15 must-read September books

Lord of the Rings fans who want to know more about famed fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien's literary world will find much of interest in his final writings on Middle-earth. The collection is being published for the first time, and covers topics like Elvish immortality and reincarnation. (Sept. 2)

Landing two decades after the Sept. 11 attacks — and, tragically, as the Taliban retakes Afghanistan — Carla Powers' nonfiction work follows four mothers whose sons were drawn into extremist groups. She also delves into the world of rehabilitation camps for those who lucky enough to return alive. (Sept. 7)

It's the novel that needs no introduction, perhaps the most anticipated book of the fall (at least among the millennial set). But for posterity's sake, although it's no Normal People (or Conversations With Friends), it's worth spending a few hours with Sally Rooney's characters as they try to make sense of the dumpster fire that is our current society. Plus, aren't we done expecting famous writers to deliver exactly what we think they should? (Sept. 7)

Leave it to Lauren Groff to take a topic like nuns in a medieval abbey, with all the deprivation and poverty associated, and make it not only readable but a story with flourish. There's really no fiction she can't write. (Sept. 7)

The queen of YA returns with a psychological thriller hailed as The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out. It follows a teenage girl whose recently blended family moves to a new home where all isn't what it seems — but don't believe us, take the jacket image's word for it. (Sept. 14)

After winning the Pulitzer Prize for his last two novels, The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead pivots to an old-fashioned heist tale for his latest blockbuster tome. Ray Carney is a furniture-dealer-turned-occasional-criminal who gets wrapped up in the robbery of a famed Harlem hotel. (Sept. 14)

Four years ago Gabrielle Union captivated readers with a highly personal essay collection, and now she's catching us up on everything that's happened since. She divulges tales of her life at home — she's raising two girls with husband Dwyane Wade — the racist practices she's bumped up against in the entertainment industry, and her thoughts on her iconic character from Bring It On. More wine indeed. (Sept. 14)

In the aftermath of the 2017 wave of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke delivers her life story and a history of her groundbreaking work on behalf of sexual assault victims. Expect to come away with more admiration for Burke than you thought possible. (Sept. 14)

If binging the Hulu adaptation of Nine Perfect Strangers isn't enough Liane Moriarty for you, the author delivers a fresh new family drama — with a side of possible murder. The Delaneys are pillars of their suburban Sydney community (they run a renowned tennis facility) until matriarch Joy goes missing and her husband, Stan, looks quite the culprit. (Sept. 14)

A thriller that offers a tongue-in-cheek take on the idea of "Minnesota nice," this story is about a girl who moves back to her Midwestern hometown and finds herself wrapped up in the murder of a local social media star. (Sept. 14)

The fall's biggest debut comes from a former banker in London, who delivers a brisk, affecting diary of a young Black woman contemplating an opt-out of capitalism and life entirely. It's Mrs. Dalloway for the burnout generation, the anticapitalism manifesto millennials have been waiting for. (Sept. 14)

In this provocative thriller, protagonist Paloma is living in San Francisco and recently cut off from her adoptive parents' funds when she finds her new subletter dead at their apartment. In the aftermath of the murder, she discovers that her past (including time spent in a Sri Lankan orphanage) is never far behind. (Sept. 14)

Our titular Charlie is in a funk. Or rather he was, until his second act presents an opportunity to pivot from a life of disappointments (divorce, a disappointing career path) to one of promise. This charming and witty novel tells a wholly inventive modern American story. (Sept. 28)  

The author of the overwhelmingly popular All the Light We Cannot See takes his talents to the epic. Cloud Cuckoo Land spans 15th-century Constantinople, present-day Idaho, and a futuristic spaceship hurtling toward a new colony, all with an eye toward honoring the power of the written word and its ability to transcend civilizations. (Sept. 28)

Comedian Phoebe Robinson delivers another hilarious-yet-poignant collection of essays about her life and work. This time around, the book will also launch her brand-new publishing imprint, Tiny Reparations. (Sept. 28)