November Reading: Six new titles and a DeLillo surprise

More than four decades passed before the publisher of a niche hockey memoir agreed to reprint it. The book, titled Amazons, was originally published in the 1980s under the pseudonym Cleo Birdwell. Don DeLillo, the acclaimed American novelist, only publicly acknowledged authorship in 2020. He approved the republication earlier this year, though he did so with what the source describes as apparent reluctance. The new edition includes a preface consisting solely of a business card bearing his name and the sentence: "I don't want to talk about it."

DeLillo’s work is the oldest item on the November release list. The other five titles are new works from established authors. These books will hit shelves this month, offering readers a range of genres from literary fiction to historical nonfiction. The lineup includes novels from Louise Kennedy, Mary Beth Keane, Daisy Johnson, and Tahmima Anam, as well as a history book by Matt O'Hara.

Mary Beth Keane’s new novel, Whale Harbor, continues her focus on domestic narratives. In a 2019 review of her previous book, Ask Again, Yes, Fresh Air critic Maureen Corrigan compared Keane to Ann Patchett. Corrigan noted that both authors transform closely observed domestic tales into universal stories. Keane’s latest work follows an Irish father and his sons, weaving a narrative that spans years, seas, and continents.

Meanwhile, Louise Kennedy is releasing her second novel, Stations. The Northern Irish author previously worked as a chef for nearly three decades before turning to writing. In a 2022 interview with All Things Considered, Kennedy described the transition as "strangely liberating." Her new book, like her debut Trespasses, explores the fallout of a difficult young romance. This time, the couple struggles with family pasts rather than religious differences.

Matt O'Hara, a history professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is publishing The Flying Death. The book examines the history of curare, a poison known as "flying death" that was used in blowdarts by Amazonian tribes. The pursuit of the substance began in the 1930s and spanned continents. It incited rivalries and opened new avenues in pharmacology and moneymaking. O'Hara's narrative, rooted in archival study, reads like an adventure story while detailing the impact on the tribes involved.

Daisy Johnson, who became the youngest Booker Prize finalist ever at age 27 in 2018, is releasing Long Wave. Her debut, Everything Under, earned her that distinction. Johnson’s subsequent works have included a novel and a short story collection. Long Wave fits within her established style, featuring elusive images, spare prose, and a foreboding atmosphere. The story centers on women who carry family bonds like broken glass, described as aglitter with love and menace.

Tahmima Anam’s Uprising sets a bleak scene on a river island in Bangladesh. Women on the island are trapped in prostitution by a cruel madam, with men arriving nightly by boat. The region is also affected by rising waters due to climate change. The story is told largely from the perspective of the children fathered by the customers. The arrival of a new girl sets events in motion, offering a path that is not entirely hopeless.

The six titles are scheduled for release this November. Readers can expect the DeLillo memoir to be available alongside the five new works. The collection offers a mix of genres, from the ribald comedy of Amazons to the historical depth of The Flying Death.