Jim Carrey’s ‘Memoirs’ and Kaufman’s novel top our list
In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’S Barbara Vandenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
1. “Antkind” by Charlie Kaufman (Random House, fiction, on sale July 7)
What it’s about: The Oscarwinning screenwriter of the singular “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich” releases his first novel, a 700-plus-page postmodern tome about a neurotic film critic who discovers what is possibly the greatest movie ever made.
The buzz: A starred review in Kirkus Reviews calls it “a wonderfully inventive yarn – and a masterwork of postmodern storytelling.” 2. “Memoirs and Misinformation” by Jim Carrey and Dana Vachon (Knopf, fiction, on sale July 7)
What it’s about: Actor and artist Carrey pairs with a coauthor for his wild fiction debut. Yes, it’s about a movie star also named Jim Carrey, but this chaotic deconstruction of persona is no milquetoast celebrity memoir.
The buzz: Publishers Weekly calls it “a cartoonish fever dream darkened by middleage loneliness and existential terror.” 3. “The Heir Affair” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (Grand Central, fiction, on sale July 7)
What it’s about: From the hilarious writers of celebrity fashion site Go Fug Yourself comes the follow-up to their winning “The Royal We.” After marrying the heir to the throne, Rebecca “Bex” Porter adjusts to life in the British royal family and must survive her own scandal.
The buzz: “Royal watchers and tabloid devotees will devour this juicy look behind the gilded curtain of palace life,” says Kirkus Reviews. 4. “The Son of Good Fortune” by Lysley Tenorio (Ecco, fiction, on sale July 7)
What it’s about: An undocumented Filipino teenager in the U.S. struggles with his past and identity, and to make amends with his mother, in a compassionate novel that explores the challenges Filipino migrants face.
The buzz: A eeee review for USA TODAY calls it a “sharp and compassionate debut novel.”
5. “The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands” by Jon Billman (Grand Central, nonfiction, on sale July 7)
What it’s about: In-depth and true-life accounts of people who have vanished in the wild without a trace and the families they left behind, who are desperate for closure.
The buzz: “A compassionate, sympathetic, and haunting book sure to make you think twice before stepping out into the wilderness alone,” says a starred review in Kirkus Reviews.