AFTER LAZY DAYS of reading fat thrillers on the beach, it’s time to get serious with the annual fall reading bonanza when publishers release all their marquee names, big stars, and prize contenders. The good news: serious does not mean dull. Expect stars to return in top form (Charles Frazier, Lee Child), stunning debuts (Chad Harbach, Erin Morgenstern), juicy political memoirs (Condoleezza Rice on her WH years), sweeping history (Simon Sebag Montefiore on Jerusalem, Robert Hughes on Rome), charming celebrity memoirs (Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins), and more. We’ve sifted through the avalanche to identify 21 books you won’t want to miss.
