As we enter the beginning of a new decade, there are some wonderful works of fiction that are lined up. We also understand that the process of selecting said fictions, whether in bookstores or online, can be overwhelming. From cutting satire and social commentary to stories about immigration, love, and loss, 2020 appears to have something for everyone.
Our fiction editors have put together a list of some of our most anticipated releases for the new year, for Columbia Journal. We hope you find these prospective reads as exciting as we do, and that your time in 2020 is filled with good books, good conversations about books, good writing, and great cheer.
Our Top Picks:
Weather by Jenny Offill
Afterlife by Julia Alvarez
Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Apeirogon by Colum McCann
A Burning by Megha Majumdar
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey
The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
If at all this list seems lacking, we can assure you that a bevy of works narrowly missed this compilation. While it was impossible for us to choose everything, we’ve compromised and done double the homework: New Year 2020 is gearing up to be a promising one for readers and writers alike, so here are some Honorable Mentions:
Pew by Catherine Lacey
Track Changes by Sayed Kashua
Verge by Lidia Yuknavitch
Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela
Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
The Lost Book of Adana Moreau by Michael Zapata
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Apartment by Teddy Wayne
Bubblegum by Adam Levin
Little Gods by Meng Jin
Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman
Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould
All Adults Here by Emma Straub
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura Van Den Berg
Broken People by Sam Lansky
Here’s to wishing a healthy and prosperous new year for literature and for you, dear readers!
