So … if you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I went nuts back in January, posting post after post about all the exciting new books coming out this year. I mentioned quite a few novels – but I must admit that I haven’t read any of these. I have bought a few of them though and plan on buying more.
That being said, there are of course more books I’m excited about. One of these is a new novel by Mark Helprin. I’m reading his novel Winter’s Tale at the moment and I love it. If the new is somewhat along the lines of Winter’s Tale, I’m going to love it. And it does sound like it so I’m hoping. Here’s the blurb:
Mark Helprin’s enchanting and sweeping new novel asks a simple question: can love and honor conquer all? New York in 1947 glows with post-war energy. Harry Copeland, an elite paratrooper who fought behind enemy lines in Europe, returns home to run the family business. In a single, magical encounter on the Staten Island ferry, the young singer and heiress Catherine Thomas Hale falls for him in an instant, too late to prevent her engagement to a much older man. Harry and Catherine pursue one another in a romance played out in postwar America’s Broadway theaters, Long Island mansions, the offices of financiers, and the haunts of gangsters. Catherine’s choice of Harry over her long-time fiancé endangers Harry’s livelihood and eventually threatens his life.Entrancing in its lyricism, In Sunlight and in Shadow so powerfully draws you into New York at the dawn of the modern age that, as in a vivid dream, you will not want to leave.
Another book I’m really excited about is John Irving’s new novel, In One Year. I’ve just bought it yesterday and since I love Irving and this is supposed to be Irving revisiting some of the themes from A Prayer for Owen Meany and The World According to Garp. Since Garp is my favorite novel and both are amazing novels, I’m really excited about this book. Blurb time:
In One Person is a novel that makes you proud to be human. It is a book that not only accepts but also loves our differences. From the beginning of his career, Irving has always cherished our peculiarities-in a fierce, not a saccharine, way. Now he has extended his sympathies-and ours-still further into areas that even the misfits eschew. Anthropologists say that the interstitial-whatever lies between two familiar opposites-is usually declared either taboo or sacred. John Irving in this magnificent novel-his best and most passionate since The World According to Garp-has sacralized what lies between polarizing genders and orientations. And have I mentioned it is also a gripping page-turner and a beautifully constructed work of art?
Finally, the third book I want to mention, is Ben Marcus’ The Flame Alphabet. I’ve written about this before and I have bought it – or rather, I have had my friend buy it for me, I just haven’t gotten it in my hands yet. It sounds totally amazing and I can’t wait to read it!
A startling epidemic has struck the country and the sound of children’s speech has become lethal. Radio transmissions from strange sources indicate that people are going into hiding. All Sam and Claire need to do is look around the neighborhood: In the park, parents wither beneath the powerful screams of their children. With Claire nearing collapse, it seems their only means of survival is to flee from their daughter, Esther. But Sam and Claire find it isn’t so easy to leave the daughter they still love, even as they waste away from her malevolent speech. On the eve of their departure, Claire mysteriously disappears, and Sam, determined to find a cure for this new toxic language, presses on alone into a world beyond recognition.
Related posts – new books 2012:
Related posts – Armchair BEA:
The Literary Bunny 
The cover of The Flame Alphabet REALLY intrigues me.
I have extremely high hopes for this book – I think the idea of it is so intriguing. And the cover seems fitting – and it draws you right in!
I may have to buy it with my 20% off at B&N today. YAY!
YAY 🙂 I think you should! 🙂
I’m intrigued about the John Irving novel; I loved Garp too, and it be curious how this one stacks up.
I’ve heard good and bad – I tend to overhear the bad though and just hope that it’s a fantastic novel.
I’m excited about the new Mark Helprin too! And I have the new John Irving on my radar.
If Helprin’s other novels is as good as Winter’s Tale, he could fast become one of my favorite authors. As Irving already is.
Someone else mentioned the new Irving book. I haven’t read him but I think I should!
Oh you should! You really really should! Definitely! Can you tell I’m a fan? 😉
IN ONE PERSON is really, really good. I have a copy of FLAME ALPHABET, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I’m hoping to get to it soon.
Great! I have some other books I have to get to first, but I’m hoping to read both these novels very soon.
The cover of In Sunlight and In Shadow really draws you in. I’ll be checking that one out for sure!
It does, doesn’t it? It reminds me a bit of a Turner painting. With the way Helprin writes, the cover seems perfect too.
Hi, THE FLAME ALPHABET sounds really good. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll be requesting it from the library tomorrow. 🙂
Awesome. It does, doesn’t it? I really have to go visit my friend soon and get it from him!
I’m horrible at getting really excited when I first hear about a book, then completely forgetting it by the time it comes out.
The Flame Alphabet sounds fascinating!
If you have the time, I’d love to hear from you at my intro armchair BEA post.
Hey Melanie, not only did I check out your intro armchair BEA post, I signed up for your blog as well 🙂
I just finished In One Person last month. I was disappointed in it, but I think it’s the best book he’s written in ages. I actually haven’t rated it. Don’t know if I can or should rate it because I think I’d rate it lower than it deserves because of expectations. Overall, a good book, but because it was getting raves, I was expecting another Owen Meany. Good, but no magic.
Oh, and I’m following you by email since I noticed that we have a lot of books in common. Including “Stuff”, which is sitting on my desk right now.
I think that it’s hard for Irving not to disappoint. Owen Meany, Garp and Cider House are all so amazing that they’re a tough act to follow. I actually haven’t read Until I find you and Last night in twisted river yet because I’m scared they won’t live up to expectations – especially after reading The Forth Hand … Enough said 😉
I found Stuff a fascinating read. Very interesting! Thanks for the follow 🙂
I haven’t read any of these but I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing!
Anytime, Laura. Thanks for stopping by!