Kia ora,
It is exciting to think of the new books that will arrive throughout 2026. Fans of Douglas Stuart, Maggie O’Farrell and Lauren Groff will be happy to know they have new work. George Saunders also releases his second novel. There is a memoir from Lena Dunham, a biography of Judy Blume, and popular author and journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s book, London Falling, is about a family’s discovery of the secret criminal life of their teenage son. And, of course, there will be a lot more to look forward to. The downside is the waiting. So, while you wait for your new books, here are some great books from 2025 that you may have missed. The following books are all recommended by our Book Chats group.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey This Booker Prize winner was immensely popular, with Book Chats and the wider Auckland public. This slender novel follows the lives of seven international staff aboard a Space Station. Their lives are a mix of mundane daily tasks and the sublime – witnessing Earth from the vantage point of space. And from this perspective, the characters reflect on their lives and the bigger questions, religion, climate change and the meaning of life.
Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
A collection of short stories, which last year won the international Booker Prize for translated fiction. The 12 short stories focus on the lives of Muslim women in Southern India and explore gender roles and accompanying societal expectations. The stories are written with warmth and a dry and gentle humour.
The Names by Florence Knapp
This debut novel was another favourite. Have you ever wondered: do our names influence our lives? A mother gives her newborn son three different names, and three very different lives unfurl for Gordon, Julian and Bear. The critic in The Guardian wrote, "The Names stands out as a compelling and original debut, a book that asks at least as many questions as it answers."
If you prefer nonfiction, then you might like this book:
No More Tears: The Secret Life of Johnson and Johnson by Gardiner Harris
Described as a ‘damning account’ of powerful pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson. Harris, a pharmaceutical reporter for The New York Times, uncovers evidence of decades of deceit and dangerous corporate practices from the company synonymous with baby friendly products. You will quite possibly seethe with anger while you read this book.
You are welcome to join Book Chats. It is one of our longest-running programmes with a loyal group of passionate and widely read supporters. They meet every fourth Thursday of the month at 10am.
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