Publishing's 'Super Thursday' Features New Releases from Boris Johnson, Stanley Tucci, and Kate Mosse
Today marks the highly anticipated "Super Thursday," a significant event in the publishing calendar known for an extraordinary number of new releases. This year, a remarkable 1,900 titles are hitting the shelves, an increase from last year's 1,286—figures that reflect the ongoing recovery of the industry from the pandemic's impact.
"Super Thursday is an exhilarating occasion for booksellers, as countless new works arrive in stores all at once," stated Kate Skipper, chief operating officer at Waterstones. "It's always a hectic day, but there's a unique excitement that comes with unpacking so many highly awaited titles ahead of the holiday season."
Among the most notable releases is Unleashed, the memoir by Boris Johnson that outlines his political journey from being the Mayor of London to becoming Prime Minister. The book offers Johnson's take on key moments during his time in office. However, as critic Martin Kettle notes in the Guardian, the memoir often shies away from addressing larger questions raised by these events, particularly regarding the "Partygate" controversy. Currently, Unleashed ranks third on the Amazon UK bestseller list, based on pre-orders.
Readers of fiction can look forward to Ian Rankin's latest novel, Midnight and Blue, which continues the beloved Rebus series, recently adapted for television. Sophie Kinsella's new book, What Does It Feel Like?, features a poignant story about a novelist grappling with brain cancer. Kinsella, known for her pen name Madeleine Wickham, has made headlines this year for her personal battle with glioblastoma, which adds depth to her narrative.
Additionally, Jodi Picoult's By Any Other Name will be released today, focusing on Emilia, a gifted storyteller from Elizabethan England who hires the actor William Shakespeare to showcase her work.
Today also sees the launch of The Map of Bones, the concluding book in Kate Mosse's Joubert Family Chronicles, along with The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins, who is known for her bestseller The Girl on the Train.
In the realm of children's literature, AF Steadman releases Skandar and the Skeleton Curse, the newest installment in her popular Skandar series. The first three books in the series previously garnered a record-breaking advance for a debut children's author.
Stanley Tucci's What I Ate in One Year, which chronicles a year of his culinary experiences, is now available, along with comedian Miranda Hart's memoir, I Haven't Been Entirely Honest With You, where she candidly discusses her struggle with an undiagnosed health condition. Other memoirs debuting today include works by Rick Astley and Alison Steadman.
Looking forward, autumn promises an array of exciting memoirs, including those by Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Pacino, and Cher, alongside posthumous writings from Alexei Navalny. Additionally, readers can expect Ali Smith's Gliff, the first of a two-part series set to release on October 31, and Jonathan Coe's satirical murder mystery The Proof of My Innocence, coming out on November 7.
On November 19, Haruki Murakami will unveil The City and Its Uncertain Walls, which follows a young man on a quest to find his missing girlfriend within a mysterious, walled city. The upcoming autumn season is set to be a thrilling time for both readers and writers alike.
