We may not be able to predict everything the near year will bring. But based on 2023’s new book releases, we have a feeling we’ll be reading all year long.Below, we’re highlighting just a few of the new books coming out in 2023 that you may want to check out.
An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals by Polly Toynbee
Polly Toynbee’s ancestors have always been passionate left-wing activists, fighting against injustice. However, they were not part of the working class like their predecessors, opting instead for comfortable lives in academia and journalism. This raises questions about the fate of their ideals of class equality. Toynbee delves into her own family history, which includes her father Philip, grandfather Arnold, and notable figures such as the Glenconners, Jessica Mitford, and Bertrand Russell. Set against the backdrop of Castle Howard, their ancestral home, Toynbee engagingly explores the notion of social mobility, the burden of privilege, and calls for an honest conversation about class in Britain.
August Blue By Deborah Levy
Deborah Levy, the acclaimed author of The Man Who Saw Everything and The Cost of Living, presents a new novel. Elsa M. Anderson, a former child prodigy and piano virtuoso in her thirties, abruptly leaves the stage in Vienna during a performance. Now in Athens, Elsa observes a strangely familiar woman acquiring a pair of mechanical dancing horses at a flea market. Desiring the horses herself, Elsa discovers they are no longer available for purchase. Escaping from her talent and past, she finds herself drawn to the ferry port. Thus commences her journey across Europe, trailed by a mysterious woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to her. Deborah Levy’s August Blue is a captivating exploration of sorrow and transformation, delving into our constant pursuit of reimagining our oldest narratives and reinventing ourselves.
Chrysalis By Anna Metcalfe
In this gripping debut, a woman rebels against societal constraints by exerting extreme control over her body and mind. She seeks to break free from the confines of the present, believing that a heavier and more controlled body will bring clarity to her thoughts and restore the power of her mind. What unfolds is a mesmerizing tale seen through the perspectives of three individuals who become entangled in her extraordinary metamorphosis. Elliot, an observer at the gym, becomes her devoted follower as she undergoes radical physical transformations. Bella, her mother, anxiously observes the profound impact her daughter’s new lifestyle has on others, reflecting on their once close bond that she has now shattered.
Susie, a former colleague and trusted friend, offers refuge and support as the woman transforms herself into an online sensation, encouraging followers to isolate themselves for self-sufficiency. Chrysalis, with its enigmatic allure, poses profound questions about identity and solitude. Can a woman assert control over her body without detaching from society? This audacious novel boldly presents its explosive answer.
The Cost of Living Crisis: (and how to get out of it) by Costas Lapavitsas , James Meadway ,Doug Nicholls
We are experiencing a cost of living crisis. Interest rates are increasing, and everyday items and energy bills are skyrocketing in price. Why is this happening? Sometimes people say that wages are too high or that the government has printed too much money. They may also blame events like the war in Ukraine. However, the truth is often distorted and hidden by the media and others who give mainstream commentary. This pamphlet speaks plainly and directly. It reveals that big businesses, which dominate production and distribution, make huge profits from high inflation, while working people suffer.
The evidence presented shows that record profits come from the decline in real wages as inflation rises. The pamphlet exposes how a significant portion of working people’s income goes directly into the pockets of big businesses. It also explains that the root cause of the cost of living crisis lies in low investment and poor productivity growth over many years. The solution to this crisis is straightforward: prices, especially essentials, must be reduced, and wages, salaries, benefits, and pensions must be increased.
Fans: A Journey Into the Psychology of Belonging By Michael Bond
Fans take readers on a journey across various fandoms, revealing profound truths about the human condition. It serves as a behavioral study and an entertaining narrative, highlighting the impact of collective experiences and the connections we forge with like-minded individuals. Interacting with people who share our passions taps into our innate desire for social connection. Although group tendencies can lead to conflicts such as religious intolerance, racism, and war, they also provide immense satisfaction. Fandoms offer a sense of belonging, shared culture, purpose, and improved mental well-being. They allow us to be taken seriously even in our wildest beliefs and provide the freedom to emulate and dress like our heroes. In Fans, Michael Bond explores these aspects through social identity theory, a framework used by social psychologists and anthropologists to comprehend group behavior and its profound influence on human culture.
