14 New Books for September
Here are works by authors on and of the West—including Wrecking Ball, What a Time to Be Alive, and The Wilderness—that we’re excited to see published this month.
WRECKING BALL: RACE, FRIENDSHIP, GOD, AND FOOTBALL, BY RICK BASS
In a special Alta Journal folio, Bass wrote about his remarkable season playing for the semiprofessional football team the Texas Express, battling it out as “a middle-aged white man.” Now, he’s developed the true story into a longer nonfiction work that recounts the injuries and life circumstances that kept players off the team, as well as the determination and love of the game that brought them—including Bass—into it. The result is an honest and heartfelt look at this slice of American culture and dreams, across age, race, and religion. High Road Books, September 2
JOHN WILLIAMS: A COMPOSER'S LIFE, BY TIM GREIVING
Greiving delivers the first full biography of one of the most influential and important composers of all time: John Williams. You might know his music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park, but few know the story of the man himself. Drawing on 175 exclusive interviews with those closest to Williams, and Williams himself, Greiving reveals what drives the legendary composer and how he shapes films. Oxford University Press, September 2
WAITING FOR GODÍNEZ: A TRAGICOMEDY IN TWO ACTS, BY DANIEL A. OLIVAS
In this modern and prescient retelling of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, two Mexican immigrants, Jesús and Isabel, sit and wait for the elusive Godínez each day. As they do so, Jesús is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, locked away, but able to escape, each day the same way. After hitting stages in Los Angeles, New York, and Sacramento, the play is now available to readers and arrives at a deeply relevant time, as Americans consider our borders and how to protect the immigrants who live here. University of New Mexico Press, September 2
ELEMENTS OF LOS ANGELES: EARTH, WATER, AIR, FIRE, BY D.J. WALDIE
In this love letter to Los Angeles, Waldie reflects on the city’s accomplishments and contradictions. Framed through the four elements—earth, water, fire, and air—his essays explore everything from the history of the Hass avocado to the St. Francis Dam disaster. A layered portrait of a constantly changing place that is not only for those who’ve lived in Los Angeles but also for those who’ve only imagined it. Angel City Press, September 2
DIRTBAG BILLIONAIRE: HOW YVON CHOUINARD BUILT PATAGONIA, MADE A FORTUNE, AND GAVE IT ALL AWAY, BY DAVID GELLES
Yvon Chouinard made Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear company, into a business worth a billion dollars while maintaining a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. Rather than ride off into the sunset with his riches, Chouinard kept pushing the company to be better, eventually by donating the business to fight climate disaster. Gelles chronicles the story of both the organization and the man who set a new standard for what a corporation can be. Simon and Schuster, September 9
DOES THIS MAKE ME FUNNY?, BY ZOSIA MAMET
From self-described “nepo baby lite” Mamet comes a collection of intimate essays that reintroduce us to this Girls icon. She recounts growing up in literary and dramatic circles, crawling around her actor mother’s theater sets, and meeting her idol, David Sedaris. Mamet also dives into tougher topics: self-love, insecurity, and craving acceptance. This is a poignant and funny look at what it means to be a woman making it in showbiz. Viking, September 9
GRIME, BY THEA MATTHEWS
Poet Matthews grew up in San Francisco’s Tenderloin and watched the city tilt until it became almost unrecognizable. Her new collection captures the drug-filled streets and crime-ridden corners of the neighborhood as well as its thriving nightlife and drama. Matthews plays with form and captures deep emotion in every verse, telling both her own story of survival and that of the Tenderloin. City Lights Books, September 9
IT WAS THE WAY SHE SAID IT, BY TERRY MCMILLAN
Before her breakout success as a novelist, McMillan was publishing bold, boundary-pushing short stories that delved into the nuances of Black American life. For the first time, It Was the Way She Said It gathers those early pieces—and five previously unpublished ones, along with her essays. In her signature sharp prose, McMillan explores everything from factory work to domestic abuse with wit and fearlessness. Ballantine Books, September 9
THE WILDERNESS, BY ANGELA FLOURNOY
In her sophomore novel, Flournoy follows five Black women in their early 20s as they navigate the messiness of adulthood. Sisters Desiree and Danielle are reeling from deep family wounds. January is unexpectedly pregnant by a man she has come to not care for. Monique goes viral for confronting her university, and Nakia pushes to run a successful restaurant without her family’s support. Spanning two decades, Flournoy’s book is a powerful portrait of the bonds of friendship. Mariner Books, September 16
GRAY DAWN: AN EASY RAWLINS MYSTERY, BY WALTER MOSLEY
Detective Easy Rawlins has created a tentative peace in his life: Though danger still comes knocking for him on occasion, he’s built a hideaway home for himself and his family, and his detective agency is bursting with business. But when a missing woman from his past—who now goes by Lutisha James—needs to be found, Easy is lured back into the life of chaos and mystery. Mosley’s beloved series continues with this latest installment, which is sure to draw in fans new and old. Mulholland Books, September 16
GOOD THINGS: RECIPES AND RITUALS TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE, BY SAMIN NOSRAT
Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat gave thousands of fledgling cooks the confidence to take their skills to the next level. With Good Things, Nosrat is once again focused on the basics for home chefs, but this time, her goal is to bring some warmth and comfort into homes. In over 125 recipes, Nosrat highlights her favorites and go-tos for entertaining, impressing, and relaxing over a meal together. Come for roast chicken and tomato soup and stay for tips on hosting in a tiny dining room and unusual uses for a slow cooker. Random House, September 16
TRIGGER WARNING, BY JACINDA TOWNSEND
Ruth’s life is marked by loss: Her brother and mother died, and her father was killed by a police officer. She painstakingly moves on and marries Myron, relocates to Kentucky, and starts her own family. But tragedy follows: Her marriage unravels, her home burns down, and her estranged sister is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now, Ruth returns to California to piece together a new life. Townsend explores the decades-long effects of police violence and what it means to survive deep, generational trauma. Graywolf Press, September 16
WOLF BELLS, BY LENI ZUMAS
The residents of the House have come up with an innovative solution for the lack of efficient care for elderly people in America: If young people come to live with and care for its residents, they can stay for free. The residents’ lives are harmonious until two children show up on their doorstep, hiding from Child Protective Services and the police. As law and caregiving collide, the residents are pulled apart and forced to decide what belonging really means to them. Algonquin Books, September 16
WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE, BY JADE CHANG
Lola Treasure Gold is struggling—she’s grieving the death of a close friend, she’s jobless, and she’s now back in her childhood home. When a video she stars in goes viral, she’s thrust into internet fame and becomes a self-help guru. As skeptics question her motives and accuse her of exploiting her friend’s death, Lola digs into the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. In What a Time to Be Alive, Chang delivers a moving novel about grief, fame, and what it means to be seen. Ecco, September 30
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.
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.
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