21 of the best new books to look out for in 2024

In our latest podcast, hosts Jo and James are joined by journalist Alex Clark to discuss the books – many of them by Booker-nominated authors – that we should all keep an eye out for this year

The Booker Prize Podcast is back after a festive hiatus – and what better way to start the year than with a rundown of some of the most anticipated reads of 2024. This week, Jo Hamya and James Walton are joined by journalist and former Booker judge Alex Clark to discuss the books they can’t wait to get their hands on this year.

Between them they have selected 21 titles, including fiction and non-fiction, the majority of them written by authors who have been nominated for the Booker Prize or International Booker Prize in the past.

Their selections include:

Long Island by Colm Tóibín, the Irish author’s long-awaited sequel to Brooklyn, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2009 and adapted into an Oscar-nominated film in 2015.

Parade by Rachel Cusk, described as a ‘path-breaking’ novel about art, womanhood and violence, from the two-time Booker Prize longlistee and author of the acclaimed Outline trilogy.

Knife by Salman Rushdie, a deeply personal account of the attempted murder of the seven-time Booker-nominated author in 2022, and its aftermath. A book that is certain to make headlines around the world.

My Heavenly Favourite by Lucas Rijneveld, the new novel by the winner of the 2020 International Booker Prize and one of Europe’s most powerful voices, described by Max Porter as ‘one of the boldest writers alive today’.

James by Percival Everett, a ferociously funny reimagining of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from Jim’s point of view. Everett’s most recent book, The Trees, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2022.

The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain by Kazuo Ishiguro, a collection of song lyrics written for the American jazz singer Stacey Kent, by the author of The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go.

Parasol Against the Axe by Helen Oyeyemi, a love letter to the city of Prague by the 2018 International Booker Prize judge and author of White is for Witching and Mr Fox.

Fourteen Days, a collaborative novel set in a New York tenement during the pandemic, with each chapter written by a different author. Contributors include Dave Eggers, 2010 Booker Prize shortlistee Emma Donoghue, Erica Jong, John Grisham and Celeste Ng, and the book is co-edited by two-time Booker winner Margaret Atwood.

Click the link below to find out more about the books above, and to discover which other titles you should be adding to your TBR pile this year.