"Two fiction books about good friends coming from different circumstances. Two biographies of people whose influence on American culture is, arguably, still underrated. One Liza Minnelli memoir. These are just a handful of books coming out in the first few months of 2026 that we've got our eye on. Fiction Autobiography of Cotton, by Cristina Rivera Garza, Feb. 3 Garza, who won a Pulitzer in 2024 for memoir/autobiography, actually first published Autobiography of Cotton back in 2020, but it's only now getting an English translation."
"Crux, by Gabriel Tallent, Jan. 20 Tallent's last novel, My Absolute Darling, was a harrowing coming of age story about a teenage girl surviving her abusive survivalist father. But it did find pockets of beauty in the outdoors. Tallent's follow up looks to be similarly awestruck by nature. It's about two young friends, separated by class and opportunity, but bound together by a love of rock climbing."
"Half His Age, by Jennette McCurdy, Jan. 20 The former iCarly actress' bracing and brutally honest memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, was a huge hit. It spent weeks on bestseller's lists, and is being adapted into a series for Apple TV+. Now McCurdy's set to come out with her fiction debut, about a teenage girl who falls for her high school creative writing teacher."
Early 2026 book releases span fiction, biographies, memoirs, and speculative short fiction. A translated novel blends fiction and familial history to depict cotton cultivation along the U.S.–Mexico border. A climbing-centered novel follows two young friends separated by class but united by rock climbing. A celebrity's fiction debut fictionalizes a teenage girl's romance with her high school creative writing teacher after a successful candid memoir. A multiyear novel traces two women friends who grew up without mothers as opportunities pull them apart. A collected volume assembles previously published short stories and poetry honored within the science-fiction community.
Read at www.npr.org
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