12 New Books for March
This month, we’ve got our eyes on James, Tough Broad, and 10 other titles by writers on the West.
CHICANO FRANKENSTEIN, BY DANIEL A. OLIVAS
A contributor to Alta Journal, Olivas is both an attorney and a writer of poetry, essays, and fiction; he has published more than a dozen books. In this, his second novel, he reimagines Mary Shelley’s 200-year-old classic in a slightly futuristic setting to tell the story of a paralegal who, after being reanimated, finds himself forced to face the dystopia that the United States has become. Forest Avenue Press, March 5
THE EXTINCTION OF IRENA REY, BY JENNIFER CROFT
Deep in a Polish forest, eight translators arrive at the house of writer Irena Rey. Their task is to translate her greatest work; however, she soon disappears, leaving the translators mystified. As they search for clues, panic sets in, and the group turns on itself. At once a thriller and a dark comedy, Croft’s novel is a commentary on the obsessive power of celebrity. Bloomsbury Publishing, March 5
A GREAT COUNTRY, BY SHILPI SOMAYA GOWDA
In Gowda’s novel, it takes the Shah family 20 years to realize their version of the American dream—moving into a gated community in Pacific Hills, California. This fantasy of perfection, however, bursts one evening when the family’s preteen son is arrested, sending everyone reeling and questioning their ideas of success, ambition, and, most painfully, what it means to be an American. Mariner Books, March 26
HEADSHOT, BY RITA BULLWINKEL
Told through the brutally competitive perspective of eight teenage girls at a boxing match, Bullwinkel’s debut novel takes place over a single weekend, deep in the psyches and memories of the competitors. In the ring, a series of matches determine who will be crowned the best in the country, with eliminations in every section. Viking, March 12
JAMES, BY PERCIVAL EVERETT
Everett’s reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn centers Jim, the Black man aboard the raft with Huck. Bound down the Mississippi River toward the free states, Jim and Huck encounter adverse weather, shady actors, and adventures at every turn. In zeroing in on Jim—or James—as narrator, Everett has created a novel that is compassionate, humorous, and piercingly perceptive. Doubleday, March 19
THE MORNINGSIDE, BY TÉA OBREHT
Forced to leave their home, Silvia and her mother move to Island City, a half-underwater region holding more than its fair share of secrets. In this novel, Obreht creates a world where Silvia meets a host of characters, including her aunt Ena and a mysterious yet captivating guest at the Morningside luxury tower. Random House, March 19
PERRIS, CALIFORNIA, BY RACHEL STARK
In Stark’s novel, pregnant Tessa frets over her rural life after she collides with her former lover, Mel. Struggling with the weight of her responsibilities as a wife and mother and the violent abuse of her past, Tessa rekindles her feelings for Mel and finds respite in their comfort with each other, outcasts reunited. But she must also reconcile her obligation to her family—and to the family who rescued her years before. Penguin Press, March 26
STARRY FIELD: A MEMOIR OF LOST HISTORY, BY MARGARET JUHAE LEE
Growing up, Lee knew her grandfather Lee Chul Ha only as a criminal. But through interviews and archives, she pieces together the truth behind this outspoken student revolutionary fighting against the colonization of Korea. In addition to reclaiming her grandfather’s legacy, the author reestablishes a connection with her grandmother, bringing the two generations together. Melville House Publishing, March 5
TOUGH BROAD, BY CAROLINE PAUL
Growing old is not an excuse for eschewing adventure; on the contrary, Paul argues in this bracing book, hiking, camping, scuba diving, and a host of other activities are necessary for aging women to lead richer lives. Weaving her high-octane anecdotes together with research on septuagenarian—and even older—women, Paul invites women everywhere to forge a life full of excitement. Bloomsbury Publishing, March 5
THE TREE DOCTOR, BY MARIE MUTSUKI MOCKETT
Set in Carmel, California, Mockett’s novel covers one woman’s emotional turmoil over her mother’s decline and her long-distance relationships with her husband and daughters. As she struggles to cope, the unnamed narrator starts an affair with an arborist while attempting to revive her mother’s garden. Mockett has written a beautiful story about the passage of time and our connection with nature. Graywolf Press, March 19
WHO’S AFRAID OF GENDER?, BY JUDITH BUTLER
From the author of Gender Trouble comes a prescient look at the state of gender in the world amid attacks on modern concepts by right-wing and authoritarian actors, espousing xenophobia and racism. Butler’s call to action offers a route to solidarity and to protecting queer and trans people from assaults in the United States and abroad. FSG, March 19
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR: ESSAYS, BY MORGAN PARKER
In this collection of essays, Los Angeles poet Parker examines how being a Black American has affected the way she interacts with the world. Writing about subjects from Serena Williams to Bill Cosby, Parker provides an unflinching account of what it means to be Black in America. One World, March 12
Elizabeth Casillas is an assistant editor at Alta Journal. A graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, she has previously written for the Poly Post and Enspire Magazine.
Jessica Blough is a freelance writer. A former associate editor at Alta Journal, Blough is a graduate of Tufts University where she was editor in chief of the Tufts Daily.
Ajay Orona is an associate editor at Alta Journal. He earned a master’s degree from USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism in 2021 and was honored with an Outstanding Specialized Journalism (The Arts) Scholar Award. His writing has appeared in Los Angeles Review of Books, Ampersand, and GeekOut.
