The Best New Books Coming Out in April 2024

A delightful romp through the Golden Age of Hollywood and New York City, Table For Two features six short stories and a novella that explores chance, momentary encounters, and the essence of the modern marriage. Written with Towles' signature wit, this collection is sure to delight fans of his previous work and those exploring Amor Towles for the first time.

Bestselling author Erik Larson (Devil in the White City, Splendid and the Vile) dives into the unsteady time of 1860s America: a country at bitter odds, with President Abraham Lincoln suprisingly elected as states attempted seceding and slavery provided tinder for the country's upheaval. The Demon of Unrest examines the five months after the election, but before the bloodshed and conflict of the American Civil War, utilizing secret communique, plantation records, diaries, and more.

Writer Alma Cruz inherits a plot of land in her homeland, the Dominican Republic, and decides to bury her untold stories there. Old manuscripts, drafts, characters--they need a place to rest. But the characters have other things in mind, as they hold space for their stories and narratives alongside the groundskeeper.

Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of America's nationally recognized historians, and she, and her late husband, Dick Goodwin, had a storied past tied to American politics--Dick as a speechwriter and staff member for Lyndon B. Johnson, who Doris worked for as well. When Doris and Dick decide to open more than 50 boxes from his time in public service and life, the two unpack the history of the 1960s, the stories between them, and explore a time not so dissimilar to now of great political upheaval.

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was attacked with a knife. Here, Rushdie speaks out for the first time, exploring the artistic response to violence that is possible, and how he found the strength to continue forward. A harrowing and intimate meditation on life, loss, art, and endurance.

Lydia Millet’s novels have captivated readers for more than 25 years. The author, who has a degree in environmental economics and works at the Center for Biological Diversity, now shares a nonfiction book that reflects on her relationship with “the others”—the plants and animals we share our lives and planet with. “We al have been the beneficiary of [her] eloquence and imagination through fiction[. . . ] I needed this book to feel less alone,” praised author Terry Tempest Williams.

With a foreword by David Sibley, The Backyard Bird Chronicles is an homage to the nature and life around you, complete with colorful illustrations by Amy Tan. Inspired by a project she began in 2016 in hope of personal serenity in admiring the birds she saw at her home, Tan here explores birds with curiosity and thoughtfulness, not unlike the characters in her novels.

The scene? Y2K New York City. The players? Lily Chen, a young Asian-American from Florida and unpaid intern at a slick media company, and Matthew, an East Coaster and heir to a pharmaceutically-funded empire. Despite their differences, they fall in love. Cut to: 2021. Fifteen-year-old Nick Chen feels like his single mom, Lily is hiding something. He embarks on a quest to discover who his biological dad is. A novel of class, society, and what we inherit.

The author of Bluets and The Argonauts shares work from 20 years of her career. Featuring essays, conversations with artist and writers, and topics as varied as Prince to Kara Walker to Lhasa de Sela, but united in themes such as friendship, feminist and queer issues, and more, the book is a wide-ranging, expansive and exciting lens into Nelson's life and mind.

Breanna's romantic getaway with boyfriend Ty takes a dark turn when she finds a dead stranger in their Air BNB. With Ty disappeared, the woman from out-of-town is trapped, turning to her complicated ex-best friend lawyer for help. To clear herself, Bree must unravel the truth behind the murder amid public speculation. But discerning reality from appearance proves difficult when people only see what they want.