In my previous post I gave myself a stern warning to not have preconceived notions about new books from authors that I like and think I know. Their new book might be in a different style, be on a completely new subject, or fit into a different genre, which may or may not appeal to me. (After all, writers have no obligation to keep writing to the same recipe, regardless of how successful or well-loved their previous books have been.)
Bearing that in mind, below is a list of books that I have on my to-read list for the rest of the year and for early 2023. You can see from my comments that I have expectations of every one. It’s unavoidable – every reader has preconceived ideas and presuppositions (positive and negative) when they take up a new book. It makes it tricky for the author, but c’est la vie:
Brent Butt’s debut novel, HUGE. Due in 2022 some time; he’s found a publisher and the first draft is done – the working title is HUGE. My question is, can this successful Canadian humorist and comedian produce good fiction writing?
Tan Twan Eng‘s The House of Doors (March 2023) – his first since The Garden of Evening Mists (2012). It’s been a long time coming and I had been sort of convinced that Tan is a One Hit Wonder. Will he be able to match the success of his first novel?
L.E. Modesitt Jr.‘s Councilor (August 2022) – The sequel to Isolate. Definitely something enjoyable.
Sjón’s Red Milk – Finally available in English, translated from Icelandic, published Jan. 2022. Sounds highly politicized.
Julian Barnes‘ Elizabeth Finch (April 2022) – A story of platonic love. It may be dour. But I’d rather tackle this than The Man in the Red Coat (2019), his non-fiction work about medicine and gynaecology.
Brian Bilston‘s new poetry: Days Like These: An Alternative Guide to the Year in 366 Poems (October 2022). I am a fan. I will discipline myself and apply my mind to experiencing and understanding each poem.
David Sedaris‘ new collection of essays, Happy Go Lucky (May 2022). You know David Sedaris. It will be profound, weird, funny and sarcastic.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fictional diaries of the cantankerous Dutch pensioner, “Hendrik Groen“, by Pieter de Smet (pseudonym: “Hendrik Groen). Just cause it tickles my peculiar sense of humour, I’ll be ordering his two most recent novels, also in Dutch: Opgewekt naar de eindstreep: Het laatste geheime dagboek van Hendrik Groen, 90 jaar (2020), and Rust en Vreugd (2021) . The titles, roughly translated, are: “Cheerfully to the finish line – The last secret diary of Hendrik Groen, 90 years” and “Home and happiness”.
SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES 
In my previous post I gave myself a stern warning to not have preconceived notions about new books from authors that I like and think I know. Their new book might be in a different style, be on a completely new subject, or fit into a different genre, which may or may not appeal to me. (After all, writers have no obligation to keep writing to the same recipe, regardless of how successful or well-loved their previous books have been.)
Bearing that in mind, below is a list of books that I have on my to-read list for the rest of the year and for early 2023. You can see from my comments that I have expectations of every one. It’s unavoidable – every reader has preconceived ideas and presuppositions (positive and negative) when they take up a new book. It makes it tricky for the author, but c’est la vie:
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