The best new books coming out in August 2024
Has the inclement weather ruined your summer plans this month? We have the perfect distraction: plenty of new books
Autumn in August? Surely not, but the weather forecast predicts otherwise. It’s fair to say our high hopes of a bright and sunny month have been a little dampened so far. Inevitably, then, our plans of lounging at rooftop bars and sunbathing in the park have been replaced with binge-watching the latest TV shows and getting stuck into a good book. However, when the novels are as good as this month’s roster – think non-fiction from American politician Nancy Pelosi and new award-winning novels – who are we to complain? Here are the best books coming out in August 2024.
The Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi
Just months before the US presidential election, the most powerful woman in American political history, Nancy Pelosi, delves into the highs and lows of her career. From housewife to House Speaker, Pelosi covers being a partner to multiple presidents, from Bush to Biden, and her visceral resistance to Trump. For the first time, she recounts how she went toe-to-toe with the former president when he unleashed his post-election fury on Congress and sparked the Capitol attack in January 2021 and, how nearly two years later, violence would erupt in her own home when an intruder viciously attacked her husband. Timely and powerful, this is a book not to miss.
And So I Roar by Abi Daré
Protagonist Adunni escapes her home town to live in Lagos, a large Nigerian city where she hopes to enrol in a school and achieve her life-long dream of learning. She quickly befriends Tia, a kind woman on her own troubled journey of self-discovery, but the night before she is due at the school gates, she is summoned back to her home village. What follows is an inspirational and groundbreaking story of one young girl’s quest to not only change the historical and confining stereotypes for her own sake, but for the others she grew up with.
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
The new novel from the Booker-shortlisted, internationally-bestselling author of The Island of Missing Trees, Turkish novelist Shafak transports her readers between the 19th century and modern day in There Are Rivers in the Sky. In 496 pages, the story touches on themes of love, loss, memory and healing, all centred around three unique characters living on the banks of the River Thames and the River Tigris – and how all of their lives are moved by the epic of Gilgamesh. A historical marvel, this is a must-read for those looking to get stuck into a deep, compelling novel.
The House of Fever by Polly Crosby
Crosby’s fourth book is set in 1935 and follows Agnes Templeton, the wife of a new doctor who works at Hedoné House. But don’t be fooled: this is no ordinary hospital, but a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis where champagne flows, high society rubs shoulders and no expense is spared. However, on closer inspection, it’s clear Agnes’ husband’s methods are unusual and unsettling despite talks of a possible cure – and, suddenly, she’s caught between a past she was once desperate to escape and a future she may regret. Which one will she choose? Find out on 15 August.
Worst Case Scenario by T.J Newman
Following on from her equally traumatic but riveting series which included her explosive debut Falling and its harrowing follow-up Drowning, it’s safe to say that Newman’s novels aren’t for the faint hearted. Unsurprisingly, you’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout the 336-pages of her latest book, where a pilot suffers a heart attack at 35,000ft leading a commercial airliner to crash into a nuclear power plant in Minnesota. A catastrophic national crisis that has global implications soon unfolds, while this stirring thriller spotlights how ordinary people often come to the rescue.
The Hidden Truth About Bill Gates and His Power to Shape Our World by Anupreeta Das
Unpicking one of the most powerful figures in the world, New York Times finance editor Anupreeta Das goes behind the façade of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. From being a divisive figure in the US tech industry in his early years to morphing into a staunch capitalist, and then a modern good samaritan, Das exposes how billionaires have secrets and the dark side of philanthropy. Drawing upon interviews with current and former employees of the Gates Foundation and Microsoft, Das delves into the relationships of those closest to Gates to uncover the man behind the persona. Gripping and shocking, we bet you won’t be able to put this down.
Read more: The best new films and TV shows to stream in August 2024
