It’s September, put down that beach novel, it's time to get serious about your to-be-read list. Thankfully, fall is the biggest season in the publishing world, so there's plenty of titles to choose from. Michele Filgate, freelance writer, critic, and independent bookseller at Community Bookstore in Brooklyn brings us her must read list for early fall. Click on the book titles for more information.
1. Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay - Elena Ferrante (Release Date: September 2) This the third book in the series.
"It’s rare to see such a masterful rendering of the complexities of female friendship---but it’s about more than that. It’s also about identity and how where we come from shapes us."
2. Bone Clocks - David Mitchell (Release Date: September 2)
3. Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel (Release Date: September 9)
"Station Eleven is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a traveling Shakespearean company and a symphony prove that art is what matters, what resonates, and what stays with us even after the world as we know it is transformed."
4. A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing - Eimear McBride (Release Date: September 9)
"It’s one of the most disturbing but incredible books I’ve read in quite a while. Sure to be controversial and lead to a lot of book club discussions."
5. The Paying Guests - Sarah Waters (Release Date: September 16)
"This book feels gothic and dark like Rebecca and Jane Eyre. It’s the best kind of page turner."
6. Love Me Back - Merrit Tierce (Release Date: September 16)
7. Florence Gordon - Brian Morton (ReleaseDate: September 23)
"He’s a master at writing about the writer’s life—and his new book features the most memorable character I’ve come across in recent fiction. "
8. On Immunity - Eula Biss (Release Date: September 30)
"I didn’t think I’d be interested in a book on immunization—particularly a book written by a mother talking about having a child and considering how important vaccinations are. But Biss transcends the subject and in doing so proves that immunization is a critical topic, one that every responsible citizen needs to pay attention to."
BONUS October Pick: Lila - Marilynne Robinson (Release Date: October 7)
If you fly through Michele's September reading list and want to know what else is on the horizon, here are some suggestions:
- You can always seek out your local independent bookseller and ask what's coming soon; they'll be able to make suggestions based on books and authors you've liked in the past.
- The website, The Millions puts out a a two-part list for the first and second half of the year that higlights the most anticipated books. You can find part one for 2014 here, and part two, here.
- The website FlavorWire produces a monthly must read list. You can find their must read suggestions for September, here.
- Publisher's Weekly has an announcements tab on their website that highlights new books as well. You can check that out, here.
