Exciting books for holiday reading

Here are some of my favourite discoveries for this year.

Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay – What a treat! This newly discovered novel by Jamaican writer Claude McKay, who was instrumental in the Harlem Renaissance Movement, tells the story of Harlem in the 1930s when a group of educated residents decided to organise the liberation of Ethiopia, then controlled by the fascists.

Featuring McKay’s wry sense of humour and his penchant for political discourse, Amiable with Big Teeth edited by Jean-Christophe Cloutier, captures the essence of the Harlem Renaissance.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is Arundhati Roy’s first novel in 20 years.

Set throughout India, it is described by amazon.com as “an aching love story and a decisive remonstration, a story told in a whisper, in a shout, through unsentimental tears and sometimes with a bitter laugh. Each of its characters is indelibly, tenderly rendered. Its heroes are people who have been broken by the world they live in and then rescued, patched together by acts of love — and by hope.”

The Portrait by Antoine Laurain – I am one of those people who constantly search the Gallic Books catalogue for new releases by the English-based publisher that specialises in translations of great, modern French literature. You won’t want to miss The President’s Hat, the story of Daniel Mercier, who picks up a hat in a restaurant, which has been left behind by President François Mitterrand.

The hat features prominently in many adventures, and the novel has satisfying, surprise ending. In The Portrait, Pierre-Francois Chaumont discovers an 18th century portrait of a gentleman who looks just like him. Each one of Laurain’s books feature a physical object that symbolises the theme of the story. I highly recommend all of Laurain’s books. They are short, light, thoughtful novels, which are perfect for holiday reading.

Camino Island by John Grisham – Action- packed mysteries hit the spot for holiday reading, and Grisham certainly delivers the goods in this story about a gang of thieves who steal a priceless library collection. Enter Bruce Cable, who owns a popular bookstore in the Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. You’ll have to read Grisham’s new novel to discover the collection.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann – Killers of the Flower Moon is my top choice for non-fiction reading for the holiday. Just released in mid-April, Killers of the Flower Moon tells the story of a group of American Indians on a reservation in Oklahoma who were systematically killed when someone discovered their reservations was worth a lot of money. This is the first case for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P Kiernan – This World War II novel released in May caught my attention, and it’s on my holiday reading list. This is the story of a woman living in a village near Normandy who uses the bakery where she worked for a Jewish baker to help the village and keep their spirits up. World War II books always feature stories of courage, and this novel looks like it will continue the tradition.

There you have it: my holiday reading list. There are new, exciting books being published every day that will be perfect for your holiday reading pleasure.