As the Oronsay sets sail for 21 days from Ceylon to England, three pre-teen boys find themselves assigned to the Cat’s Table—the table farthest from the Captain’s Table. Mynah, Cassius, and Ramadhin manage to get into plenty of trouble, but they also spy out the secrets of an eclectic collection of passengers. This much-anticipated novel for adults, by award-winning Canadian Ondaatje, is bound to be a favorite of many. (Knopf)