Usually I would do my October preview and picks at the beginning of the month, but I was away traveling and then got sick so here it is quite late.
For October novel releases (see list at right), there’s a slew of veteran authors with new books out. Of these, I, too, am most eager to get my hands on Donna Tartt’s new novel, “The Goldfinch,” which comes out eleven years after her last book, “The Little Friend.” I recently reread her first novel “The Secret History,” which is still wonderful after all these years. If her latest is half as good as that, it’s no wonder everyone is after “The Goldfinch.”
I’m also looking forward to Dave Eggers’s new novel “The Circle,” which reportedly is about an employee at an internet company, in a world where there’s a constant hunger for communications and a loss of privacy. Some are comparing it to George Orwell’s “1984” or Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” for the tech world. So I think it’ll raise some interesting questions.
For my third October book pick, I’m not sure whether to choose Jayne Anne Phillips’s haunting novel “Quiet Dell” about serial murderer Harry Powers, a con man who preyed on widows, or Dan Simmons’s long chunkster novel “The Abominable” about climbers making a recovery mission on Everest, or perhaps “The Signature of All Things,” Elizabeth Gilbert’s hotly anticipated novel about a female botanist in the 1800s. There’s also Andre Dubus III’s new collection of short stories filled with depressing characters in “Dirty Love” — for those who liked the author’s tragic tale of “House of Sand and Fog.”
Lastly kudos to Eleanor Catton, this month’s author of “The Luminaries,” an 832-page murder mystery set in New Zealand during a 19th-century gold rush, which won the Man Booker Prize this past week. Reviews describing its convolutedness have me a bit intimidated to pick it up so far, but the author just so happens to be at our city’s annual book festival (WordFest) this weekend. Wow talk about great timing!
As for movies in October (see list at left), I pick both “Gravity” and “Captain Phillips” to see. I liked them equally, and found them both high-octane action flicks. I’m also curious about this month’s “12 Years a Slave” and would like to go back and read the memoir by Solomon Northup perhaps first before seeing the movie if I can.
Lastly in albums for October (see list at bottom right), I’ve been playing and liking The Avett Brothers’ “Magpie and the Dandelion” which is the folk group’s eighth studio album and the third of its albums produced by Rick Rubin. I’ve also been listening to “Let’s Be Still” the second album by the Seattle-based folk group The Head and the Heart, which sounds pretty good, too.
How about you, which book, movie, or album releases out this month are you excited about?
I’m excited about the movie 12 Years a Slave, too. I may see if I can get some of our Diversity Book Club together for a showing, although that’s not a book we’ve read.
Yeah it looks quite intense but worth seeing. Thx for stopping by Joy
October has been a wonderful month for releases. I hate that I haven’t gotten to the movies recently. The Goldfinch (I’m 200 pages in) is so good so far!!
Thanks for the report Brooke! I’ll be watching your site for comments on GF! Could it be in contention for best novel of 2013, or no??
I LOVED Captain Phillips! And I too am listening to The Avett Brothers newest release. I have loved them for years and finally saw them at Merlefest last Spring. My brother said The Head and The Heart’s new release was good too, but I don’t have it yet.
Great Amy, we’re on the same wavelength! Captain Phillips was good (oh my!), and the Avett Bros are a bit new to me but I’m liking them a lot.
I took my son to see Gravity on Tuesday night and we both really enjoyed it. Talk about an edge-of-the-seat flick!
Yeah pretty hair-raising! Glad you enjoyed
I want to read The Goldfinch and see both Captain Philips and Gravity.Finally a few good movies coming out. I did not know about a new Romeo and Juliet. Will investigate that.
Thanks Barbara. Yeah both those are pretty good action packed films! I’d like to get to The Goldfinch too, though the length intimidates me a bit.
Goldfinch is on my list. Thanks for sharing…and enjoy your week. Here’s MY WEEKLY SUNDAY/MONDAY UPDATES
Thanks Laurel, I’ll stop by
I’m excited to read The Circle too, but I have to wait until it shows up at my library!