Atlanta’s most anticipated books of 2010

2010 is a promising year for books any way you cut it. Big names like Don DeLillo and Jonathan Franzen will be on the shelves, Ralph Ellison’s much-storied second novel is finally being released, and younger talent like Joshua Ferris and Julie Orringer have promising new books on the way. Check out lit blogs The Millions and Conversational Reading for their great lists of books to look for 2010.

Here in Atlanta, though, we’re looking forward to a big year for books from local authors. We’re nothing less than thrilled about CL senior editor Mara Shaloup’s upcoming book, BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family. Former Wall Street Journal editor and current Habitat for Humanity board member Kevin Salwen’s book with his daughter Hannah Salwen, The Power of Half, looks to be a inspiring story of living with less. Georgia’s poet laureate David Bottoms has a new collections on the way. New novels from Blake Butler, Josh Russell, and Susan Rebecca White will round out the second half of the year.

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen. Random House. January 26. Read an excerpt.

The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Talking and Start Giving Back by Kevin and Hannah Salwen. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. February 10.

BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family by Mara Shalhoup. St. Martin’s Press. March 2. Read an excerpt.