Today in Bookish and Literary History, January 3

 1660 Crusoe builds breastworks around his habitation


1846 Loss of Breath by Edgar Allan Poe - US ⭐⭐ (My Review)

This darkly comedic tale follows the plight of a man who mysteriously loses his breath and embarks on a twisted journey to reclaim it.


2023 Sam by Allegra Goodman - US

The simplicity of this tender, emotionally honest novel is what makes it so powerful. Sam by Allegra Goodman will break your heart, but will also leave you full of hope.


2023 Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan - US

Set during the early years of Sri Lanka’s three-decade civil war, Brotherless Night is a heartrending portrait of one woman’s moral journey and a testament to both the enduring impact of war and the bonds of home.

  • Winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction


2023 The New Life by Tom Crewe - UK

London, 1894. After a lifetime navigating his desires, John, married to Catherine, has met Frank. Meanwhile, Henry's wife Edith has fallen for Angelica. A shared vision for the future brings John and Henry together to write a revolutionary book in defiance of convention and the law. Their daring book threatens to throw John and Henry, and all those around them, into danger. How far should they go to win personal freedoms? And how high a price are they willing to pay for a new way of living?

  • Longlisted for HWA Crown Awards
  • Shortlisted for the Nero Book Awards
  • Winner of the Orwell Prize
  • Shortlisted for the Polari Prize
  • Winner of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards
  • Winner of tehe Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award
  • Winner of the Betty Trask Prize and Awards Betty Trask Prize
  • Shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize


2025 Everlasting by Sara Fanfarillo - Italy

In a story woven with mystery, legacy, and the unpredictable turns of fate, Everlasting is a novel where nothing is coincidence, and everything is connected. The truth may be buried, but Kendall is about to uncover a power that will change everything.

  • International Impact Book Awards 2025 - Fantasy
  • Regal Summit Book Award 2025 - Young Adult
  • NYC Big Book Award - Distinguished Favorite 2025 - Fantasy


2025 Into the Mist by Sharon Mikeworth - US

Cheyenne Tanner, a woman who has lost everything, journeys down a road shrouded in mist and stumbles upon an abandoned home. The aging house, once a grand Victorian mansion, is now in decline with leaning posts on an overgrown property.

  • Recipient of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award


2026 What Happened That Summer by Laura Pearson - US

A truly unique and unforgettable story, set in 1990s Los Angeles and rural England, with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. You’ll be gripped!

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