Today in Bookish and Literary History, January 27

 2000 White Teeth by Zadie Smith - UK

At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn’t quite match her name (Jamaican for “no problem”). Samad’s late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal’s every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith.

• The 2000 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction
• The 2000 Whitbread Book Award in category best first novel
• The Guardian First Book Award
• The Commonwealth Writers First Book Prize
• The Betty Trask Award.

2026 A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen - Australia

A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor’s murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

2026 Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden - US

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did.

2026 My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney - UK

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

2026 On Morrison by Namwali Serpell - US/Zambia

An illuminating, electrifying exploration of the work of Toni Morrison by an award-winning novelist and Harvard professor

2026 Winter White by Annie Cardi - US

A bold and authentic reimagining of The Winter’s Tale full of tragedy, triumph, and forbidden romance—perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Kathleen Glasgow, and Sarah Dessen.

2026 The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Ryan Douglass - US

From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass comes a gripping and tender reimagining of The Great Gatsby about the pursuit of happiness—and love—in a society built on cruelty and secrets.

2026 Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart - US

Based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, this powerful and shockingly timely story of resistance and resilience exposes the real government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.

2026 The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek - FR

When the Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, they were not expecting the Finns to fight back – much less to prevail. Olivier Norek's riveting, heart-pounding, epic historical thriller is a story of barely imaginable courage, astonishing resilience, and the best sniper the world has ever seen.

2026 With Love from Harlem by ReShonda Tate - US

From The Queen of Sugar Hill author ReShonda Tate—a new novel inspired by beloved Harlem jazz performer Hazel Scott and the equal parts exhilarating and tumultuous relationship that changed the course of her life.

2026 A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang - China/US

A dark, magical realist debut family saga that moves through the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, the Cultural Revolution, and the present day to explore the effects of intergenerational trauma, the legacy of colonialism, and the inescapability of fate.