The 12 best new books to read in September, according to Amazon editors
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
- Looking for new books to read? Amazon's book editors have picked their top new books for September.
- This month's selections include Sally Rooney's latest release and a historical story from Anderson Cooper.
- For more book recommendations, check out the best new books of 2021 so far, according to Goodreads.
September means the end of summer and the beginning of fall, a transition often marked by a change in weather, the start of school, or even a new wardrobe. And if you're looking to add a new book to the lineup, Amazon's book editors have got you covered with their 12 picks for the best new books in September.
This month's top choice is "Harlem Shuffle," a literary fiction novel by two-time Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead. Below are the 12 best titles new in September, with captions provided by Amazon's editorial team.
Whitehead's latest is an entertaining novel of schemers and dreamers, mobsters and crooks, elaborate heists, and the thrilling mischief of those who are up to no good and others who are just trying to make a living. Caught between his family's penchant for shady deals and his desire to be clean, Ray Carney sits at the center of this swirling drama set in 1960s Harlem. A tribute to the city, the momentum of life, and the duality that lies in each of us, "Harlem Shuffle" is a lot of fun to read and another winner by the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Book Editor
A country mouse just getting her footing at a university in Dublin must return home when tragedy strikes, forcing her to contend in new, deeper ways with family, mental illness, and how, as the old Irish saying puts it, we all live in each other's shadow. An award-winning debut in Ireland, "Snowflake" is wonderfully, giggles-galore funny but also — and this has earned Nealon comparisons to another young Irish writer, Sally Rooney — emotionally sharp as a tack. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Editor
The follow-up to Klune's "The House in the Cerulean Sea" finds Wallace dying unexpectedly and coming to the attention of Hugo, a teashop owner who ferries the dead to the other side of life. Wallace is a difficult case, but gentle Hugo gives him a chance to come to grips with his predicament, opening up his eyes to love, beauty, and the absurdities that make every moment special. This heartfelt story about a man who discovers the joys of living after he is dead is one that you'll hand to a good friend with a smile and a hug. —Adrian Liang, Amazon Editor
Stan and Joy Delaney, former owners of a tennis academy and partners in life and on the court, are the parents of four grown children: Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke. Each child, former tennis players themselves, suffers from their own successes and demons. But jealousy piques when a mysterious young woman named Savannah shows up at their parent's house and begins living with them, filling in as the perfect domestic daughter they never had. "Apples Never Fall" will be a grand slam with the author's fans, and enchant new readers alike. —Sarah Gelman, Amazon Editor
When Sheriff Winston Barnes discovers a slain Black man lying next to a small plane on a runway, the town erupts in a buzz of rumor, innuendo, propaganda, and outright racism. Barnes is up for re-election and his corrupt, good ol' boy opponent decides to make political hay out of the way Barnes handles the investigation. In "When Ghosts Come Home," Wiley Cash delivers a spellbinding novel that is part family drama, part police procedural, and part race-reckoning in a small Southern town. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Editor
The complicated humans at the center of "Beautiful World, Where Are You" are Alice, a bestselling novelist; Felix, a working-class man whom Alice meets in the seaside town in which she is renting a house; Eileen, Alice's friend and a literary magazine assistant who has recently gone through a breakup; and Simon, Eileen's childhood friend with whom she's had a long flirtation. Rooney is gifted at capturing conflict between these friends and lovers. She also manages fresh observations on life, relationships, and sex. And that makes "Beautiful World, Where Are You" classic Rooney. —Sarah Gelman, Amazon Editor
Philbrick, his wife, and his rambunctious dog, Dora, retrace George Washington's presidential tours across the brand-new country. Glimpses of our current fractured politics heighten the importance of Washington's all-out efforts to mold the ex-colonies into a single national identity — though the continuation of slavery, even within his own household, corroded his efforts. Always entertaining, Philbrick provides a lot to chew on as he explores what Washington did right, wrong, and how his choices still affect us today. — Adrian Liang, Amazon Editor
Paula Hawkins ("The Girl on the Train") loves a large cast of characters and she's assembled a rum bunch in this novel about a young man found dead on a houseboat. So rum that readers will come to the conclusion that any one — or all — of these people are capable of murder. It's a testament to Hawkins' skillful storytelling that readers will have no idea until the last few pages who the culprit is, and that they will, by then, be so fond of some of them that they won't care if they did it. Prepare to inhale this smart thriller in one sitting. — Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Editor
Ozeki's latest finds a mother and son grappling with the profound loss of the patriarch of the family, who dies in a freak accident. While the mother's anguish expresses itself in a growing hoarding problem, her son hears inanimate objects talking to him. This is just one of the many quirky elements that leaven an otherwise serious but compassionate story that mines the complexities of grief while also making a sly critique of consumerism. If you listen carefully, you might hear this book telling you to read it, and you absolutely should. — Erin Kodicek, Amazon Book Editor
Corey Goltz grew up near Boston with his single mother, Gloria, who is diagnosed with ALS when he's 15, sending both into a series of spirals. As Corey moves into accelerated adulthood, we learn about Gloria as well — how she became who she is, how things might have turned out differently. Corey's estranged father eventually insinuates himself back into their lives, even as Corey looks to a series of other male figures in an attempt to plumb how a life should be lived. This is an immersive novel about people who live on the fringes. It can be grim; but it is also unforgettable. — Chris Schluep
Adams was barely 18 when an all-white judge and jury sentenced him to 28 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. That was the beginning of his battle to prove his innocence in a judicial system that is not only racist but biased against the poor. This stirring memoir recounts his years of incarceration, how he came to study the law, his eventual exoneration, and his struggle to acclimate to "normal" life. Evoking emotions ranging from outrage and shock to hope and vicarious pride, "Redeeming Justice" is a real-life Phoenix-rising story you won't want to miss. — Seira Wilson, Amazon Book Editor
The story of the Vanderbilts is a quintessential American fairy tale that began with Cooper's savvy but ruthless great-great-great grandfather, who amassed a tremendous fortune in his lifetime, but one that by the 21st century would be gone. In "Vanderbilt," readers are invited into the lavish balls, opulent homes, and fascinating lives of the generations that followed, culminating with Gloria Vanderbilt, Cooper's mother. Rich in detail and personality, "Vanderbilt" beautifully transports readers back in time to the glory days of the Gilded Age, and the excesses of a true American dynasty. — Seira Wilson, Amazon Book Editor
