I'm Gilbert Cruz, editor of the New York Times Book Review, and this is the book review

podcast. Happy New Year, everyone. One of the fun things, one of my favorite things about

every January, of course, is thinking about the year ahead, thinking about all the books

that are going to be released. And today, I'm joined by

my fellow editor, Jumana Khatib. We're going to talk about a couple things to look forward to

in the first few months of 2025. Jumana, hi. Hi, Gilbert. How are you? Happy New Year. No,

happy New Year to you. No, so much happiness in this studio.

I'm great.

I'm happy to be back in the seat and the saddle is what people would normally say.

Yeah, either.

How did you spend the end of your 2024?

Well, I read a bunch.

Actually, I really hit a reading groove where I was almost able to even read a book a day

for like a week, which is unusual for me. Part of that is because I wasn't working as much as I

love my job, but I was just perched in the armchair next to the tree. So a lot of what I read

is coming out this year, so I'm not going to necessarily mention it, but I did read True Grit by Charles Portis.

I had never read True Grit before. I'd only read Norwood, and I loved it.

And I started the luminaries by Eleanor Katten, who won the Booker Prize for it. She also wrote Burnham Wood.

It's very different than Burnham Wood, but I'm liking it so far. Eleanor Caton, one-time guest on the Book Review podcast.

You're right. I'm sorry. I forgot that's more important than the Booker winner.

That is the number one and then you can be like all the other stuff. Did you start the luminaries

because it's about the Zodiac? No, I am a woman of a multitude of

...