It’s been nearly a decade since the novel Pachinko mesmerized readers with its sweeping yet intimate portrayal of several generations of a Korean family beset by troubles both personal and political. The epic became a bestseller and a book club favorite, was named a finalist for the National Book Award in 2017, and was adapted into a well-reviewed series on Apple TV+. Fans of the book, eager to explore more of Min Jin Lee’s work, turned to her first novel, Free Food for Millionaires (2007), then waited. Where was the next novel?
Well, the wait is over. Cardinal publishes the highly anticipated American Hagwon at the end of the month. In the cover story of our Sept. 15 issue, Lee explains to contributor Hannah Bae why the long gestation period was crucial to her project. To better understand hagwon, the Korean tutoring centers—sometimes pejoratively called “cram schools”—that are at the center of this saga of Korean American strivers, Lee spent several years visiting these institutions and talking to people about them.
“I want to create works of fiction that last,” Lee tells Kirkus. “I really want to build things of quality. And I also want to be accurate and fair to the people that I love.”
Early readers agree that American Hagwon was worth waiting for. In a starred review, the Kirkus reviewer writes, “The author’s wisdom is a gift to her readers.” And wisdom doesn’t develop overnight.
In this jampacked fall publishing season, there are several long-overdue new books from popular authors. Here are just a few:
The Brightness by Chad Harbach (Little, Brown, Sept. 29): Back in 2011, a lot of ink was spilled over the debut novel by a 30-something editor at the literary journal n+1. The Art of Fielding followed a promising young outfielder on a baseball scholarship to fictional Westish College; this sequel, 15 years in the making, returns readers to Westish, where the president’s daughter has returned to town engaged to a former Harpooner who is now a coach and assistant athletic director at the college. Our starred review calls it “brilliant, poignant, and absorbing.”
The Only Thing There Is To Want: A Memoir of Three Loves by Sarah Hepola (Dial Press, Sept. 29): Hepola found critical acclaim and bestsellerdom with her 2015 debut, Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank To Forget, a memorable account of alcoholism. Eleven years later she’s back with this memoir of her romantic life and the three men—a former friend, a younger factory worker, and a detective—who shaped her life and eluded her grasp. Our starred review calls it “a brilliant autopsy of loves lost.”
What Could Possibly Go Right?: The Essential Journey To Scale an Enduring Culture by Danny Meyer (Random House, Sept. 29): In 2006, the celebrated restaurateur behind Union Square Café and Shake Shack hit the bestseller list with Setting the Table, which outlined his company’s approach to “enlightened hospitality.” Now, 20 years later, Meyer returns with further lessons from his journey—especially how fear of failure can hamper a business. Our review calls it “worthy reading for budding entrepreneurs”—not to mention anyone who’s eaten at one of Meyer’s restaurants.
Tom Beer is the editor-in-chief.
