15 New Books for November
This month, we’ve got our eyes on What Just Happened, The Perishing, The Donut Trap, and 12 other titles by writers from the West.
ARCHITECTURE UNBOUND, BY JOSEPH GIOVANNINI
Giovannini examines 20th-century architectural trends decade by decade, while analyzing the work of Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, and other leading architects, to argue that progressive European art movements of the World War I era led to the styles of today. Giovannini also considers the 21st-century digital revolution in architectural form-making as part of this expansive book. Rizzoli International Publications, November 30
BLOODY CROSSROADS 2020: ART, ENTERTAINMENT, AND RESISTANCE TO TRUMP, BY DANNY GOLDBERG
Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election was a relief to many Americans, and here, Goldberg sheds light on the power of the media and the role it played in such an outcome. The book features interviews with an array of celebrities, as well as research and analysis to demonstrate how entertainers and art itself helped empower America to vote our former president out of office. Akashic Books, November 2
CONFESSIONS OF A PUPPETMASTER: A HOLLYWOOD MEMOIR OF GHOULS, GUTS, AND GONZO FILMMAKING, BY CHARLES BAND AND ADAM FELBER
This autobiographical narrative traces Band’s journey from a movie-loving child to one of the oddest filmmakers in Hollywood. Hailed by many as the king of the B movie, he shares stories from his own life that are rivaled only by the cinematic universe he helped build, where cheap thrills are around every corner. William Morrow, November 16
THE DARK HOURS, BY MICHAEL CONNELLY
In Connelly’s latest novel, LAPD detective Renée Ballard is caught in two cases. The first, involving a fatal shooting on New Year’s Eve, puts her on the trail of another unsolved murder, previously worked by detective Harry Bosch. At the same time, she must investigate a pair of serial rapists and contend with a pandemic. Eventually, Ballard and Bosch must reunite to solve the spate of crimes. Little, Brown and Company, November 9
THE DONUT TRAP, BY JULIE TIEU
Grinding out long shifts in her parents’ doughnut shop isn’t exactly what Jasmine Tran, the protagonist of Tieu’s novel, had planned for life after college, although without a social life or clear direction, what choice does she have? Then, a former high school crush appears, leading Jasmine to dream again about a future away from the shop. But with the business in jeopardy and her parents against the relationship, will she be able to break free? Avon Books, November 2
FLYING BLIND: THE 737 MAX TRAGEDY AND THE FALL OF BOEING, BY PETER ROBISON
In 2018 and 2019, Boeing became enmeshed in controversy after two fatal crashes involving the company’s 737 Max jet. Bloomberg journalist Robison investigated Boeing’s fall from grace, revealing that the company prioritized competition and shareholders while taking shortcuts in production, affecting the quality of its planes. His book should prompt travelers to reconsider how they fly. Doubleday Books, November 30
GRAVE MATTERS: THE CONTROVERSY OVER EXCAVATING CALIFORNIA’S BURIED INDIGENOUS PAST, BY TONY PLATT
Indigenous burial grounds have been treated as playgrounds by anthropologists for centuries. In Grave Matters—originally published in 2011 and now reissued with a new preface—Platt examines this history and the relationship between research and respect, focusing on the Yurok Tribe, which once thrived in Northern California, and raising questions of repatriation, reconciliation, and reclamation. Heyday Books, November 12
ILL BEHAVIOR, BY M. STEVEN S.
S.’s novel revolves around a Los Angeles graffiti artist named SOBR, who has been accused of a murder he didn’t commit. He recruits a childhood friend who now works for the LAPD to help prove his innocence, but all the while, he struggles to maintain his grip as he wrestles with a premonition of his death. The book blends ancient mythology with social commentary and a dash of noir, taking place in a Los Angeles populated by not only human beings but also Greek and Roman gods. Clash Books, November 23
THE LEAST OF US: TRUE TALES OF AMERICA AND HOPE IN THE TIME OF FENTANYL AND METH, BY SAM QUINONES
Quinones, the author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic, returns with an investigation of synthetic drugs, traffickers, addiction, and corporate malfeasance in the fentanyl market. Fentanyl and meth, he argues, have exacerbated mental illness and homelessness in the United States, but with businesses incentivized to keep people addicted, the only solution may exist at the level of communities. Bloomsbury Publishing, November 2
THE PERISHING, BY NATASHIA DEÓN
When a young Black woman named Lou wakes up in a Los Angeles alley with no recollection of her past or how she ended up there, she has no choice but to move forward with her life. It’s the 1930s, and Lou becomes a successful journalist, but she remains plagued by dreams of different eras. Eventually, Lou learns that she is an immortal, destined to save her city. In this mesmerizing tale, Deón deals powerfully with themes of history, love, and fate. Counterpoint Press, November 9
A SPLENDID INTELLIGENCE: THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH HARDWICK, BY CATHY CURTIS
Curtis, a former Los Angeles Times staff writer, has written the first biography of Elizabeth Hardwick, the fiercely original intellectual who cofounded the New York Review of Books. From Hardwick’s literary allegiances to her tumultuous marriage to poet Robert Lowell, this book covers a broad range of personalities, events, and relationships that helped shape 20th-century American letters. W. W. Norton & Company, November 16
TERMINATION SHOCK, BY NEAL STEPHENSON
Stephenson’s apocalyptic novel imagines a world in which the greenhouse effect has led to mass climate disaster and disease. When a billionaire comes up with a plan to reverse the effects, those who have survived must consider the cost of human life and whether it is worth saving what is left. William Morrow, November 16
THESE PRECIOUS DAYS, BY ANN PATCHETT
At the center of Patchett’s book of essays is a meditation on an unlikely friendship between herself and Tom Hanks’s assistant Sooki, who became a colleague and confidant. Patchett’s other essays merge reflections on her existence as a writer with observations about her childhood and daily life. Harper, November 23
WHAT JUST HAPPENED, BY CHARLES FINCH
This collection of notes, observations, and insights was recorded daily by Finch over the course of the COVID-19 lockdown. Writing in a warm and funny voice, the author takes readers through his routine while sharing his vices, distractions, and joys and commenting on the changes taking place across the world. Knopf, November 9
WIN ME SOMETHING, BY KYLE LUCIA WU
In the aftermath of her parents’ divorce, Willa Chen feels unmoored. But when she takes a nannying job for a white family in New York, new and old emotions arise in regard to belonging and identity. Wu’s debut novel is a coming-of-age story about how a young woman becomes herself alongside complicated memories and family. Tin House Books, November 2
California Bestsellers List (April 18, 2024)
Found in Translation
California Bestsellers List (April 11, 2024)
A Different Drummer
