Literairyland: Nov. 14-20, 2023

This week's new books, writer bdays, and more.

Author

Nicholas Barron
November 14, 2023

This Week In Books

My husband and I spent a few days this weekend in Dublin, Ireland, where holiday shopping is in full swing. While here in the States, Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off gift buying for Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa, many of us are already crossing names off our lists.

I put together a small holiday gift guide to help you find a unique or beloved gift for the book lover(s) in your life. Even if that book lover is you. 😉

The Literairyland 2023 Holiday Gift Guide contains some books or book-related products I've given or received or am including in my letter to Santa this year. Check it out if you're looking for presents for readers and book lovers.

Speaking of books, Michael Cunningham (The Hours, A Home at the End of the World) is out with a new novel this week. Day (Amazon | Bookshop) is Cunningham's first novel in nine years. Here's The New York Times review.

Other notable new books this week include a Jennifer Burns biography on the economist Milton Friedman (Amazon | Bookshop), a novel about a Greek family being deported to a concentration camp during World War II by Mitch Albom (The Little Liar, Amazon | Bookshop), and a look at the demise of the non-insect WASP (Flight of the WASP: The Rise, Fall, and Future of America's Original Ruling Class, Amazon | Bookshop).

Swipe or scroll down to see all of this week's new books.

Happy reading,

Nick

This Week’s New Books

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Fiction

Mystery

  • Odyssey's End: Volume 10 by Matt Coyle (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Hanging the Devil (Cape Weathers Mysteries, 5) by Tim Maleeny (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Medusa Murders by Joy Ann Ribar (Amazon)

  • Game Over at Guild Hall by Amy Patricia Meade (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Murder Most Cold by Victoria Dowd (Amazon)

  • Serving Up Spite: A Cook-Off Mystery by Devon Delaney (Amazon)

  • Mississippi River Mischief by Greg Herren (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • The Beautiful One by M. Lee Musgrave (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 16)

  • Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Professor by Lauren Nossett (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord: A Mystery by Celeste Connally (Amazon | Bookshop)

Thriller

  • The Edge (6:20 Man, 2) by David Baldacci (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Very Inconvenient Scandal: A Novel by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Play of Shadows (Dr. Evan Wilding, 3) by Barbara Nickless (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Great Gimmelmans by Lee Matthew Goldberg (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Anything for a Friend: A Novel by Kathleen M. Willett (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Death Valley by Eden Francis Compton and Diane Taylor (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Islanders by Caroline Mitchell (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 16)

  • The Night She Lied by Lucy Dawson (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 16)

  • Bad Blood by Angela Marsons (Amazon) (Available Nov. 15)

  • My Husband's Lies by Liz Lawler (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 20)

  • Alex Cross Must Die: A Thriller by James Patterson (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 20)

Fantasy

Romance

  • A Wish for Christmas by Courtney Cole (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Plot Twist (The Hollywood Series, 2) by Erin La Rosa (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Of Jasmine and Roses by Jill E. Warner (Amazon)

  • The Captain's Old Love by Mary Lancaster (Amazon)

  • Merry Pucking Christmas: A Country Christmas by Darby Fox (Amazon) (Available Nov. 15)

  • The Vanish Tide by A.J. Locke (Amazon)

  • Not the Duke You Marry by Jess Michaels (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Whiskey and Wine by Kelly Fireside and Tana Fireside (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • Rivals for Love by Ali Vali (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • Ride with Me by Jenna Jarvis (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • Living for You by Jenny Frame (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • The Old Ducks' Hen Do by Maddie Please (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 16)

  • Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Artifacts of An Ex by Jennifer Chen (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Starstruck: A Sweet Contemporary Romance by Amy Clipston (Amazon | Bookshop)

Science Fiction

  • System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, 7) by Martha Wells (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Calamity (Uncharted Hearts, 1) by Constance Fay (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Digital Aesthete: Human Musings on the Intersection of Art and AI by Ken Liu and Adrian Tchaikovsky, edited by Alex Shvartsman (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Hellweg’s Keep by Justin Holley (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Mind Burn by Rhett C. Bruno and T.E. Bakutis (Amazon | Bookshop)

