New Releases/Forthcoming

Delacorte Press has assembled a collection of previously unpublished short stories by the late Kurt Vonnegut, which will include illustrations by the author, for publication in November 2009. The publisher has plans for a second collection of unpublished Vonnegut “writings” and a book of correspondence to and from the author. They also have acquired a  follow-up memoir by the author’s son, pediatrician Mark Vonnegut. Bantam Dell editor-in-chief Nit Taublib and editor Kerri Buckley are credited in the announcement as having “put the collection together, often comparing and contrasting many annotated drafts of individual stories.”

An assistant to the late Michael Crichton found a complete manuscript for PIRATE LATITUDES, an adventure story set in 17th century Jamaica about a plan by the Jamaican governor and a pirate named Hunter to raid a Spanish galleon, in his computer files. HarperCollins will publish that book on November 24. But the status of the thriller that Crichton was working on when he died (originally due to have been published at the end of last year, but postponed) is less clear. Neither his agent Lynn Nesbit nor editor Jonathan Burnham has seen that manuscript yet, but they are nonetheless […]

Abrams’ Amulet Books imprint has announced Jeff Kinney’s fourth installment in his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series for publication October 12. All details–cover art, title, and first printing–will “be unveiled over the next few months.”

Tor announced today that Brandon Sanderson’s much-anticipated completion of the late Robert Jordan’s unfinished final installment of the Wheel of Time series has expanded so much that it will be published in three (sizable) volumes. Having promised fans a book this year, the first part, comprising a manuscript of about 300,000 words, will be published as THE GATHERING STORM on November 3. (The next two volumes are tentatively titled SHIFTING WINDS and TARMON’GAIDON, though Sanderson notes on his blog the title of the first one changed rather quickly. Together the three installments comprise A MEMORY OF LIGHT.) Editor (and Jordan’s […]

Mitch Albom has delivered the manuscript for HAVE A LITTLE FAITH: A True Story of a Last Request, for publication this September. “It all started with the question: How does a nonreligious person like me do a eulogy?” It is his first work of nonfiction since the 1997 bestseller TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE. The Detroit Free Press reports, “Albom explains there are three central characters: One is an inner-city pastor who was a criminal in Detroit before turning his life around and taking over a church that helps homeless people. The second character is a 90-year-old rabbi from the suburbs of […]

Grand Central imprint Business Plus will release an account of the economic crisis by Henry Paulson, former Secretary of the Treasury and CEO of Goldman Sachs, this October. According to a statement issued Wednesday by Business Plus, the untitled book will “include Paulson’s personal recollections of key moments and decisions” and “will also include his insights on what has happened since he left office.” In a telephone interview with the AP, Paulson said: “I didn’t come to Washington thinking I was going to leave and write a book, but this period was so significant and there are so many insights […]