New Hernan Diaz Novel Coming This Fall

“So many of my long-lasting passions come together in this book: experimental music and literature, adventure narratives, philosophy, nineteenth-century coming-of-age novels, noir fiction,” he said. “’Ply’ is also the natural continuation of my exploration of the myths that modernity produces about itself. Is this truly the age of reason? If so, what lies beyond it?”

So nothing about the plot, but I don’t care–am in on Diaz for the forseeable future.

The Book Jackets Were Ready. Then Charlie Kirk Was Shot.

I had Murder Bimbo on a list of books to watch for this spring. The concept, a sex worker kills a conservative politician, was bold, satirical with an arresting title to match. So I have some sympathy for real-life events getting in the way of launching a book like this. But I do also wonder about making light of killing people, even in the name of satire. This is not to say people shouldn’t be allowed to write these kinds of books or that people shouldn’t read them. Rather, if you wade into the brackish, dangerous waters of political violence, you cannot be all that surprised if things get a little dirty.

The Women’s Prize Longlist for Non-Fiction Announced

I’ll say it: sixteen titles is too many for a long-list. I get there are more than 10 or so amazing books to feature, but sixteen is too many. Now that that is out of the way, I can stump for Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy, which is doubly terrific on audio (Not that I also read it in print. I am just inferring). The shortlist will be announced March 25th and the winner June 11th. A 30,000 pound cash prize to the winner makes this one of the, if not the, heftiest prizes for non-fiction out there.