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A curious convergence of fiction and reality happened to me during the Kavanaugh-Ford Senate public hearings in early September. At the time, I was reading Those Who Knew, a novel by Idra Novey out November 6. In the book, a woman cradles damning knowledge about a rising star politician. Lena and the politician, Victor, had been involved decades earlier, and Lena still remembers his violent treatment of her acutely. Does Lena come forward, even if she knows she might be squashed in the process, or does she remain silent?
Looking back, I recognize how much Novey's book actually helped me through the emotional tumult of watching the hearings. That's part of the magic of books. As much as they can transport us away from our lives, they also help us make sense of them.
These are the most spell-binding releases of November, with a genre for everyone.
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