What to read in November: 13 new books for every taste

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

"Patrick Melrose" in Russian, a new novel by Paulo Coelho, a story from Stephen King's son and other novelties.

Fiction

Patrick Melrose by Edward St. Aubin

After the resounding success of the mini-series of the same name with Benedict Cumberbatch, the release of books about Patrick Melrose in Russian was not long in coming. The plot tells about the heir to a wealthy family. He tries to overcome addictions and cope with childhood traumas of which his parents are to blame.

Many prominent writers of our time admitted their love for the work of Saint-Aubin. It's all about combining dramatic content with the author's incredible wit. Therefore, everyone who appreciated the tough and vivid plot of the film adaptation will definitely like the book.

"Hippy" by Paulo Coelho

The famous Brazilian writer continues to publish one book after another. According to the author himself, all the events of the novel "Hippie" are based on his personal memories of the seventies. His characters travel from Amsterdam to Nepal, discovering all aspects of life.

Coelho's work is a subject of constant controversy among literature lovers. Many consider him a graphomaniac, writing solely for the sake of earning money, but millions of fans continue to buy each new novel of his and rejoice in the simple truths he talks about. In Hippie, the author moves further and further from fiction towards simple nostalgia for youth.

Children of Jacaranda, Sugar Deligiani

An outspoken and very personal book tells the story of several families who suffered from the repression in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. This is a true story about family ties, love and overcoming difficulties, inscribed in the enchanting atmosphere of the East.

Children of the Jacaranda is almost autobiographical. Sahar Delidjani's parents opposed the government and ended up in jail. And the future writer herself was born when they were in prison. This is probably why the novel came out so bright and emotional. The snake book was published in 75 countries in 28 languages, and it can be considered a real sensation, comparable only to the legendary comic strip by Marjan Satrapi "Persepolis".

Strange Weather by Joe Hill

The new collection from Stephen King's eldest son consists of four stories, in which he tries to cover several relevant topics at once. Here is the story of a camera that steals souls in the likeness of the "Sun Dog" King Sr., and an ambiguous work about the circulation of weapons, and communication with an alien mind.

Joe Hill has long established himself as a distinctive and interesting author. But in the new collection he seems to be trying to return to the very beginning of his work. In general, it turns out very interesting. But in the last story, for some reason, he turns to politics, mixing literally everything: a Russian stripper, an American president, a nuclear strike in the Caucasus and other stereotypical themes. For a Russian reader, this part will not be the most interesting.

Trapped in the Snow by Bram Stoker

Stoker became famous all over the world thanks to his novel "Dracula", in which he mixed folklore, horror, esotericism and much more. However, the author wrote many other works: from novels and short stories to articles on theater and literature. The first part of the collection "In Snow Captivity" includes grotesque and funny stories told by members of a theater troupe stuck in a snowstorm during a tour.

The second part of the book will be of most interest to Russian fans of the classic. Here are collected stories that were published in various British and American periodicals and have not been officially translated into Russian before. So fans have the opportunity to find something new for themselves in Stoker's work, even 100 years after the death of the author.

You Will Die If You Don't, Peter James

The famous businessman Kipp Barun tries to somehow disperse the gloomy thoughts associated with constant failures, and goes with his son to football. But at the stadium, the boy disappears without a trace, and later Kipp receives a frightening message from the kidnappers. The businessman still violates the demands of the terrorists and goes to the police. And then the famous detective Roy Grace gets down to business.

The Grace series has been Peter James' main business for over a decade. "You Will Die If You Don't Do It" is the fourteenth book about this hero, and his popularity among readers is only growing. The adventures of a detective, not at all like a superhero and James Bond, attract with their liveliness and lightness, and this even makes you forget about a rather simple detective component. For all fans of James's work, the new book will be a real gift.

"Thicket", Naomi Novik

A small village in Polnya is located not far from the Thicket - a living magic forest that regularly kidnaps people. Two friends Agnieszka and Kasia have been friends since childhood, but soon they will have to part. After all, every 10 years a powerful wizard comes to the village, who protects the inhabitants from the Thicket, but takes the most beautiful girl for himself. And everyone is sure that this time he will demand Kasia. But he makes a completely unexpected choice for everyone, which will change the life of the village.

