Elaine Chung

As the pandemic continues to disrupt film and television releases, there remains one entertainment constant we can all count on: new books. By and large, the latest and greatest books are continuing to hit shelves as planned, meaning that when it comes to your literary entertainment diet, you’ll never go hungry. Now that we’ve turned the page to 2021, we’re in for another fantastic year in books, beginning with this winter’s stunning slate of new releases. Our favorite books of the season come from authors both emerging and established, meditating on everything from life online to life in the intersections of identity. Set everywhere from the all-too-real world to the distant past, and even peering into the speculative future, they offer escape, education, and spiritual enlargement—whatever you’re looking for.