
As Saunders puts it in his introduction, “How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?” (Adam Price) This delightful book of criticism and craft pairs short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, with seven essays on how short fiction works and why it remains a vital art form for asking the big questions about life. I have perpetually been a them rather than an us.” (Emily M.)Ī Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders: In his new collection, modern America’s foremost short story writer shares a master class on the Russian short story with the reader. But it has also meant that I have no resting place. Her debut memoir is both a personal account of family upheaval and loss-her mother was an inconstant, flickering presence her father died when Owusu was thirteen-and a meditation on race, identity, and the promise and pitfalls of growing up in multiple cultures an experience, she writes, that “deepened my ability to hold multiple truths at once, to practice and nurture empathy.
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Want to help The Millions keep churning out great books coverage? Then sign up to be a member today.Īftershocks by Nadia Owusu: Owusu’s childhood was marked by a series of departures, as her father, a United Nations official, moved the family from Europe to Africa and back. Let us know in the comments what we missed, and look out for the second-half Preview in July! As usual, we will continue with our monthly previews, beginning in February. No matter what you’re in the mood for, we think you’ll find a book or two to usher in the new year. And short stories, memoirs, and essay collections too. New books by two Millions staffers: Ed Simon and Nick Ripatrazone. New novels from literary powerhouses like Viet Thanh Nguyen, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Richard Flanagan.

Our list includes debut novels from Robert Jones, Jr., Gabriela Garcia, and Patricia Lockwood. We could say we’re sorry but we all need some joy right now. In fact, at 152 titles, this is the longest, most indulgent Millions preview ever. We’re still dealing with the pandemic, on-going civil unrest, and general malaise, but thankfully there are books. Folks, we made it to 2021-and, frankly, it looks a lot like last year.