Humor and Satire

Coming of Age

Superheroes

  • Iron Man: Tony Stark Declassified: Notes, Interviews, and Files from the Avengers' Archives by Kevin Dilmore, Dayton Ward, and Marvel Comics (Amazon | Bookshop)

Short Stories

  • The Christmas Stranger: A Short Story by Leslie Budewitz (Amazon)

  • Monkey New Writing from Japan: Volume 4: Music edited by Ted Goossen and Motoyuki Shibata (Amazon | Bookshop)

Historical

Literary

Nonfiction

Memoir

  • The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation by Raquel Willis (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Denim Diaries: A Memoir by Laurie Boyle Crompton (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Cacophony of Bone: The Circle of a Year by Kerri Ní Dochartaigh (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Falling into Place: A Story of Love, Poland, and the Making of a Travel Writer by Thomas Swick (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 15)

Biography

  • The Fighter of Auschwitz: The Incredible True Story of Leen Sanders Who Boxed to Help Others Survive by Erik Brouwer (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Chasing Bright Medusas: A Life of Willa Cather (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative by Jennifer Burns (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Elmer Bernstein, Film Composer: An Authorized Biography by Peter Bernstein (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 15)

Essays

  • Sad Happens: A Celebration of Tears, edited by Brandon Stosuy (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Writings on Yiddish and Yiddishkayt: The War Years, 1939-1945 by Isaac Bashevis Singer, translated by David Stromberg (Amazon | Bookshop)

Animals

  • Purest Bond: Understanding the Human-Canine Connection by Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Dog Grooming for Beginners: Simple Techniques for Washing, Trimming, Cleaning & Clipping All Breeds of Dogs by Jorge Bendersky (Amazon | Bookshop)

Business

  • The Human Behind the Coach: How Great Coaches Transform Themselves First by Lucia Baldelli and Claire Pedrick (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Ask Like an Auctioneer: How to Ask For More and Get It by Dia Bondi (Amazon | Bookshop)

Crime

  • Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades by Rebecca Renner (Amazon | Bookshop)

DIY

  • House + Love = Home: Creating Warm, Intentional Spaces for a Beautiful Life by Jenny Marrs with Dave Marrs (Amazon | Bookshop)

Writing

  • The Grammar Daily: 365 Quick Tips for Successful Writing from Grammar Girl by Mignon Fogarty (Amazon | Bookshop)

Health

  • Telehealth Success: How to Thrive in the New Age of Remote Care by Aditi U. Joshi and Brandon M. Welch (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Freedom with Food and Fitness by Alana Van Der Sluys (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Sounds Like Misophonia: How to Stop Small Noises from Causing Extreme Reactions by Jane Gregory, with Adeel Ahmad (Amazon | Bookshop)

Entertainment

  • Vanity Fair: Oscar Night Sessions: A Decade of Portraits from the After-Party by Mark Seliger (Amazon | Bookshop)

Parody

  • Dumb Ideas: A Behind-the-Scenes Exposé on Making Pranks and Other Stupid Creative Endeavors (and How You Can Also Too!) by Eric Andre and Dan Curry (Amazon | Bookshop)

Technology

  • The Handover: How We Gave Control of Our Lives to Corporations, States, and AIs by David Runciman (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Broken Code: Inside Facebook and the Fight to Expose Its Harmful Secrets by Jeff Horwitz (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions About What to Believe Online by Mike Caulfield and Sam Wineburg (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available on Nov. 16.)

