But for many working adults, the summer can often feel the same as the rest of the year. So, maybe our idea of a “summer read” should encompass a wider swath of books? Here are a few out this week.
fiction
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‘Endling’ is a shape-shifting debut that takes on heavy themes with humor
Maria Reva’s virtuosic novel starts out as a straightforward story about a Ukrainian biologist, but morphs into a comic take on war, the mail-order bride business and the plight of snails.
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New books out this week offer catastrophes that at least profess to be just fantasies
The new books publishing this week may get quite heavy, laden as they are with family tragedy, psychopathy and heartbreak — but at least they are fiction.
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5 dark tales hit shelves this week
Sometimes all it takes to make your day a little brighter is to remind yourself just how dark life can get. Here are four dark novels and a true crime tale.
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New books this week cover problematic parents, the ultrarich, and a year without sex
Publishing this week: new fiction from Susan Choi, essays from Evan Osnos and memoir from Molly Jong-Fast. Plus, Melissa Febos reflects on her year of abstinence.
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Brand new books: Stephen King’s latest, plus tales of a tired mom and a scary stalker
Holly Gibney is back in King’s thriller, Never Flinch. The Stalker follows a manipulative man. Happily ever after is evasive in Consider Yourself Kissed. Plus, new work from Tash Aw and Etgar Keret.
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‘Consider Yourself Kissed’ by this rich, relatable story of an overwhelmed mom
This novel stands apart from other tales of mothers stretched too thin. Jessica Stanley weaves family frustrations with British politics and global events because our life and our times are connected.
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‘The Stalker’ is one of the most appalling characters in recent American fiction
Paula Bomer’s dizzying book is a fascinating look at an absurdly stupid young man in the early 1990s who manages to sustain himself despite having no evidence of a soul.
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17 new books our critics can’t wait to read this summer
We asked some of our trusted critics which upcoming books they are most looking forward to. Here are the fiction and nonfiction titles they picked.
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‘Heart Lamp’ wins International Booker, with stories of India’s Muslim women and girls
The major writing prize awards the best fiction translated into English. Judges called Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection “something genuinely new for English readers.”
