Newly Published looks a little different for May because five well-known authors published books in May, most of which have gotten a lot of press. I am looking to reading most of these books (I haven’t ever taken with Richard Ford’s work). Emily St. John Mandel is a favorite author of mine, John Irving’s new novel is said to be exceptional, Morrison’s book looks like a winner, and Peter Carey remains on the top of my must try list. Since these novels are getting a lot of attention, I will just list them with some links to reviews and then spend the majority of the post on other novels published in May.
THE BIG ONES
The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel: S Krishna and Caribou’s Mom
In One Person by John Irving: Literate Housewife and Between the Covers
Home by Toni Morrison: Savidge Reads and Washington Post
The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey: Kevin from Canada and Seeing the World through Books
Canada by Richard Ford: Booktopia and All the Books I Can Read
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK
The Book of Summers, a debut novel by Emylia Hall: When Beth is nine years old she and her father leave her mother in Hungary and return home without her. Beth is devastated. She is able to spend summers with her mother and this is a magical time for her until (after seven years) something happens which ends the trips and her relationship with her mother. The title refers to a book that an adult Beth receives which documents her trips. This sounds like a great summer read.
REVIEWS
From The Bookreporter: In every page of this breathtaking novel is a strong sense of place and humanity. Readers will really appreciate the solid, artistic, beautifully descriptive quality of Emylia Hall’s writing…Those who enjoy fiction and family dramas should love THE BOOK OF SUMMERS, a touching, emotive read about love and the value of family.
From Kim the Bookworm: The way that Emylia Hall writes paints an intense, bright and colourful picture of Hungary that makes the place come alive…With quite a twist towards the end, which was most unexpected, it kept the plot fresh and extremely interesting. I completely lost myself to this book, it was a wonderful read and I felt emotionally exhausted by the end. And I think that’s the sign of a fabulous book!
An Uncommon Education, a debut novel by Elizabeth Percer: This is a coming of age story about Naomi Feinstein. It starts during Naomi’s childhood, her photographic memory, her clumsy and loving parents, and the fact of being a social outcast. Naomi decides to become a doctor to protect those she loves and she goes to Wellesley. While there Naomi learns to think of herself as her own person instead of in relationship with others. This one seems to encompass many of the themes I love.
REVIEWS
From Fleur Fisher: All week I’ve been carrying The Book of Summers with me, and opening it whenever I could so that I could be transported into another world…This is a lovely debut novel, and it would suit leisurely reading on a warm summer day very, very well …
From Bookstack: Oh how I loved this book…Elizabeth Percer… has given us a debut novel that is poignant and full of heart. An Uncommon Education is a wonderful and wise book about learning the lessons we most need, about finding our way in a world where we never exactly fit, about being able to accept our human limitations.
So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore: Three voices are contained in this novel: Thirteen-year-old Natalie struggling with her parent’s divorce and the victim of cyber-bullying; Kathleen, an archivist with an estranged daughter; and Bridget (through her diary), an Irish maid working for a wealthy Boston family in the 1920’s. This novel is about an issue that is so prevalent in our culture. It is also about second chances, mothers and daughters, and finding something to hold on to.
REVIEWS
From Coffee and a Book Chick: I enjoyed this book and found that it was quite difficult to put the story down. Each character had a distinct voice, even secondary characters…With painfully difficult moments and hard truths of life, I enjoyed the story and writing immensely. It’s clear that Meg Mitchell Moore has a passion for the subject matter, and she is an author I’ll look forward to more from her, and I’ll also be sure to pick up her debut novel, The Arrivals, as well.
From Jenn’s Bookshelves: Moore has so eloquently brought together the lives of three different women who, despite being at different points in their life, still feel a similar pain. I became so invested in the stories of these three women that I couldn’t bear to tear myself away from this book. Their stories are captivating, I wanted so much more for each of them…So Far Away is a book that without a doubt will be popping up on reading group lists, for it contains a wealth of topics and themes to discuss, including love, loss, motherhood, friendship and more. Highly recommended
ALSO PUBLISHED
The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger: Amina, a Bangladesh moves to Rochester, New York to marry George, a man she met and wooed on-line. Each has a past that they haven’t mention to the other as well as different religions.
A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson: Joinson interweaves two stories. The first takes place in 1923 when Eva and her sister Lizzie are on a missionary trip to Kashgar. Lizzie is fervent, Eva less so concentrating on a commission from a publisher to produce a cycling guide. The second is of a modern woman named Freida and her new friend Tayeb, an illegal immigrant. Freida inherits an apartment from someone she has never heard of and has a week to clear it out.
Abdication by Juliet Nicolson: This novel covers the year between King George’s death and the abdication of his son through the eyes of three different people: an immigrant from Barbados who works for an influential family, the Blunts; an American spinster and friend to Wallis who is the god-daughter to Lady Blunt; and young, idealist university graduate and friend to Rupert Blunt.
What a great round up of new books! And so very dangerous as I add few of these new to me books onto my own wishlist. I had to get back in line for the Joinson book, but it looks good and I love reading about that period. I hate to say I have never read a few of the biggies you listed–Richard Ford or John Irving–but I am trying to read more American authors these days. For a long time I’ve been on a British book binge, which is fine as I enjoy it but I feel like I am not reading as broadly as I should. Thanks for the links!
John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany is my favorite Irving. I haven’t much liked anything else I have read of his. Some of the reviews I have seen so far of his new one compare it to Owen Meany so it is certainly on my list. We hope to visit Europe this winter and all I want to bring home are British books.
So many new books by established authors this month… it’s hard to keep up! I’m most excited by John Irving’s In One Person.
I can’t believe that John Irving, Toni Morrison and Peter Carey have all come out with new books during the same month! Carey’s ‘The Chemistry of Tears’ has got a beautiful title. I want to read it.
Isn’t it amazing – I am salivating for the Irving.
I loved A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar; I think it will be one of my faorites for 2012. An Uncommon Education was also very good. Sadly, though, I found Irving’s In One Person a tad tedious. It went on and on about the characters, about whom one cares to a certain extent, but I just tired of the bisexual theme.
I found your blog through the literary hop, and have come back to visit. I can see that in many ways we have a kindred spirit. Then again, don’t so many of book bloggers? At least those of us who love literary fiction. It’s so nice to be here and read the posts you’ve written.