  • The NFT Book: Everything You Need to Know about the Art and Collecting of Non-Fungible Tokens by Alex Atallah, Noah Charney, and Kenny Schachter (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 15)

History

  • A Woman I Know: Female Spies, Double Identities, and a New Story of the Kennedy Assassination by Mary Haverstick (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Fatal Alliance: A Century of War on Film by David Thomson (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • When Harry Met Pablo: Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art by Matthew Algeo (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Queen of Cuba: An FBI Agent's Insider Account of the Spy Who Evaded Detection for 17 Years by Peter J. Lapp, with Kelly Kennedy (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll, Jr. (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • America's Black Capital: How African Americans Remade Atlanta in the Shadow of the Confederacy by Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar (Amazon | Bookshop)

Politics

  • Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party by Jonathan Karl (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy by Brian Stelter (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Collapse Feminism: The Online Battle for Feminism's Future by Alice Cappelle (Amazon | Bookshop)

Music

  • 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s by Rob Harvilla (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are by Tariq Trotter (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans by Kenneth Womack (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Johnny Cash: The Life in Lyrics by Johnny Cash and Mark Stielper (Amazon | Bookshop)

Self-Help

  • Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott Shigeoka (Amazon | Bookshop)

Love & Romance

  • Shameless Sex: Choose Your Own Pleasure Path to Unlock the Sex Life You've Been Waiting For by Amy Baldwin and April Lampert (Amazon | Bookshop)

Fertility & Pregnancy

  • Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception by Mark Leondires and Lisa Schuman (Amazon | Bookshop)

Philanthropy

  • The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire by Tim Schwab (Amazon | Bookshop)

Sociology

  • False Starts: The Segregated Lives of Preschoolers by Casey Stockstill (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Accidental Equalizer: How Luck Determines Pay After College by Jessi Streib (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 16.)

Anthropology

  • Flight of the WASP: The Rise, Fall, and Future of America’s Original Ruling Class by Michael Gross (Amazon | Bookshop)

Psychology

  • The Peer Effect: How Your Peers Shape Who You Are and Who You Will Become by Syed Ali and Margaret M. Chin (Amazon | Bookshop)

Spiritual

  • Seasons of the Zodiac: Love, Magick, and Manifestation Throughout the Astrological Year by Stephanie Campos (Amazon | Bookshop)

Poetry

  • People Not Things: Love Poems and Paintings for Humanity by Genesis Be (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

  • The Edge of Hope by Robin Williams (Amazon | Bookshop) • (Available Nov. 15)

  • Anthem Speed by Christopher Colin (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 15)

This Week’s Literary Birthdays & Events

November 14

  • Jacob Abbott

  • Tim Bowler

  • Michael Dobbs

  • Astrid Lindgren

  • Eric Malpass

  • Adam Oehlenschläger

  • William Steig

  • Frederick Jackson Turner

November 15

  • Rick Atkinson

  • J.G. Ballard

  • Richmal Crompton

  • Tibor Fischer

  • Marianne Moore

  • Liane Moriarty

  • Daniel Pinkwater

  • Thomas Williams

November 16

  • Fyodor Dostoevsky sentenced to death for anti-government activities (1849)

  • Chinua Achebe

  • Andrea Barrett

  • Jean Fritz

  • Joan Lindsay

  • Mary Tyler Peabody Mann

  • W.E.D. Ross

  • José Saramago

November 17

  • Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris (1919)

  • Shelby Foote

  • Archibald Lampman

  • Christopher Paolini

  • Rebecca Walker

November 18

  • Margaret Atwood

  • Clarence Day

  • Alan Dean Foster

  • Terrance Hayes

  • Klaus Mann

  • Alan Moore

  • Hilda Nickson

  • Maggie Stiefvater

  • Howard Thurman

  • James Welch

November 19

  • Amazon releases the first Kindle (2007)

  • Agnes Giberne

  • Annette Gordon-Reed

  • Sharon Olds

  • Jack Schaefer

  • Allen Tate

November 20

  • 80-ton sperm whale sinks the Essex, inspiring Herman Melville to write Moby-Dick (1820)

  • Lucilla Andrews

  • Thomas Chatterton

  • Don DeLillo

  • John Gardner

  • Nadine Gordimer

  • Rolfe Humphries

  • Sheema Kalbasi

  • Selma Lagerlöf

See you next week!