Two groundbreaking novels explore identity and cultural boundaries this fall

This fall brings two thought-provoking works that dive into cultural cross-roads. Dinaw Mengestuʼs next book (coming out mid-summer) takes readers to DCʼs Ethiopian-American world‚ while Olga Tokarczuk presents her take on a pre-war health resort tale

In his book “Someone Like Us“ Mengestu creates a complex story about Mamush – a Paris-based reporter who comes back home to DC suburbs. The main character finds out that Samuel (his fathers-like figure) has died; the story then moves between real memories and made-up ones as Mamush tries to understand Samuels past

The book shows DCʼs Ethiopian community life through taxi rides from Logan Circle to places near the Pentagon; its a different view of the city thats usually known for its power-centers. The story includes interesting details: photos that Mamush gets from his French wife (who takes pictures)‚ and bits about how news-writing works

Tokarczukʼs “The Empusium“ brings new life to an old tale – its her answer to Mannʼs hundred-year-old “Magic Mountain“. The story follows Mieczysław Wojnicz at a mountain resort where people speak many languages: German Romanian French and others. The writer makes the story her own by adding scary folk-tales and a strange drink that changes how people think

Here are some fresh books coming this month:

• Haruki Murakami brings “The City and Its Uncertain Walls“ about finding lost love
• “Cross“ by Austin Duffy shows life in Northern Ireland
• Juhea Kim writes about Russian ballet in “City of Night Birds“
• Yang Shuang-ziʼs “Taiwan Travelogue“ looks at 1930s stories
• Sergio De La Pava takes readers to Colombia in his crime tale

Both main books show how different worlds meet – in todays America or old-time Europe. They mix real facts with story-telling tricks to make readers think about who we are and where we come from