By Sienna Vittoria Asselin
Fall is coming, which means it’s time to fill your cart with all the new books the season has to offer. September and October’s new releases include must-read political and military accounts as well as imaginative novels that offer terrifyingly keen contemporary commentary. You may not be in school anymore, but these new books will be sure to teach you something new. Without further ado, here are the best new books to read this fall.
Nights of Plague: A Novel
By Orhan Pamuk
In this chillingly timely novel by Novel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk, a deadly plague hits a fictional island in the eastern Mediterranean, at the turn of the twentieth century. Part of the Ottoman Empire, with a population balanced equally between Muslims and Orthodox Greeks, the island is steeped with religious tension, and the people repeatedly ignore the experts that the sultan sends to stop the plague’s spread: first the Christian quarantine expert that he sends, and then the Muslim doctor. Finally, the sultan is forced to blockade the island to limit the spread and the islanders are left to fend for themselves. The book isn’t out till October, but add it to your pre-orders now; it’ll be worth the wait.
Fairy Tale: A Novel
By Stephen King
This new release is one of the buzziest books out this fall. Stephen King’s latest tells the story of a teenage boy named Charlie who inherits the keys to a parallel universe. It’s a book steeped in imagination and folklore, and taps into the age-old battle between good and evil. It promises to be terrifying, enthralling, and likely the perfect book to hide away from the cooling temperatures with.
Has Populism Won? The War on Liberal Democracy
By Daniel Drache and Marc D. Froese
Here is another one for your pre-order list. In this non-fiction tome expected to be out in October, two political scientists tackle the question of whether populism has won over freedom and the rule of law. Considering Trump’s America, Putin’s Russia, and other less-talked about regions like Poland and the Philippines, they discuss the methods of populist leaders and why people follow them.
A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories
By Leonard Cohen
One of the season’s most anticipated releases is a compilation of works written between 1956-61 by Canadian singer-songwriter, author, and poet Leonard Cohen. It includes a short novel as well as 15 short stories that explore themes like shame, sexual desire, longing, family, and love.
Battle of the Atlantic: Gauntlet to Victory
By Ted Barris
In this non-fiction military history book, author Ted Barris shifts the spotlight away from Vimy Ridge and onto the Battle of Atlantic as the defining moment for Canada’s coming of age and its participation in the war. The Battle of the Atlantic was Canada’s longest continuous military engagement during the war and claimed the lives of thousands of men and women—you’ll want to get a copy of this new book to learn all about it.
Demon Copperhead
By Barbara Kingsolver
Last but not least is another literary release from bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver that takes a modern spin on Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Set in the southern Appalachia, it tells the coming-of-age story of a boy born in a trailer park to a teenage single mom. It navigates the dangers of institutions like foster care and derelict schools and explores themes of loss and love.
