Around the World discussion

Tell us about a new release you're keen to read. Where is it set? Why are you looking forward to it?

One I'm looking forward to, set in Trinidad, is Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud (out in March/April, I believe).

I'm always interested in tales of unusual family arrangements, which this one is, but I'm also swayed by the effusive review I saw on TripFiction - "..Oh my goodness. What a read! Probably the best book I've read in years. No wonder there was such a bidding war over it. Sheer delight from start to finish. Every ingredient you need in a good novel with knobs on..."

And I love the cover :-)

Thanks for setting the 2020 threads up Andrea - much appreciated! Love this thread idea!

Here’s one - Monsoon - English translation scheduled for publication Feb. 2020.

Just saw The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz is scheduled for publication in February.

The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel, although it won't count towards Around the World. Do I need to say anything more about this one than that it is Thomas Cromwell part III?

Another historical fiction based on fact out in the UK in early 2020 is Out of Darkness, Shining Light by Petina Gappah. The extraordinary story of the men and women who carried David Livingstone’s corpse 1,500 miles across Africa so that he could be returned to the UK. David Livingstone died from dysentery and malaria on 1st May 1873, at the age of 60, in Chief Chitambo's Village in North Rhodesia (now Zambia). His heart is buried in Africa, under a Mvula tree (now the site of the Livingstone Memorial), but his remains are buried at Westminster Abbey.

This one looks interesting too: Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica.
From the Guardian's literary calendar,
'Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, trans Sarah Moses (Pushkin)
When animals become infected with a global virus, people turn to “special meat” in this provocative Argentinian prizewinner about a world in which cannibalism is normalised.'

I am reading Children of The Cave by Finnish author Virve Sammalkorpi. It was originally published in 2016 in Finnish and 2019 in English translation, but is new to me.

Val wrote: "The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel, although it won't count towards Around the World. Do I need to say anything more about this one than that it is Thomas Cromwe..."

And can I just say if the Mantel book is delayed again, it will surely push me over the edge 🤪

I'm looking forward to The Mirror & the Light, also. I'm planning to reread Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies before the March 10 US release date.

Others:
Lean Against This Late Hour by Garous Abdolmalekian - poetry from Iran- April 2020

The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante Setting is Naples, Italy- June release in US

Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton - March in US - Setting is Philadelphia from end of slavery to 1910. Women's Prize nominee 2019

There will be more...

I’m in the other camp about Bring Up the Bodies - I didn’t care for it although many love it, including you two. Karen - I like the Iranian poetry cover!

Another one coming up in Feb/March is The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan, #3 in the Cormac Reilly series (police investigation/procedural). This series is set in Galway, Ireland, and has been fabulous so far (2 full-length novels plus 2-3 short stories and novellas). Although the author is based in Australia now, she has lived most of her life in Ireland and it shows in her ability to transport the reader there.

A debut I’m looking forward to in the next few weeks is Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara (India), about a group of children investigating the disappearance of one of their classmates. The author is a journalist, and she has written this novel to shine a light on the high daily rates of children going missing in India.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (South Korea) looks really interesting. It's the story of a young woman - everywoman - from birth to the present day, raising questions about the endemic misogyny and institutional oppression present not just in Korea, but everywhere. Out in April.

The Thirty Names of Night (May) and Serenade for Nadia: A Novel (March).

How did I miss this thread??

i"m looking forward to reading:

Braised Pork by An Yu (April 14 release). It takes place in China. I'm a big fan of Grove Press fiction, generally. From a friend's review, "An Yu grew up in Beijing and received her M.F.A. from New York University. Although she is now based in China, she writes in English. Braised Pork is her debut novel written during her time spent in New York. From my research on the internet Ms Yu received an advance of six figures for two books so there is lot of expectancy for this novel..."

Cat in the Agraharam and Other Stories, a short story collection by Indian author, Dilip Kumar. Release date March 15. From the blurb: Known by Tamil readers for his description and detail, Dilip Kumar also writes with humor and a deep compassion for his characters, highlighting their strengths in the face of degradation and strife. His perspective and insight build on his own status as a northerner in this southern setting for whom Tamil is a second language—much like his characters.

Carol wrote: "How did I miss this thread??

i"m looking forward to reading:

Braised Pork by An Yu (April 14 release). It takes place in China. I'm a big fan of Grove Press fic..."

Glad you’re in the know now, Carol :-)

Looking forward to spending time in Three Pines with Louise Penny’s All the Devils Are Here- at least I’m assuming my fav characters will be back at the idyllic village.

Elizabeth Acevedo has a new one scheduled for release in May - Clap When You Land.

Currently scheduled for release in August, The Heatwave (France) by Kate Riordan sounds like just the type of suspense/thriller I need to distract myself right now.

She Seduced Me: A Love Affair with Rome

Even though my book on Rome hasn't come out yet (November) , a review already appeared on Goodreads from a blogger who got a preview copy. Among other things, she writes: "...Very magical, mystical, captivating, tears in my eyes when I knew I was at the end..."