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Top young authors under 35
These innovative, young authors are transforming the literary landscape.
Published on July 24, 2023
Black Buck: A Novel
Mateo AskaripourAskaripour’s darkly funny satire follows a Black millennial, Darren, working in white dominated environments. Everyone expected great things from the high school valedictorian, but he’s now content to live with his mom and work as a barista. That all changes when he joins an elite sales team at a NYC tech company as the only Black employee. The new role sparks his ambition — and a whole lot of trouble. The National Book Foundation listed Askaripour as a 2023 5 under 35 honoree.
A Calm and Normal Heart: Stories
Chelsea T. HicksHicks, another National Book Foundation 5 under 35 honoree, shines a light on an oft-overlooked modern diaspora, that of young Native women searching for community and connection within a country to which they don’t entirely belong. In a mix of darkly comic and dark short stories, Hicks highlights the effects of generational trauma as well as the strength and endurance of the Osage Nation, of which the author is herself a member of as well.
Night of the Living Rez
Morgan TaltyPublishers Weekly declared “Night of the Living Rez” one of the best books of 2022, praising it as a “smart and gritty debut.” The National Book Foundation agreed, honoring Talty as a 2023 5 under 35 honoree. The novel offers a dozen interconnected stories that explore the life of narrator David and his childhood and early-adulthood on a Penobscot reservation. Themes of addiction and poverty play a strong role in David's stories, all of which give readers a glimpse of the Native American coming-of-age experience in modern America.
Lightlark
Alex AsterOnce a century, the mysterious island of Lightlark appears, setting the stage for a battle between rulers of cursed kingdoms. The prevailing ruler will set their people free, but one leader must die. Isla Crown of the Wildings is undoubtedly prepared for battle — until love complicates her chances. Aster, a 2023 Forbes 30 under 30, gained a massive following by promoting “Lightlark” on TikTok (@alex.aster). After facing rejection 16 times by publishers, “Lightlark” broke records for a YA debut novel and Universal Studios already licensed the story for the screen. A YA fantasy for fans of “The Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner” franchises.
Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World
Cole BrownAnother Forbes “30 Under 30,” Brown offers a memoir on race, class, and identity in America. He discusses growing up wealthy and Black, and how society’s view of Blackness often left him feeling like an outsider. Thoughtful and vulnerable, “Greyboy” reexamines privilege with eloquence beyond the author’s years.
Nuclear Family
Joseph Han“Nuclear Family” follows the Chos, a Korean American family from Hawaii. When Jacob Cho is caught sneaking into North Korea while teaching English abroad, his parents balance shame and fear over their son’s actions, not realizing he’s been possessed by the spirit of his late grandfather. Han’s fantastical debut uses magical realism to address loneliness, immigrant struggles, and the weight of family obligations. The National Book Foundation named Han among their 2022 “5 Under 35.”
Wandering Souls: A Novel
Cecile PinThree years after the American troops leave Vietnam, civilians are left to pick up the shattered remains of a homeland torn apart by war. Anh and two of her brothers begin a perilous journey to Hong Kong with the ultimate goal of relocating to America. Their parents and four other siblings promise to follow. However, tragedy strikes, leaving Anh the sole caretaker of her brothers. The siblings must navigate trauma, prejudice, and a new culture and language as they try to make sense of a new, lonely world. Kirkus Reviews praises Pin as “the new Didion of the Asian diaspora.”
Beautiful World, Where Are You: A Novel
Sally RooneyDubbed the “first great millennial author” by The New York Times, Rooney published her first novel (“Conversations with Friends”) at just 26. Her latest, “Beautiful World, Where Are You,” immerses readers in the complexities of desire, friendship, and sex through the lives of Irish millennials living in turbulent times. Rooney is one of Britannica’s “20 Under 40” for Literature.
