What To Read

Every month, we share the books we can't wait to read. This month we've got a "lost" novel from Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez, an urgent investigation into the epidemic of Gen Z mental illness, and a page-turning mystery tale perfect for fans of Knives Out.

FICTION

Until August by Gabriel García Márquez (March 12)

The wait is over for us Gabo fanatics! After many years of rumors about a "lost" manuscript from the Nobel laureate and king of magical realism, we will finally get access to García Márquez's last book, which he wrote but never managed to finish while living with dementia at the end of his life. He had expressed wishes for this work never to be published, but his sons ultimately made the call to bring this work to life ten years after his death. The story revolves around a happily married woman who visits her buried mother on an island each August and for one night takes a lover. (Romina Raimundo)

Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki (March 19)

If you’re a history buff like me, this one will be a staple on your spring bookshelf. This Hidden-Figures-esque historical fiction pick shines a light on the often-overlooked brilliance of female intellectuals. It's a journey into the life of Margaret Fuller, one of the brightest, albeit largely forgotten, thinkers of the 19th century. Beyond pulling the curtain back on the world of elite academia during her era, this novel delves into her personal activism and love life. I'm counting on this one to help fill a big gap in feminist history. (Sophia Nash)

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (March 26)

What would you do if you knew you were going to be murdered? That’s the premise of this author's mystery debut. After spending her life trying to prevent her foretold murder, our protagonist is found dead. It is up to her niece to unravel the mystery. When I'm in a reading rut, this is just the kind of book I turn to – a classic whodunit filled with suspense that will keep the pages turning. (Romina Raimundo)

Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez (March 5)

As a Brooklynite, I am haunted by the presence of the magnetic Olga from Gonzalez's previous novel Olga Dies Dreaming in so many moments and corners of her home borough - it's so fitting that she was honored with the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. I couldn't wait for her sophomore novel, and was especially excited to read it when learning about the setting and conceit. Anita de Monte Laughs Last follows an art history student who stumbles upon the story of a rising art world star who died tragically in the 80s, and the two women's identities (and fates) becomes eerily entangled. (Lynda Hammes)

NONFICTION

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt (March 26)

I've often reflected that we older members of Gen Z were the guinea pigs for how smart phones and social media would rewire young people, and today our generation's dismal mental health record reflects many overlooked dangers. Haidt's book is a crucial intervention into these trends in childhood development, which hopefully can help us change course toward implementing policies and practices to combat the interlinked crises of anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders. (Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben)

You Get What You Pay for: Essays by Morgan Parker (March 12)

Black girls in therapy are the real superheroes - jumping from burning building to burning building to preserve their dignity and freedom to live a full life. We need to preserve those voices at all costs and Parker takes on that role with a piercing clarity. I'm looking forward to her take on American beauty standards and her analysis of how certain Black celebrities have influenced expectations for the rest of us. (lliyah Coles)

There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib (March 26)

Hanif Abdurraqib is one of my auto-buy authors. I don't typically read books on sports, but I know that Abdurraqib's poetic writing and profound insights will make me care passionately about any subject. Though I've never been a huge fan of basketball, I'm excited to see him explore his thoughts on success and ascension during the golden era of basketball of the '90s. (Laurann Herrington)

No Judgment: Essays by Lauren Oyler (March 19)

I first heard of Lauren Oyler, known for being a harsh and analytical critic, because of her viral review of Jia Tolentino's debut essay collection in the London Review of Books. Now she's coming out with a new essay collection investigating questions about being a 21st century critic in the age of the internet. I can't wait to dive into her musings on gossip, autofiction, and more; of course I'm bracing myself for a book that pulls no punches! (Laurann Herrington)

Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking – How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age by Caroline Paul (March 5)

Okay, how can you read this title and not want to see how on earth these older women are able to literally walk on top of planes while they are flying? There's a 93-year-old hiker in the book too! I'm planning to store away some of the secrets of how to not grow old gracefully. (lliyah Coles)

POETRY

A Year of Last Things: Poems by Michael Ondaatje (March 19)

I'm sure many fans of The English Patient are likely to be compelled by this new collection from this respected Canadian novelist and poet. For me, it was really the title of this one that caught my eye. What does it mean to experience an entire year of endings? How can we reckon with the memory of closures—and all the "ending" chapters of our lives—while simultaneously moving forward into new ones? (lliyah Coles)