More book news for all you little worms! And no, we're not talking about reports of Sally Rooney's next novel. Pick out a comfy seat and settle in, with these stories in your hands you won't want to be anywhere else. Below, RUSSH selects six new books to read in March 2024. From tales of mothers and daughters, forgotten manuscripts, gender theory and hyped debuts, there's something everyone will cherish below.
Always Will Be, Mykaela Saunders
Release date: February 27
In 2022, Dr Mykaela Saunders won the David Unaipon Award. Now, two years later the Goori and Lebanese writer and researcher will debut their first collection of speculative fiction Always Will Be. Each story revolves around a diverse cast, who, in their own way provide a blueprint of what asserting sovereignty might look like in the Tweed.
Thanks for Having Me, Emma Darragh
Release date: February 27
The first fiction title from Allen & Unwin's new imprint JOAN, curated by Nakkiah Lui. Emma Darragh's debut looks at maternal ambivalence across three generations of mothers and daughters. Painted as a darkly funny story about inheritance (the bad kind), guilt, loss, and selfhood, we can't wait to tuck in.
Until August, Gabriel García Marquez
Release date: March 12
It's not often that publishers are handed posthumous novels from literary masters. They must be patting themselves on the back. Until August is Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez final novel, however he requested that it not be published. There's much speculation around why; Márquez was diagnosed with dementia, and critics weren't kind about his last published book. However, Márquez's sons have overrode this wish, stating that “Until August was the result of our father’s last effort to continue creating against all odds". It follows Ana Magdalena Bach (happily married; a mother) as she makes her annual trip to the island where her mother is buried to take a lover. Sensual and contemplative, the book is said to meditate on desire, freedom, and regret.
Who's Afraid of Gender?, Judith Butler
Release date: March 19
Ever since their 1990 book, Gender Trouble, Judith Butler is widely considered an authority on gender theory. Now, rather than submitting a new theory, Butler intends to interrogate the way gender has become a key battleground in right wing ideology today.
Love the World or Get Killed Trying, Alvina Chamberland
Release date: March 22
Swedish author Alvina Chamberland celebrates her English language debut with Love the World or Get Killed Trying. Readers embark on a journey across Iceland, Berlin and Paris, as they contemplate questions of love, desire, death and sexuality through the eyes of a trans woman on the cusp of her 30th birthday. Life-affirming and brimming with sharp social commentary and self-deprecating humour, this is a piece of autofiction to add to your stack immediately.
Dirt Poor Islanders, Winnie Dunn
Release date: March 27
The first Australian novel written by and about the Pasifika community, Dirt Poor Islanders is the debut of Sweatshop Literacy Movement general manager Winnie Dunn. Broken up into four parts, each based around an ancient Tongan legend, the story follows teenager Meadow Reed as she navigates the tension of growing up between two cultures. The writing is animated and zippy, the language a fresh blend of Western Sydney slang and Tongan. This story is a much-needed antidote to Chris Lilley's blackface and disparaging TV shows like SBS Struggle Street.
Image: Pinterest
