Today in Bookish and Literary History, September 28

1959 Edward Franklin Albee's play "Zoo Story" premieres in Berlin

A harrowing depiction of a young man alienated from the human race- a searing story of loneliness and the desperate need for recognition that builds to a violent, shattering climax. Together, these plays show men and women at their most hilarious, heartbreaking, and above all, human.

2010 Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new illustrated collection of animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life.

2016 “The Night Cyclist” by Stephen Graham Jones

It is a horror novelette about a middle-aged chef whose nightly bicycle ride home is interrupted by an unexpected encounter.

2020 One Arranged Murder by Chetan Bhagat

Keshav has set up an investigation agency with his best friend, Saurabh. Can the two amateur detectives successfully solve another murder case that affects them personally? And where will it leave their friendship?

2021 Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

The novel centers around an Ancient Greek codex that links characters from fifteenth-century Constantinople, present-day Idaho, and a twenty-second-century starship.

• Winner of the Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine
• Finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction
• Longlisted for the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction