2023's Most Exciting Book Releases
From Salman Rushdie's much anticipated Victory City to Emma Cline's Long Island thriller, these are the books to get excited about in 2023
Victory City by Salman Rushdie
Salman Rushdie’s much anticipated novel – due for release in February – tells the story of Pampa Kampana, a woman who creates a wondrous city through magical means. As a girl, Pampa witnesses her mother’s sacrifice on a bonfire after the menfolk of the village are killed in battle. She decides, early in life, that the world needs to change and that women need a greater place in it. Through a divine encounter with a goddess, she is granted superhuman longevity and the ability to found a city with only a sack of seeds. This miracle metropolis promises a new start. However, the next 250 years sees it fall victim to epic power battles and age-old human follies. This sweeping, intricately crafted fairy tale is underscored by very human characters and Rushdie’s signature wit .
Due for release: 9 February 2023
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The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks debuted his writing talents in 2017 with his well-received collection of short stories. In May 2023, the two-time Oscar winner will be releasing his first novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, a tale that spans 80 years and an exuberant cast of characters. In what promises to be a warm and human take on Tinsel Town, Hanks notices not only the stars, but also the production team, the ordinary Joes and the wider, changing world. Ailah Ahmed, publishing director at Hutchinson Heinemann reported that he has ‘written an epic about ordinary people in a rather extraordinary world, and one that is thoughtful, poignant and hugely entertaining.’
Due for release: 9 May 2023
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How to Think Like a Woman: Four Women Philosophers Who Taught Me How to Love the Life of the Mind by Regan Penaluna
In this blend of memoir, biography and criticism, Regan Penaluna reveals the fascinating stories of four remarkable women philosophers. The book includes the story of writer and campaigner Mary Wollstonecraft, who controversially argued that men were not superior to women. Penaluna also explores the works of philosophers Damaris Cudworth Masham, Mary Astell and Catharine Cockburn, all of whom maintained that women’s minds were equal to that of men. Penaluna’s interest in these women stems from her own frustrations. While studying at college, she fell out of love with philosophy because of the inherent sexism in the academic literature. In an effort to rekindle her interest in the subject, she went on the hunt for learned female perspectives on life, divinity and the mind, in what has been billed as a funny, intelligent and illuminating book.
Due for release: 16 March 2023
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The Guest by Emma Cline
In this psychological thriller, a young woman named Alex is swiftly banished from a party on Long Island after making a faux pas. The older man she is staying with delivers her to the train station and she is instructed to return to the city. But Alex doesn’t leave. Instead, she uses her talent for navigating the desires of others to remain on the island, wandering the gated communities of this opulent world, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. This tale of a woman living on the edge - in more ways than one - has been described as ‘sensual’ and ‘propulsive’ by the publishers. Written by New York Times best-selling author Emma Cline, this novel promises to be the perfect summer read.
Due for release: 18 May 2023
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Nothing Special by Nicole Flattery
Seventeen-year-old Mae lives in New York with her alcoholic mother. It’s 1966 and sexual liberation and artistic experimentation are taking the city by storm. Disenchanted with school, Mae drops out and finds herself at the very centre of the cultural revolution when she is offered a job transcribing tapes for Andy Warhol. Warhol is compiling material for a book from the conversations and stories of his fashionable circle. What starts as an exciting opportunity for Mae, develops into an unhealthy obsession, as she finds herself increasingly drawn to the lives of others. Written by Irish author Nicole Flattery, who has been described by the Times as ‘a fresh voice for millennials,’ this witty coming of age story grapples with voyeurism, identity and finding one's independence in a turbulent world.
Due for release: 2 March 2023
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If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery
Trelawney, the American-born son of Jamaican immigrants, finds himself stuck between worlds. He is his father’s least favourite, more ‘American’ son, but his heritage defies easy definition as he navigates the micro-aggressions and racist perceptions of those around him. Told in the second person (“What am !?” you’ve repeated to your mother by now. You’ve been asked enough times by strangers to begin seeking answers”), this anticipated novel follows the young protagonist and his family as they navigate an America that proves to be far from a promised land. Escoffery's acerbic wit promises both grit and humour.
Due for release: 2 February 2023
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The New Life by Tom Crewe
This debut novel from Tom Crewe tells the story of forbidden desires in 19th century London. John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book in defence of homosexuality. John has a lover, a working class man named Frank. Henry's wife is in a relationship with another woman; theirs is a marriage of minds, an intellectual partnership. But Victorian England is not a forgiving place for those living lives that run contrary to social expectations. As John and Henry prepare to publish their book, Oscar Wilde is arrested for homosexuality. The two men must decide between finishing their project and risking imprisonment and the safety of the people they love.
Due for release: 12 Jan 2023
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Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s debut novel (his collection of short stories was a New York Times bestseller) details the story of two women fighting as gladiators to win their freedom from a deeply corrupted, commercial prison system that allows inmates to compete for freedom in contests that are live-streamed to the public. The heroes of the piece are Thurwar and Staxxx, the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars. Thurwar is close to winning her freedom, but must grapple with leaving her lover and her friends behind in a deeply abusive system. As she prepares to depart and lay down the foundations of change, the powers in charge do all they can to obstruct her efforts with tragic consequences. This chillingly dystopian tale is a thinly veiled indictment on America’s capitalistic and deeply racist prison system.
Due for release: 23 July 2023
Bookshop information coming soon.