Making My Autumn TBR: finally reading The Secret History + classics + Booker Prize + new literary fiction

Happy September 1 everybody! While I know summer doesn't technically end until late September, I do think that the season has started to turn. It's getting cold at night, Dublin has remembered it's meant to rain all the time again, and everything is apple flavored at the bakeries and grocery stores. Plus, my brain still runs on the academic schedule even though I won't be going back to school this fall, so September begins the fall term. And part of the symptom of not launching back into school is wanting to build my own structure into my days. Hence, laying out a TBR. I like the idea of picking books that speak to a particular season, so in my quest to tackle my physical TBR which is all piled up on my dresser, I'm picking the titles that feel like they beg to be read in crisper air. Some of these are recent releases, others have been out a while and are nearing classic status. Some are books that I'm dying to make the time for while others are ones that I'm doing as buddy reads or on recommendations of friends. I also feel like the fall/winter months are the time to settle into thick books, so I tried to pick a ton of the long novels I've been putting off through the hot summer season. If you make it all the way to the end, you'll see some extras I threw on after making the original list because there are always too many books I need to read! 

September

The Secret History by Donna Tart

It's time... It's finally time. I think Daisy would have my head if I skipped reading this one again this year. I'm going to read it at the same time as a few of my friends as soon as fall hits (which is creeping closer by the day). At this point, I think I'm more intrigued by The Goldfinch, but I'm going to start my Donna Tart journey here after hearing endlessly about this book

Stoner by John Williams

I've also had this book for a year since I picked it up at a book giveaway. I feel like there was an Eve Babitz style revival of this book trending last year, and I meant to read it then, but I just never got around to it. But the book is giving me major fall vibes, so I'm going to throw it on the early fall TBR in the hopes of getting through my unfinished books I own.

Frida Slattery as Herself 

This is a book I'm DYING to read. I picked it up at an event in the spring, and I think I'm going to love it. I've just been so focused on my library holds that I haven't gotten around to it. So, since I'm turning to my owned TBR, this is a top priority. Also, what a better time to read a Dublin novel that spans twenty years.

John of John by Douglas Stuart

This is the only Booker long list title that I have in my physical TBR (for now, further commentary on that at the end), so since the short list comes out at the end of the month, I want to (kind of) join in on the fun and read one of the possible prize winners.

October

She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark

Obviously, the theme for October reading is Halloween, so I'm trying to read all my spooky books in October. I know that these stories are skin-crawling, so they seem like a good place to start.

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfeg

While I love Ottessa's My Year of Rest and Relaxation, I haven't waded into her grosser, more intense books, but this seems like a good opportunity to read one of the books I grabbed off the book exchange shelf.

November

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

So this was meant to be my summer classic, but maybe summers aren't meant for classics. I still want to read this one before the year's over, and I feel like the colder months are the perfect time to delve into longer novels. 

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

I bought a copy of this last year wanting to do a re-read post being in a creative writing program. I think I've finally had enough distance to enjoy it, and I think that it has a perfect fall vibe with the start of the semester in Iowa.

Emma by Jane Austen

Speaking of classics, I have an itch to expand my Austen catalog, and Emma seems like the obvious next choice now that I've done Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

This is the one Sally Rooney book I've never fully reread, and I'd really like to do that! And this book screams fall, so it only feels right to give it a go as Dublin turns cold and rainy.

Deep Burn by Brendan Mac Evilly

I've been super curious to delve into this very Dublin book. I bought it just before winter break last year, and I'd like to have read it before I own it for a year.

Bonus Picks

If I get through everything I've listed here, there's a couple of other books that I'd love to read.

Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin

This is a book that came out last year but recently got released in paperback, and I got to see the author speak at an event at Books Upstairs recently where I picked up the book, so I'd love to give it a read sooner rather than later. I'm trying to stop acquiring books that then sit on my TBR unread for ages.

All Them Dogs by Djamel White

This Booker Longlist pick is making huge waves in Dublin, of course, because it's set here. So there's displays in all the book shops, and I'm going to the conversation and signing celebrating the book tomorrow, so I'm going to pick up a signed copy and will hopefully get this in in September before all the Booker hype dies down.

Switzy by Emma Cline

In a surprising turn of events, after finally getting my NetGalley sorted to the right region, I got approved for an e-ARC of Switzy, which was great news considering I was number 75 in the hold line with another week until the book comes out. Because of that, it didn't make my original fall TBR, but now that the book is in my possession, I'm curious to dive into this much discussed Booker choice. I've read both The Girls and The Guest, as well as her short story collection, Daddy, and while I don't count Cline among my favorites, she is an author I will always read.

more to read:

Fruit Fly review

Fuccboi review

Minor Black Figures review

Hunger and Thirst review