5 New Books to Read in September

Here are this month’s buzziest book releases to check out.

“Beautiful World, Where Are You?” by Sally Rooney

Irish novelist Sally Rooney — who penned “Normal People” — released her much-anticipated third novel this month. The book centers on the friendship between Ellen and Alice as they navigate the early years of adulthood. Romance, friendship and career ambition are all at play — as is the art of the long email, which the characters use to delve into the book’s central themes. Fans of Rooney’s previous work won’t be disappointed.

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“Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead

A few months after the miniseries release of “The Underground Railroad,” National Book Award winner Colson Whitehead is back with a new story to share. “Harlem Shuffle” takes readers back in time to the late 1950s and early ’60s in New York City. The atmospheric read is a vibrant family drama and crime novel that unfolds over several years in Harlem, culminating with the Harlem Riot of 1964.

“Apples Never Fall” by Liane Moriarty

Liane Moriarty has a knack for writing bestsellers that also make a splash onscreen, including “Big Little Lies” and, more recently, “Nine Perfect Strangers.” Fans of her twisty storytelling will gravitate to her latest release, “Apples Never Fall,” a domestic thriller set in Sydney.

“Misfits: A Personal Manifesto” by Michaela Coel

In 2018, “I May Destroy You” actor and writer Michaela Coel was invited to give a speech for the MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. That speech has been adapted into a memoir (of sorts), “Misfits: A Personal Manifesto.” Coel shares personal details of her journey in the entertainment industry, and makes a case for transparency and inclusion.

“On Freedom” by Maggie Nelson

Poet and essayist Maggie Nelson, best known for “The Argonauts,” has a unique penchant for weaving critical theory and pop culture with the personal. Her singular literary approach is on display in her latest collection of essays, “On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint.” Nelson tackles art, sex, drugs and climate in the new book, through which she interrogates the book’s overarching topic of freedom and autonomy.

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