With the dark and cold of winter soon to pass, spring’s warmer, brighter and longer days will greet us, and provide the perfect setting and opportunity to start a new book, one of the exciting multitude being published this spring. In the literary world, a lot of books, especially about similar subject matter/themes, get published at the same time. So to help provide some direction, here’s a curated list of some of the most exciting upcoming books.
One of the most promising and popular artists of the new millennium, Zadie Smith is best known for her novels, “White Teeth,” and 2016’s “Swing Time.” “Feel Free” is a collection of essays written by Smith between 2008 and 2017. It covers a wide selection of topics, ranging from high culture critique to praise of Jay Z, lamentation of social media and idyl thoughts of Brexit. While technically published already (Feb. 6), “Feel Free” promises to be one of the best books of the spring.
2. Luis Alberto Urrea: “The House of Broken Angels”
Sometimes books act as escapes from the constant presence of negative news and tragedy we are surrounded by, and sometimes, they act as poignant bearers of the tragedy in the world we must face. Urrea’s novel, “The House of Broken Angels” is one of these important books. It tells the complex, intertwined tale of an immigrant, Mexican-American family that explores not only the idiosyncrasies of family life, but of that of the experience of being a Latinx immigrant in America. The poignancy of Urrea’s timing is best seen in the publication date of March 6, a day after DACA expires under the orders of the Trump administration.
3. Leslie Johnson “The Recovering: Intoxication and its Aftermath”
Part confessional memoir, part historical critique, Johnson’s “The Recovering” is a delicate, fascinating portrayal of her own battle with addiction and a historical investigation into alcoholism and addiction within significant figures of the art and literary scene, and the way alcoholism and addiction plays into the culture of the United States. It promises to be an intimate, no-holds-barred look at addiction and a takedown of the boozy, tortured artist myth. Out on April 3.
4. Lawrence Wright: “God Save Texas”
Pulitzer-Prize winner Wright takes readers on a thorough, nuanced journey into the soul of America’s most polarizing, arguably idiosyncratic state, Texas. Wright, a Lone-Star State native, dives head first into the culture, politics, history and current condition of the contentious state. As well, he scrutinizes the rough stereotypes that have plagued, or maybe propped up, the complex state. It’s a look at a part of America, but as well an intensive look at what America has been and what it might become. Out on April 17.
