Wish List Wednesday: March

As most of the U.S. continues to freeze its collective buns off, spring cannot come soon enough for many. But while we wait for the seasons to change, bookstores are preparing for an onslaught of a different sort. Like a rapid snowmelt, the number of March books rushing toward store shelves is huge. While there are many noteworthy titles debuting this month, here are five to add to your wish list.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
(March 3, Knopf)
Available via hardcover, ebook and audio
One of the most talked-about books this year, Ishiguro's novel is about an elderly couple trying to find their son. As they head toward their son's village, they embark on an adventure through mystical Arthurian England. The book focuses on themes of memories lost and found, love and war. The novel has already received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly as well as being named to the Indie Next List, though the New York Times and Goodreads reviewers have been more mixed.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
by Erik Larson
(March 10, Crown)
Available via hardcover, ebook and audio
Larson is one of the best in writing narrative nonfiction histories. After showing readers The Devil in the White City and taking them In the Garden of Beasts, he turns his attention to the sinking of the Lusitania. The centennial of the sinking is this year and was a turning point in American involvement in World War I. The book was also given a starred review at Kirkus and was named to both the Indies Next and LibraryReads lists for March.

World Gone By by Dennis Lehane
(March 10, William Morrow)
Available via hardcover, ebook and audio
Lehane continues the story of Joe Coughlin from 2012's Live by Night as he tries to put his violent past behind him. Unfortunately for Coughlin, the past still haunts him and his connections to crime in Tampa, including the mob, will again weigh on him. Lehane is a master at crime fiction and has been a recent favorite for Hollywood adaptations (Gone Baby Gone, The Drop, Mystic River). World Gone By did receive a starred review from Kirkus.

The Lost Boys Symphony by Mark Andrew Ferguson
(March 24, Little, Brown)
Available via hardcover, ebook and audio
There's always those moments in life that you'd rather have back. In the case of Henry, he is visited by alternate future versions of himself, one dubbed 41 and the other 80. Meanwhile, the girl that left Henry for NYU, Val, is readjusting to life in Manhattan and Henry's best friend Gabe is worried for him. The story is a coming-of-age tale fused with romance, music and fantasy. In the interest of full disclosure, I was privileged to receive an advanced review copy of this book and a review is forthcoming.

Around the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth by Albert Podell
(March 24, Thomas Dunne)
Available via hardcover and ebook
In recent years, I have been bit by the travel bug hard and started charting where in the world I'd want to visit. For Podell, there was no chart, because he sought to visit every country. In the book, he travels all over the world and details the places, people and culture (even going so far as to rate countries by toilet paper). The book is an irreverent take on travel literature. At press time, there was no word on an audiobook version.

With as many books as there are coming out in March, I'm sure there are others to be excited about? What did I miss? Is there a book you're interested in reading this month?