The author of the book, Naomi Novik, has already established herself as an excellent writer and has received many prestigious awards. The Thicket became a New York Times bestseller and Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year. But this work also has disadvantages. Most often, an adult and gloomy fairy tale is scolded for an uneven narration: the action develops rapidly from the very beginning, but then the pace decreases more and more.

"Wake Up in Never," Marisha Pessl

After the death of her lover, a graduate of a prestigious private school is trying to figure out the cause of his death. A year has passed, and everyone is talking exclusively about suicide, but the heroine refuses to believe it. Wanting to get to the bottom of the truth, she goes to the birthday of her ex-girlfriend, where her classmates gather. But the communication of old friends is interrupted by a mysterious old man who reports that they are all stuck in a kink in time a moment before their death. And now they will have to choose the one who can return to life.

Marisha Pessl was recognized by everyone thanks to the book "Night Cinema". Then the fans began to read, and the publishers also began to translate her debut novel "Some Questions of Catastrophe Theory." And now a new creation by one of the most popular contemporary authors has been published. Pessle continues to play with the reader in the same way, confusing him with all sorts of references and mixing of genres. So everyone who loves Night Games will surely like the new book. Although picky bibliophiles may notice that the quality of the author's writing has remained the same and still resembles a test of the pen, and not the work of an internationally recognized writer.

"Tiny", Alexander Solzhenitsyn

The collection of Solzhenitsyn's miniature works is for the first time published as a separate edition, and besides, it is supplemented by one lost "Little Tiny". This book is an opportunity to look a little differently at the work of such a complex author. In short works, which were even called prose poetry, he observes people and animals, reflects on beauty and creativity.

A separate merit of the new edition is the photographs that Solzhenitsyn himself took during his travels, and the facsimile signatures to them.

"Omon Ra", Victor Pelevin, Askold Akishin, Kirill Kutuzov

The famous novel by Viktor Pelevin was released in 1992. This is a story about Soviet teenagers who had to give their lives for their homeland in order to help the Land of the Soviets conquer space and land on the moon. But the country was cruel to its sons, and their feat was to remain unknown.

In 2018, the legendary book was transformed into a more modern work, adapted for a graphic novel. In the new version, the recognizable syllable of the author may have been lost a little, but there is an opportunity not only to imagine, but also to see the growing up of the main character and his collision with a frightening reality. A separate plus is that the drawings are made in the Soviet style and it feels like they really came from the distant past.

Non-fiction

Cybersport, Roland Lee

This book tells about the structure of sports, which many in our country have not yet heard about. At the same time, tournament broadcasts attract almost more viewers than football championships, and prize funds already amount to tens of millions of dollars.

Roland Lee's book is a great way for those interested to understand the world of new gaming technologies. And for those who are not at all familiar with eSports, it will give an opportunity to make sure that this is not just children's games, but a very serious occupation. Even before the book was published, a scandal erupted over the fact that the Russian edition wanted to put the PeKa-face meme on the cover. However, after numerous indignations, the publishing house went to meet the readers, and the book comes out with the original cover.

Terry Pratchett. The Spirit of Fantasy, Craig Cabell

The life story of one of the greatest storytellers of our time, Terry Pratchett. His numerous novels have been translated into 37 languages, and their total circulation is over 100 million copies. This book will help you better get acquainted with his life and the beginning of his work, when no one had ever imagined that Discworld would gain fans all over the world, and will also tell about the further popularity and tragic fate of the writer. And for Pratchett's biggest fans, it has a special cat app.

Brave by Rose McGowan

Once a popular actress, and now a figurant of many scandals, in particular, the sensational revelation of influential producer Harvey Weinstein, Rose McGowan has released her autobiographical book "Brave". She tells in detail about her fate, starting from childhood in a colony of religious fanatics. All the harshest and even frightening details of the biography of this controversial woman are presented by her without embellishment, with all their ambiguity.

The book is in many ways more like not a biography, but a manifesto of strong women. But the whole life of the actress emphasizes that she, like no one else, has the right to these statements.