21 Books Publishing (and Publishing-Adjacent) People Are Talking About at Parties
As the year comes to a close and best-of lists start making their appearances (see avery good example hereandanother very good one here), I got to thinking about the reasons that I read books myself. Sure, I’m looking to be moved or delighted, but to be honest, in the season of holiday get-togethers and work “parties,” I’m also looking for things to talk about.
So I decided to poll a few publishing and publishing-adjacent friends —editors, writers, publicists, avid readers — about the books that are “in the air.” Note: This is a totally unscientific, highly biased, very specific person’s list of books to know, but if you’ve ever been asked, “What are you reading?” and felt the chill of flop sweat, the little survey helped me (and if you have something to add or quibble with, please! Dialogue’s the idea.)
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Raising Trump by Ivana Trump
Definitely a conversation starter, in a “Yes, I actually read that and here’s what” sort of way. As one writer friend says, “It sheds light in the weirdest ways on how zinging between poverty and wealth creates a bizarre relationship with materialism and showing off.”
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Did you read that thing inTheNew Yorker?Not that one, but the other thingabout millennials? Yeah, it was a review of this book, which several millennials are now chattering about oversparkling pamplemousse.
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American War by Omar El Akkad
It’s theConfederateeffect— you must have some kind of opinion on at least one of the three Civil War alternative-history novels. (Okay,The Underground Railroad’s Pulitzer and National Book Award might be worth noting, too.)
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The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
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Underground Airlines by Ben Winters
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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Technically YA, but so wasHarry Potter. Thomas’s novel confronting police brutality was already a big deal when it got long-listed for the National Book Award. Then itgot banned, so of course, talked about.
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The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Love it or hate it (I hated it!), you have to thinksomething.
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Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel by George Saunders
A new George Saunders will always be an event — his first novel (and Man Booker Prize winner at that) is especially relevant.
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Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong
This isn’t just shameless promotion —Strategist contributor Rachel Khonghas been getting lots of buzz for her book about a woman who returns home to care for her father with Alzheimer’s, and it’s been popping up in conversations since its debut.
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Stephen King called it an heir toGone Girl, which is enough to send two rabid fan bases scrambling.
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I’ve been one-upping everyone who’s seen and swooned over and then readCall Me by Your Nameby saying, “Oh, but what about the new one?”
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Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
In the Venn diagram of books that are on best-of lists and books that are talked about, this smacks right in the center. Also, this is superficial, but that cover issiiiiick.
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Sticky Fingers: The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine by Joe Hagan
If you’re in the type of circles that talk about books, you’ll probably be talking about this media-centric title.
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Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Egan’s 2010 bookA Visit From the Goon Squadwon the Pulitzer Prize, meaning her new (well-reviewed) novel has been bopping around book-club emails for months.
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The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud
Perhaps because shehad a book come out this year, perhaps becausewe’re biased fans, but it does feel like I’ve been seeing lots of copies of this on the train lately.
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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Another one from a Strat contributor,Little Fireshas been creeping up in conversations since its September publication.
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The Girls by Emma Cline
Emma Cline is back in thenews for being accused of plagiarism by her ex-boyfriend. The details are gossipy and slightly absurd — perfect party fodder.
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Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
Is it a thoughtful dissection of a forgotten class or apologia for racists? Okay, maybe it’s not that simple, but this book’s become something of a lightning rod among coastal types.
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Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur
The NBC News correspondent wrote atell-all about her time practically embedded in the Trump campaign. In a word, it’s, well …
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We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
Adults of a certain age have had a soft spot for Union since herBring It Ondays (and plenty have been enjoying her lately onBeing Mary Jane) — that she’s becomea feminist iconfor women of color is a brilliant second act.
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