Mater 2-10 By Hwang Sok-yong
In MATER 2-10, a family of rail workers spanning three generations and a laid-off factory worker come together in a daring sit-in at high altitude. The novel vividly portrays the lives of ordinary working Koreans, from the Japanese colonial era to the present day. It powerfully captures the nation’s yearning for a rail line reconnecting North and South, while also exploring the magical-realism of modern industrial workers. Hwang’s thirty-year masterpiece culminates in this work, showcasing his unmatched ability to depict the grief of a divided nation and breathe life into the cultural identity and struggles of the Korean people. He once again proves himself as the true voice of a generation.
Pathogenesis: How germs made history by Jonathan Kennedy
Dr. Jonathan Kennedy challenges the accepted narrative of progress, arguing that germs have shaped humanity throughout history. An Indonesian volcano triggered the Black Death, leading Europe towards capitalism. A small group of men extracted an enormous ransom from a massive army. The Industrial Revolution paved the way for the modern welfare state. The latest science shows that infectious diseases are not merely external events, but integral to our existence. A virus embedded itself in our DNA, preventing us from laying eggs, while bacteria outnumber our own cells. We have misunderstood the concept of survival of the fittest, as evolution encompasses our ability to thrive amidst microbial dominance. Kennedy explores our intimate relationship with infectious diseases, revealing how they have sparked major revolutions in the past 50,000 years. Pathogenesis challenges our understanding of the human story, highlighting how pandemics can create opportunities for change.
Avidly Reads Screen Time By Phillip Maciak
In the 1990s, “screen time” emerged as a term to scare parents about excessive TV watching for kids. It was seen as something to worry, control, and judge. Now, screen time has become a measure of good parenting and affects our adult lives too. There’s even an app for it! In the age of streaming and the COVID-19 pandemic, our entire day revolves around screens. Whether it was ever the true culprit or just a convenient scapegoat for unresolved family, social, and institutional issues, screen time is now constant.
Avidly Reads Screen Time is a funny and insightful cultural critique and historical analysis. That explores how we define screens and how they define us. It covers everything from Mad Men to iCarly, Vine to FaceTime, binge-watching to doom-scrolling. Phillip Maciak takes us on a journey that is sometimes heartwarming and sometimes distressing. Showcasing the media that brings us together and tears us apart.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
The Bee Sting is a tragicomic triumph, the saddest, truest, funniest novel you’ll read this year, as hailed by The Guardian. The Observer describes it as a thing of beauty that fills your heart. This irresistible, funny, wise, and thought-provoking tour de force delves into the Barnes family’s struggles. With their failing car business, the father’s obsession with building an apocalypse-proof bunker, the mother’s desperate online jewelry sales, the daughter’s destructive binge-drinking, and the son’s plan to run away from home. The story explores the consequences of a moment of bad luck and questions whether there’s still time for a happy ending in a world falling apart.
The Choice By Michael Arditti
In the early 1980s, Clarissa Phipps, a woman, cannot become a priest. Instead, she joins the BBC’s religious affairs department and interviews artist Seward Wemlock about his church paintings. Now, as the rector of the same church, Clarissa discovers Brian, her friend’s husband, engaging in inappropriate behavior with fifteen-year-old David. Despite David’s claim of love, Clarissa must make a choice between friendship and her duty to protect.
This decision leads her to reflect on Wemlock’s controversial panels and her concerns about his relationships with teenage models. If she had acted on the rumors back then, many lives, including her own, might have been different. “The Choice” explores desire, sin, and redemption, questioning the separation of art from the artist. It delves into religious and secular fault lines, from the AIDS crisis and women’s ordination struggles to today’s culture wars. With humor and compassion, “The Choice” masterfully combines the sacred and the profane.
