New Releases This Fall

Book Buzz is a blog produced in collaboration with neighborhood librarians from Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library and the Bellaire Library.

Fall is my favorite time of year and growing up in Houston I looked forward to the oranges, reds and yellows of the leaves and the crisper air that accompanies the long-awaited cold fronts that bring relief from the oppressive summer heat. Despite my seasonal allergies that accompany the fronts, I adore fall. The colors, the cooler air and the baking of pies and cookies are all a part of my favorite time of the year.

As a librarian I look forward to fall for a different reason. October and November are packed with new releases from the most popular fiction authors and nonfiction topics. This time of year is important to publishers because they are getting ready for the holiday gift-giving season and want these popular authors to help boost end of year sales. Book sellers begin to develop in-house displays of titles to consider for gifts during these months with ad campaigns designed to keep the titles in front of the reader/buyer, building excitement over a new book written by a favorite author.

Finally, fall is awards season for publishers. To be eligible for the 2017 National Book Award, a book has to have come out between Dec. 1, 2016-Nov. 30, 2017. The National Book Awards are a set of United States literary awards presented annually and a selected title will enhance a publisher’s image as well as the author’s reputation.

Some of the authors with titles slated for publishing this fall include power-writers John Grisham, David Baldacci and Dan Brown of Da Vinci Code fame. Also watch for a new Clive Cussler title as well new titles from John Sandford, Louise Erdrich and Tami Hoag.

Among the favorite fiction writers, there are three non-fiction titles that I am looking forward to this fall:

Code Girls: the untold story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundt. More than 10,000 women served as codebreakers during World War II and this title will help tell their story.

Grant by Ron Chernow. Chernow is the author of Hamilton so the biography about Ulysses S. Grant is also bound to be masterful.

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. As the biographer of Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, I look forward to learning more about a fascinating historical figure.

Get ready, the fall lineup of new titles is almost here!