Greetings football fans. It’s a big weekend in the NFL and I’m hoping my team the Broncos can get by the Chargers. But we will see what fate lies ahead. I’m hoping Peyton has a good day.
This week I had arthroscopic knee surgery as a result of a tennis injury over the past year so I have not been very mobile, but each day gets a little bit better. My Hub has been a good Nurse Nancy and helper and my dog is trying to be patient till I can be more out and about.
Meanwhile we must talk about what’s coming out in January. You know it’s a good month when such well-known literary fiction authors as Joyce Carol Oates, E.L. Doctorow, Anna Quindlen, Sue Monk Kidd, and Isabel Allende have new novels coming out.
Perhaps even more interesting are the authors this month who are coming out with their second books after having had debuts that were so successful, which adds a bit of extra pressure, does it not? I’m thinking of Nancy Horan (“Loving Frank”), Rachel Joyce (“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”), Ishmael Beah (“A Long Way Gone”), and Wiley Cash (“A Land More Kind Than Home”). I’ll be looking to check out their new books and see how they compare to their debuts.
If it’s a snappy literary thriller you’re looking to sink your teeth into, Elisabeth Elo’s debut “North of Boston,” about a plot involving the glacial whaling grounds off Baffin Island, looks compelling. So, too, does Louise Doughty’s “Apple Tree Yard” about a woman who has an affair and soon finds herself and her lover on trial for murder. And then there’s Chang-rae Lee’s haunting, multi-layered story “On Such a Full Sea” set in a dystopian future America, which appears quite chilling.
And if you’re looking for historical fiction, there’s Robert Harris’s “An Officer and a Spy” about the infamous Dreyfus affair, which likely shouldn’t be missed, nor Brian Payton’s “The Wind Is Not a River,” which involves a love story set amid the invasion of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands during WWII.
So many new books in January, so little time! For movies (see list at left), I’m curious to see “Labor Day” at the end of the month because it’s based on the Joyce Maynard novel of the same name. I actually want to read it first and then see it. It’s about a single mom and her 13-year-old son who give a convict a place to stay and in time learn his story. Hopefully it’ll rise above a made-for-TV kind of drama.
Lastly in albums (see list at bottom right), I can’t wait for Springsteen’s latest “High Hopes” which is coming out on Tuesday. I’ve been a huge fan of his since ’75 and each album’s been a treasure to me. Apparently the new music is from unreleased material from the past decade. The songs were previously recorded and some were written for other albums but never made it on. A few songs are covers of other bands’ songs, which should be interesting. I’m psyched up about ”High Hopes.” It’s Springsteen after all.
What about you – what new book, movie ,or album releases are you most looking forward to this month?
It certainly does seem like a great month for new releases from some favorite authors! I’m looking forward to the new Nancy Horan book, I loved her last!
Good luck with your recovery! I’m going for my knee surgery in 2 weeks! ACL. and both Meniscus. But looking forward to walking properly again someday (and I’m sure my hubby feels the same way!)
Have a great week
Suzanne (Chick with Books)
Thanks Suzanne. Wow I hope your surgery goes well. I wish you a smooth recovery; I know what it’s like. We have to be patient with these things which is tough! Perhaps you’ll get more reading done while recovering. The Horan book does look interesting. Good luck.
I hope you recover quickly from that knee surgery,
I am very excited about the books I’ve seen on Edelweiss lately. New reads, new year. It’s a good time.
Your posts are not showing up in Feedly. I deleted your blog and then added you back and although you are listed, it shows zero posts for you so I never see when new posts come up. I will try to remember to visit manually but if you don’t hear from me for awhile, that’s why.
Thanks for telling me Ti — about my posts not showing up on Feedly. It’s strange; I wonder if it’s on my end? Hmm. I will check.
Yeah I hope to get over this knee surgery as soon as I can, otherwise I’ll go crazy. 🙂
Those literary thrillers interest me. I’ve been in the midst of big fat literary fiction first The Goldfinch and now The Luminaries and need a good break.
I don’t know. I guess I don’t read enough new fiction to pay attention to what’s coming out. I’m still trying to catch up with series I’ve been reading. As for music and movies, I don’t pay attention to them either, but I’m glad 🙂 you’re here to let us know what is coming up in case there is something worthwhile, which the Bruce Springsteen definitely qualifies as. That’d be about it for me for January for what I’m looking forward to…at least, until your next report.
Thanks Bryan. I think it helps me organize to know what’s coming ahead. So I’ll keep you updated. Check out the new Springsteen.
I am eagerly awaiting Carthage and the Anna Quindlen book, too. Labor Day is one I read a couple of years ago, and I loved it. I love everything I’ve read by Maynard.
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for visiting my blog…and I loved August: Osage County, a story I can describe as dark comedy with lots of drama…and wonderful performances.
Thanks for the tips Laurel. I think I’ll see August Osage County & read Labor Day soon.