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This week in Editor's Choice, we highlight recent National Book Award nominee Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner, a literary spy novel about a secret agent infiltrating a radical French commune that explores contemporary global anxieties.
We also bring you a "beyond the book" article showcasing the fraught and funny world of writer rejections to accompany Tony Tulathimutte's Rejection, also longlisted for the NBA, which features refusals, turn-downs, and rebuffs of all kinds. Browse more recommended story collections in our Short Stories category.
Next week is Banned Books Week! We have a handy list of ways you can fight book bans in your community, now and year-round.
Plus, enter our giveaway of Afabwaje Kurian's Before the Mango Ripens for a chance to win a copy of this highly praised debut novel set in 1970s Nigeria.
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With best wishes,
The BookBrowse Team
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Creation Lake
by Rachel Kushner
In Bernardo Bertolucci's movie The Dreamers (2003), three people are holed up inside a Parisian apartment during the student riots of 1968. A brick suddenly smashes through the window. "The outside has come to the inside," proclaims the female lead. As the glass shatters, so do their illusions that they can extricate themselves from crisis. Rachel Kushner's Creation Lake is that brick going through the glass, though it takes place in the present, amidst eco-anxiety, late-stage capitalism, and Covid-19.
The central plot of the novel is that the protagonist, code-named Sadie, is hired to infiltrate Le Moulin, a radical farming collective in a small, fictional French town. She has heard that the members are planning a big direct action and has been sent, by someone, to gather information. The author strategically gives readers breadcrumbs about the nature of the event and what Sadie's role will be, providing a steady undercurrent of suspense. ... continued
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This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 16 titles, including Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner, Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell, and Yr Dead by Sam Sax.
We also feature First Impressions reviews, author interviews, previews, and more.
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Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members—for just $3.75/month! Join Today!
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The final, titular story of Tony Tulathimutte's collection Rejection is styled as a letter from a publisher explaining to the author why they will not be publishing the book. This form is used as a means of exploring the stories within from the perspective of a potential critic, and is used to humorous effect as the author considers his own biases and motivations for writing what he did.
Virtually every author has dealt with rejection from a publisher. Famously, it takes a long time to find the right home for a book, and that path is frequently paved with "no"s. But rejection is often less about a piece of writing not being good enough and more about an individual publisher or editor's particular taste and needs.
In a 2019 article, LitHub presents a roundup of rejection letters to very famous authors, including a response to Ursula K. Le Guin's agent from an editor for The Left Hand of Darkness: "The book is so endlessly complicated..." ... continued
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Tony Tulathimutte's linked story collection Rejection, featured above, is one of nearly 200 books in our Short Stories category. On the hunt for more bite-sized fiction? Head over to find recommendations of titles you can enjoy on the go and between longer reads.
This is one of 100+ themed categories you can explore on BookBrowse to find the perfect read for your book club or yourself. Members can access all categories and filters to narrow their browsing, while non-members have limited access.
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As book bans continue to surge across the country, there is heightened national concern about censorship and the limitations imposed on young people’s education and enrichment. At the same time, organizations, individuals, and communities are invested in fighting bans, supporting authors, and taking action on behalf of targeted books and those who benefit from them. Booksellers and libraries, for example, can give visibility to the titles most frequently affected, many of which are written by and for LGBTQ+ people and BIPOC. But anyone can get involved in fighting book bans, and there’s never been a better time to do so.
In conjunction with Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2024), an annual event established in 1982 to draw attention to problems of censorship, we share a few ways you can support efforts to fight book bans in your community, and on a larger scale, too. ... continued
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Before the Mango Ripens
by Afabwaje Kurian
From the Jacket
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Nigeria teetering between post-colonial dependency and self-rule, Before the Mango Ripens examines the enduring themes of faith, disillusionment, and the search for belonging. Both epic and intimate, Afabwaje Kurian's debut announces a brilliant new talent for readers of Imbolo Mbue and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Praise
"Before the Mango Ripens is a historical novel that avoids predictable oppositions...It depicts an array of individual viewpoints, desires, and motivations, spotlighting the challenges of political self-determination and personal fulfillment with skill." —Foreword Reviews
"One of those rare novels that seems to capture the whole world between its covers." —Paul Harding, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Tinkers
"Afabwaje Kurian's lyrical prose, original characters and uncompromising storytelling will keep you hooked from start to finish." —Regina Porter, author of The Travelers
About This Sweepstakes
We have up to 30 hardcover copies of Before the Mango Ripens by Afabwaje Kurian to give away. If a winner is in a book club they will receive a copy for each member of their group (up to a maximum of 10 copies); if a winner is not in a book club they will receive 4 copies (one for themselves and three to share with friends).
This offer is open to residents of the USA, except for BookBrowse members who are welcome to enter wherever they live. If a member not resident in the US wins, they receive an extension to their membership.
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With so many new books published every month, it's difficult to find the standouts, the ones that are really worth your time. This is why hundreds of thousands of readers rely on BookBrowse to do the hard work of sifting through the multitude of titles to find the most promising new books, with a focus on books that entertain, engage, and enlighten. | |
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