I'm Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdyMcCurdy, an actress best known for playing Sam on the Nickelodeon sitcom “iCarly,” pens an honest account of child stardom under the control of an abusive mother. Darkly funny, this coming-of-age story offers hope for those struggling to overcome trauma. “I'm Glad My Mom Died” is making waves on Everand and beyond — an impressive feat for someone who became a first-time author at just 30 years old.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler: A Novel
Casey McQuistonMcQuiston may be young, but she’s making waves in the literary world with queer romances like “White, & Royal Blue” and “One Last Stop” — both favored among fans and critics. “I Kissed Shara Wheeler,” her first YA novel, is a lively and diverse high school mystery that explores heavier topics like bigotry and identity.
Maame: A Today Show Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Jessica GeorgeMaddie, the dependable one in her British Ghanaian family, finally chooses to prioritize herself and build the life she deserves. George’s novel is a coming-of-age journey featuring a vulnerable protagonist readers can simultaneously identify with and root for. Bush Hager is teaming up with Universal International Studios to develop the TV series adaptation of “Maame.”
No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram
Sarah FrierThis Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year winner covers the story of how Instagram became a worldwide phenomenon with over 1 billion users in just a decade. Frier, an early-30s tech journalist, takes readers behind the lens with those who turned the social media platform into a tool that’s altered our lives, including interviews with co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger.
Rosewater: A Novel
Liv LittleLittle, the celebrated founder of an acclaimed independent magazine for people of color from marginalized communities, pens a smart and sexy queer romance. Millennials will find a relatable character in Elsie, an independent woman who works long hours at minimum wage and often finds herself filled with existential angst. An unexpected reunion with her childhood friend, Juliet, leads to a rekindled friendship… and maybe something more? A moving coming-of-age novel that beautifully captures one queer woman’s journey of self-discovery in a challenging and complex world.
The State Must Provide: Why America's Colleges Have Always Been Unequal—and How to Set Them Right
The State Must Provide: Why America's Colleges Have Always Been Unequal—and How to Set Them Right
Adam Harris“Stamped from the Beginning” meets “The New Jim Crow” in Harris’ timely exposé of the pervasive impact of discrimination on Black students’ opportunities in American colleges. Named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2021, Harris chronicles a “century of racial caste in higher education,” detailing how inequities remain widespread on campuses across the country and how we can move forward.
Friday Black
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah“Friday Black” is a searing debut short story collection that delivers on style and substance. It skillfully weaves together elements of satire and magical realism with today’s most pressing, politically charged issues to create otherworldly tales that are haunting and achingly relevant. Forbes named Adjei-Brenyah one of the top 30 “young, creative, and bold minds” of 2020.
Luster: A Novel
Raven LeilaniThe National Book Foundation named Leilani one of its “5 Under 35” honorees in 2020 after the release of her electrifying debut novel, “Luster.” When a Black artist in her 20s starts dating a white man in an open relationship, her life quickly becomes entangled in his family’s drama.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
Mackenzi LeeForbes named Lee one of the top 30 “young, creative, and bold minds” of 2020, and Teen Vogue calls her rollicking YA novel, “The queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life.” Sparks fly when two friends embark on an 18th-century European road trip, complete with a bisexual young lord, highwaymen, pirates, and magic.
The Parisian
Isabella Hammad“The Parisian” is one of those books that reminds you how rare it is to encounter a straightforward novel executed perfectly. The story of a Palestinian man as he travels between his home country and France, it’s filled with modern parallels that are hard to miss, but there’s too much artistry and beauty in this award-winning novel to read it as a simple political allegory. Hammad is a 2019 National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree.
Really Good, Actually: A Novel
Monica HeiseyMaggie is, of course, not really fine, actually. Divorced before the age of 30 and still in graduate school, Maggie is riding millennial wit for all it’s worth as she joins online dating apps and takes up new hobbies like ax throwing in an effort to figure out what, exactly, went wrong in her relationship. (One of many reasons for the split: “because we finished watching ‘The Sopranos’ and never started ‘The Wire.’”) Marie Claire selected comedian and screenwriter Heisey’s debut novel for their February 2023 book club.