What To Read

FICTION

So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan (Nov. 14)

With a forthcoming movie adaptation starring Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer and Peaky Blinders), and countless literary awards including a Booker nomination under her belt, Irish author Claire Keegan is having a moment. Her new collection consists of three stories which Kirkus says, "explore relationships through a series of fraught encounters." As the days grow colder and nights grow longer, this book has the perfect cuffing season vibe. – Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben

System Collapse by Martha Wells (Nov. 14)

Sci-fi fans grab your popcorn, everyone's favorite murderous robot is returning in the latest installment of Martha Wells's Hugo and Nebula award winning series. Systems Collapse kicks off right where the last book, Network Effect, left off. This time we find Murderbot going through a period of emotional malaise as he copes with the effects of a lingering trauma. This promises to add depth to the character, in addition to the snark and humor we have come to expect from the series. If this is your first time hearing about the trials of Wells’s beloved SecUnit, I recommend starting with the first entry in the series, All Systems Red, which at around 150 pages, is easy to jump into. – Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben

The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan (Nov. 7)

It’s safe to say we could all use a light read this month, and this charming Irish novel about a young couple and their friends hurtling toward a potentially-disastrous wedding is sure to make me forget about the world for a while. It’s got plenty of laughs, lots of fun, messy characters, and will make you remember fondly many of the people you knew in your twenties. If you’re into Sally Rooney, this one’s for you! – Fernanda Gorgulho

Treacle Walker by Alan Garner (Nov. 14)

I first knew of Garner as a fantastical kids' book author. He writes my favorite kind of stories that stir together a blend of myth and folklore. Neil Gaiman once described him as a "national treasure" of the UK, and he is now shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize, which will ensure that a wider American audience begins to pick up on his work. This one is about a young boy living alone who meets a mysterious traveler offering a cure-all medicine. As their friendship develops, a magic new world opens up for the boy. – Sam Haecker

The New Naturals by Gabriel Bump (Nov. 14)

Who among us hasn't fantasized about just escaping and starting over when the stress, grief or existential dread of life hits a tipping point? But, the question is: where would you go? This novel follows a couple, after the loss of a child, who sets out to create a utopian commune in an abandoned restaurant off a highway in Massachusetts. I'm super curious how this one ends and am loving what critics are saying about Bump's writing. – Romina Raimundo

The Liberators by E.J. Koh (Nov. 7)

I am a sucker for family stories spanning generations no matter the setting, like Pachinko and The Dutch House, even Crossroads. Most recently, I was bowled over by Abraham Verghese's Covenant of Water which is next-level epic for following a family over multiple generations. Early reviews of The Liberators reminded me of this same kind of family saga that allows you to travel through time and space (from '60s South Korea to '80s California) while at the same time staying tangled up in the roots of a family tree.  – Lynda Hammes

NONFICTION

Eyeliner by Zahra Hankir (Nov. 14)

I'm fascinated by writers who can take a deep dive into a specific phenomenon, but wind up sharing broader insights about the world and humanity, like Mark Kurlanksky’s bestselling Cod—or the lesser known New York City history book Rats. In that vein, this new book focuses on a beauty product that we never think deeply about: eyeliner. This, ahem, eye-opening cultural history follows the global roots of the iconic cosmetic all the way to its current significance in our TikTok era.  – Fernanda Gorgulho

To Free the Captives by Tracy K. Smith (Nov. 7)

Tracy K. Smith's poetry truly goes unmatched, so I'm excited to see how she uses her mastery of the language to analyze the condition of the Black race in America. – Iliyah Coles

World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (Nov. 7)

The third book from the bestselling Wilco frontman finds Jeff Tweedy in prime form, recounting fifty songs that changed his life, and have potential to change your life too, if you're a big music fan like me. Jeff weaves together anecdotes about famed names like Dolly Parton, The Replacements and Otis Redding with short prose pieces that conjure up life-changing moments in his personal history. Definitely gifting this one to the Wilco superfans in my life.  – Sam Haecker

Art Monsters by Lauren Elkin (Nov. 14)

For fans of The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel and Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer, Elkin's latest joins a growing list of books reevaluating art history through a feminist lens. Here Elkin unpacks the relationship female artists such as Simone de Beauvoir, Kathy Acker, Virginia Woolf, etc have to their art and their bodies while exploring her own embodied experiences. – Laurann Harrington

PLUS, A COOKBOOK

Danni's Juke Joint Comfort Food Cookbook by Danni Rose (Nov. 7)

OK, I know the rule about pretty much eyeballing every ingredient when you're cooking soul food. But I fully admit I do not have the wherewithal of my ancestors when it comes to improv in the kitchen, and for sure need at least a loose guide when I'm making dinner. Plus, perfect time of year to try the "Church Lady Candied Apples" and the "ole skool mac n cheese." – Iliyah Coles