15 exciting works of fiction from around the world
15 must-read novels and short story collections from around the world coming out this fall.
You can view the entire fall preview here. Want a PDf of the entire preview? Find that here.
What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
What it's about: Of mixed-race and South African descent living in Pennsylvania, protagonist Thandi must pick up the pieces and discover who she is after her mother passes away. What We Lose is an exploration of how race, class and identity collide in modern day America.
Why we chose it: What We Lose is getting rave reviews from publications like the Guardian and the Atlantic. Vogue magazine called it "the debut novel of the year."
When you can read it: July 11, 2017
Refuge by Dina Nayeri
What it's about: Reflecting a topic that's more timely than ever, Refuge charts the deeply moving lifetime relationship between a father and a daughter, seen through the prism of global immigration.
Why we chose it: Dina Nayeri, who was born in Iran and moved to the United States when she was 10 years old, wa snamed one of Granta's New Voices in 2012. Her debut novel, A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea, received much acclaim when it was published in 2013 and was translated into 14 languages.
When you can read it: July 11, 2017
Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta
What it's about: Tom Perrotta's latest explores life after divorce through the eyes of 46-year-old Mrs. Fletcher, tackling themes of identity, gender and sexuality in the process.
Why we chose it: Tom Perotta has made a name for himself with his trademark dark humour in novels like Election, Little Children and The Leftovers.
When you can read it: Aug. 1, 2017
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
What it's about: After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother's death, a woman accepts an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred.
Why we chose it: Home Fire was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year. Kamila Shamsie, who has written eight books, is no stranger to accolades. Her previous novel, A God in Every Stone, won the Baileys Women's Prize for fiction.
When you can read it: Aug. 15, 2017
The Red-Haired Woman by Orhan Pamuk
What it's about: On the outskirts of a town 30 miles from Istanbul, a master well-digger and his young apprentice are hired to find water on a barren plain. The pair will come to depend on each other and exchange stories reflecting disparate views of the world.
Why we chose it: Bestselling Orhan Pamuk ranks as one of the world's most intriguing storytellers. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2006, becoming Turkey's first-ever Nobel laureate in any category.
When you can read it: Aug. 22, 2017
A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré
What it's about: Spymaster George Smiley is back in this tale involving the next generation of the British Secret Service.
Why we chose it: John Le Carré has written more than 20 books and is a master of the literary spy novel. He has explored timely topics like international conflict, corruption and terrorism. His breakout debut,The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, was published more than 50 years ago, but the former spy's work remains as engaging and relevant as ever.
When you can read it: Sept. 5, 2017
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
What it's about: Sing, Unburied, Sing explores three generations of a poor Mississippi family and the tragic choices they make to survive in the American South.
Why we chose it: Jesmyn Ward's first novel since her National Book Award–winning Salvage the Bones sees her explore issues of race, family and identity in this archetypal road novel.
When you can read it: Sept. 5, 2017
The Golden House by Salman Rushdie
What it's about: The always compelling Salman Rushdie weaves a tale of the American Dream gone astray against the backdrop of the Obama administration in The Golden House. Wealthy patriarch Nero Golden and his socialite family members arrive to American under mysterious circumstances; things soon fall apart, Great Gatsby-style.
Why we chose it: Salman Rushdie is one of the world's most famous and provocative writers. He's written 13 novels, often blending myth with fairytale, science fiction with history, and love with philosophy. He won the Booker Prize in 1981 for Midnight's Children, which is considered the best Booker winner of all time.
When you can read it: Sept. 5, 2017
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
What it's about: Secrets and lies affect the lives of residents living in Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland in Celeste Ng's sophomore novel Little Fires Everywhere.
Why we chose it: Her 2014 debut, Everything I Never Told You, was a stunner and this follow up promises to cement Celeste Ng's reputation as a masterful writer.
When you can read it: Sept. 12, 2017
The Dark Flood Rises by Margaret Drabble
What it's about: Fran may be old but she's not going without a fight. While her children, friends and old flames all have their own ways of seeking contentedness, Fran intends to live the rest of life on her own terms.
Why we're excited: Margaret Drabble os one of the U.K.'s most celebrated and prolific authors. The Dark Flood Rises, her 20th novel, shines a light on the human need for intimacy, independence and dignity at the end of a long life.
When you can read it: Sept. 15, 2017
Five-Carat Soul by James McBride
What it's about: Five-Carat Soul is a short story collection exploring race and the human condition.. An antiques dealer discovers that a legendary toy commissioned by Civil War General Robert E. Lee now sits in the home of a black minister in Queens. Five strangers find themselves thrown together and face unexpected judgment. An American president draws inspiration from a conversation he overhears in a stable. And more.
Why we chose it: James McBride won the National Book Award in 2013 for the novel The Good Lord Bird. Five-Carat Soul is his first book since that win and every single story in it is brand new.
When you can read it: Sept. 26, 2017
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
What it's about: It's New York City during the Great Depression. In this noir thriller, teenager Anna Kerrigan is forced to become the sole provider for her family when her father goes missing in Manhattan Beach.
Why we chose it: Jennifer Egan delivers her first book since the 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad.
When you can read it: Oct. 3, 2017
Fresh Complaint by Jeffrey Eugenides
What it's about: The first collection of short stories by Jeffrey Eugenides digs deep into themes of adolescence, sexual identity, self-discovery, family love and what it means to be an American in our times.
Why we chose it: Detroit-born Jeffrey Eugenides is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author with a knack for understanding human frailty and self-discovery. His previous notable works include Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides.
When you can read it: Oct. 3, 2017
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks
What it's about: This collection of 17 short stories all feature — in some way or another — the venerable typewriter.
Why we chose it: Is there anything celebrated Hollywood actor Tom Hanks can't do? This collection of short stories promises to deliver the all-American charm and wit Hanks is noted for.
When you can read it: Oct. 17, 2017
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
What it's about: Louise Erdrich explores female agency, self-determination, biology, and natural rights in a modern world in her latest, Future Home of the Living God. It's a tale of science run amok as women give birth to infants that appear to be primitive species of humans.
Why we chose it: Veteran storyteller Louise Erdrich's accolades include a Gugenheim Fellowship (1985), a National Book Award for the novel The Round House (2012) and two National Book Critics Circle Award — for LaRose (2016) and Love Medicine (1984).
When you can read it: Nov. 14, 2017