I recently heard the term “auto-buy” in the book world, meaning: which authors, when they have a new book come out, will you automatically buy it? I realized my list of such authors is sadly short, not to mention outdated to the point that there may not be any opportunities to buy—automatically or not—their books ever again. Akin to making new friends as an adult, discovering new authors to whom you could attach in an auto-buy type of way feels…unlikely? Daunting? Like you’ll never find an author/new friend like the reliable standbys you’re used to?
Just as I have managed to make wonderful new friends in adulthood, I’m pleased to report that I found a new auto-buy author as well, Bruce Holsinger. I first read one of his books, The Gifted School, back in 2021. I still vividly remember spending a several-hour stretch on my couch, devouring every last word. When I read the Acknowledgments (as I religiously do), I saw that he mentioned the university where I work, which is how I discovered that we both, in fact, work for the same university. I immediately recommended The Gifted School to friends and family (and still do, to this day).
Fast-forward to 2025, when Holsinger’s fifth novel, Culpability, got selected for Oprah’s Book Club. I’m confident this book would have made its way on to my radar regardless, but Oprah, of course, catapulted it onto a different plane of publicity. As soon as I heard about its release, I eagerly bought it from my local bookseller and proceeded to read it in record time. Like The Gifted School, Culpability crafts an absolutely devourable plot with an overlay of moral/social/ethical commentary throughout. Both novels center on issues that I myself grapple with daily - admissions at an elite school and artificial intelligence - but their juicy storylines, characters’ relatable flaws, and modern-day dilemmas as presented are universal.
It was during or shortly after reading Culpability that I came to a thrilling realization: Holsinger is a new auto-buy author for me. I will read anything he writes and feel confident that I won’t be disappointed. Accordingly, I returned to my local bookseller and picked up his 2022 novel, The Displacements. Talk about modern-day dilemmas: The Displacements centers on themes of privilege, class, and climate change, and I loved it just as much as the others.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Holsinger at a bookstore event here in Charlottesville. The very first thing I asked him was “are you working on anything now?” Such is the mind of a person who has discovered a new auto-buy author in her life. And the good news is, yes, but we’ll have to wait a little while.
Happy reading—and hunting—of all the auto-buys waiting to be discovered out there.
So cool that you got to meet him! I read the Gifted School ages ago - sounds like I need to read his other books too!