especially Anything that Moves. I’m not much of a foodie, but it sounds like it could be a really interesting social commentary as well.
I am so adding The Nazi and the Psychiatrist to my wish list. Thanks!
The Nazi and The Psychiatrist one sounds spooky. Perfect for fall nights. I hadn’t heard of it either, but now that I have, I will be looking for it.
I am legit excited for The Goldfinch. I read about half of it and am trying to read the second half very slowly, to make it last. The characters are so great.
The Nazi and the Psychiatrist sounds fascinating. (The Katrina book does too but I already know I won’t be able to get more than a chapter or two into it before I give up.) I am very interested in this whole question of evil and what it looks like in person rather than in abstract.
I just dipped into The Goldfinch briefly when I got it and thought it looked really great. I’m excited.
Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking! Thanks for reminding me it’s coming out soon – I had heard about it earlier, but it got lost in my impatience for Doctor Sleep to come out. Enjoy your fall books, I have some too (aka Doctor Sleep and Abominable) also I’m hoping to get to asap.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Five Days!!! I won it from Lib Thing and I’m waiting on it. . .
Um and Princesses Behaving Badly just sounds awesome!
I’ve read so many positive things about The Goldfinch that I couldn’t help but put it on my reading list. Five Days at Memorial is also on my list along with Ingenious and Scarcity.
I started Five Days and Memorial over the weekend and wow, it’s intense from the start.
I’ve had Five Days At Memorial on my nightstand for a while and I really must get to it soon. It sounds really good and after loving The Emperor of All Maladies, I have high hopes for another Pulitzer prize winning novel! I hadn’t heard of Princesses Behaving Badly, but it also sounds fascinating. I’ll definitely do my best to get my hands on a copy 🙂
I’ve usually enjoyed the Pulitzer nonfiction selections and, so far, Five Days is living up to the hype.
Oh my word, I’d love to read ALL of those.
And yes, please read Five Days immediately. It’s fantastic!!
Also coming out in October is Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields – about the role that German women played as perpetrators in The Holocaust. Nazi and the Psychiatrist put me in the mind of bringing that up – which sounds awesome as in, ordering now!
I’m always a little hit or miss on WWII nonfiction, but the premise of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist really appealed to me.
The Nazi and the Psychiatrist sounds very exciting. It’s the kind of book I’ll pick from a shelf without knowing anything about it. I think I’ll request that one now.
The Gold finch and We Killed sound good!
Glad you liked my review of Von Bremzen’s book, it was one of those posts I wasn’t sure about and it’s always nice to know in those cases. I have Social to read soon and I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be fascinating for sure. Love the sound of the princess book.
Social looks great, I’m exited to spend some time with that one this month.
5 Days, Nazi and Social all sound great. Can’t wait to read your reviews!