- Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead, published today. I've read all three of his previous novels. Liked the last one, Apex Hides the Hurt. Really liked the previous one, John Henry Days. And was absolutely blown away by his first, The Intuitionist. He sure doesn't need me to praise him, as he gets lots of props all over the place and is one of the most highly regarded young authors, but I'll make the record anyway by saying that I think Mr. Whitehead is extravagantly talented, one of those writers whose work I automatically put on my to-read list.
- The Little Stranger by the wondrous Sara Waters, which has an end of May publication date. I loved her first novel, Tipping the Velvet. I crazy adored her second, Affinity. Her third, Fingersmith, sent me swooning to my sickbed, feverish and unable to function until I finished reading it, that's how much it took me over. I'm sorry to say that I didn't connect as much with her fourth, The Night Watch, but would willingly concede that the fault was somehow mine as a reader. This new one looks to be some sort of ghost story, which I'd think is right up her alley, an alley into which I'll gladly step. I'd follow Sara Waters anywhere. Swoon.
It's the third I'm watching for from Ruth Ozeki. Her debut novel My Year of Meats is one of my all-time faves. I liked her second, All Over Creation. Both books had to do with the food industry, agribusiness, and how capitalism is poisoning everything we ingest (that's my interpretation, anyway)--a topic that's more timely than ever, so I hope she's got another novel exploring these issues heading our way.
