The Best New Books of Fall 2022
Yes, it’s cliche, but autumn is the perfect time of year to fall in love with reading. Whether you’re into BookTok trends, dystopian novels, or just really need a new recipe for hosting holiday guests, Bookstore1Sarasota has got you covered. Here are the top new releases for autumn recommended by Andrea Ginsky, the store's web editor and public relations organizer.
Local Interest
My People: Five Decades of Writing about Black Lives, by Charlayne Hunter-Gault
Release date: Oct. 11, 2022
My People: Five Decades of Writing about Black Lives, by Charlayne Hunter-Gault.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an esteemed journalist and was one of the first Black students to attend the University of Georgia. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker and The New York Times. In her new book, she shares stories from fifty years of reporting on Black life in the United States. “She lives in Sarasota,” Ginsky says, “and is a great speaker with amazing accomplishments.” On Nov. 10, from 11 a.m.-noon Bookstore1Sarasota will host Hunter-Gault for a reading, talk, and signing of her book. Get tickets here.
A Book of Days, by Patti Smith
Release date Nov. 15, 2022
Cover of A Book of Days, by Patti Smith.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Patti Smith, famous for songs like “Because the Night,” has dedicated her career to creating art in various mediums. Now, she draws from her Instagram account for A Book of Days, in which photos richly portray a year in her life. Smith has a special place in Sarasota as the first artist-in-residence at Selby Gardens, and is scheduled to visit the gardens again in 2023 and 2024.
Fiction
Our Missing Hearts, by Celeste Ng
Release date: Oct. 4
Our Missing Hearts, by Celeste Ng.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
From the author of Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You comes Our Missing Hearts. “This novel weaves together classic dystopian themes like the destruction of books with a family story of a young boy looking for his mother,” says Ginsky. She adds that the book is expected to become a blockbuster.
Nights of Plague, by Orhan Pamuk
Release date: Oct. 4, 2022
Nights of Plague, by Orhan Pamuk.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
“Orhan Pamuk is one of our owner George Court's favorite authors,” says Ginsky. Pamuk is also a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His new book, Nights of Plague, is part detective story, part historical epic. The novel explores how a fictional island in the Ottoman Empire struggles through a plague in the year 1900.
The Passenger, by Cormac McCarthy
Release date: Oct. 25, 2022
The Passenger, by Cormac McCarthy.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
The Passenger—the first of a two-part volume—is McCarthy’s first new novel since The Road, which was published in 2006. The book is set in the American South of the 1980s and tells the story of salvage diver Bobby Western. Don’t miss the story’s second part, Stella Maris, out Dec. 6, 2022.
It Starts With Us, by Colleen Hoover
Release date: Oct. 18, 2022
It Starts With Us, by Colleen Hoover.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Colleen Hoover is a huge BookTok star. Her new book, It Starts With Us, the sequel to It Ends With Us, continues the tale of beloved characters Lily and Atlas. “We can’t keep her books on the shelf,” says Ginsky, “and every week a book or two is on our bestseller list.”
Mystery
The Boys from Biloxi, by John Grisham
Release date: Oct. 18, 2022
The Boys from Biloxi, by John Grisham.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
For mystery fans wanting a great standalone legal thriller, check out The Boys From Biloxi. The story focuses on “two sons of immigrant families on opposite sides of the law,” and is set against the Deep South backdrop of Biloxi, Mississippi.
Poetry
Musical Tables, by Billy Collins
Release date: Nov. 15, 2022
Musical Tables, by Billy Collins.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
“Billy Collins is a perpetual favorite of our store,” says Ginsky. The former United States Poet Laureate was a featured poet at the 2016 PoetryLife event. In Musical Tables, Collins enchants readers more than over 125 innovative short poems. P.S. Bookstore1Sarasota's PoetryLife event returns in March, 2023.
Nonfiction & Cooking
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, by Michelle Obama
Release date: Nov. 15, 2022
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, by Michelle Obama.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
In 2018, former first lady Michelle Obama released Becoming, which was an instant hit. This year, don’t miss her new book, The Light We Carry, which encourages readers to “better navigate change and remain steady within flux." Obama will also embark on a book tour; get tickets for the Atlanta stop at the Fox Theatre on Dec. 3 right here.
Go-To Dinners, by Ina Garten
Release date: Oct. 25, 2022
Go-To Dinners, by Ina Garten.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
As we inch closer to the holidays, we’re once again faced with the task of feeding our ravenous house guests. Check out Go-To Dinners, in which beloved food personality Garten shares her most best recipes for entertaining. According to Ginsky, Garten's recipes are “accessible and fun"—perfect for easy entertaining.
The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir, by Paul Newman
Release date: Oct. 18, 2022
The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir, by Paul Newman.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Can anyone resist the allure of old Hollywood? Judging by the attention surrounding The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man, we highly doubt it. This posthumous memoir from Paul Newman transports readers into Newman’s world, touching on subjects from his career to his long marriage to Joanne Woodward. According to the jacket, “anyone who spoke on the record [for the book] had to be completely honest." Sounds enticing.
Children’s Books
Night Lunch, by Eric Fan
Release date Sept. 27, 2022
Night Lunch, by Eric Fan.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
With its whimsical owl cover and magical premise, Night Lunch is perfect for little readers with big imaginations. This picture book tells the story of woodland creatures and their favorite late-night lunches. Just like the meals served up by Chef Owl, Night Lunch is a treat.
Diper Överlöde, by Jeff Kinney
Release date: Oct. 25, 2022
Diper Överlöde, by Jeff Kinney.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Jeff Kinney is back with the 17th book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kids series. Accompany Greg Heffley as he joins his brother’s band on tour and discovers that being a rock star is a gig with plenty of hilarious ups and downs.
Young Adult
Scattered Showers: Stories, by Rainbow Rowell
Release date: Nov. 8, 2022
Scattered Showers, by Rainbow Rowell.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Rainbow Rowell’s young adult romances have made her one of the genre’s most popular authors. “She wrote Eleanor & Park, which is one of my favorite YA books,” says Ginsky. Her newest book, Scattered Showers: Stories, is a collection of love stories, perfect for reading with a cup of warm tea and a cozy blanket.
The Luminaries, by Susan Dennard
Release date: Nov. 1, 2022
The Luminaries, by Susan Dennard.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
Susan Dennard, author of the Witchland Series, releases the contemporary YA fantasy novel The Luminaries this November. Ginsky expects the book to be a hot YA release and a wonderful escape to a paranormal fantasy world. If you’re not quite ready for spooky season to end, you can look forward to enjoying this book along with some leftover Halloween candy.
Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders: An Indispensable Guide to the Dangers and Delights of the Peculiar World for the Instruction of New Arrivals, by Ransom Riggs
Release date: Sept. 27, 2022
Miss Peregrine's Museum of Wonders: An Indispensable Guide to the Dangers and Delights of the Peculiar World for the Instruction of New Arrivals, by Ransom Riggs.
Image: Courtesy Bookstore1Sarasota
For fans of the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series comes this intriguing guide to the popular series. This addition to the series brings Miss Peregrine’s world to life. Young readers will be delighted to learn that the author, Ransom Riggs, is a 1997 graduate of Pine View School.
