Carola Lovering
[isbn]
This addictive part coming-of-age, part romance, and part emotional thriller takes place in the background of seeing an ex at a wedding. The story is told from two perspectives, the past and the present, showing the cycle of Lucy and Stephen's toxic yet thrilling relationship.
Recommended by Emma C.
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Therese Anne Fowler
[isbn]
When the Whitman family moves into the quiet Oak Knoll neighborhood, they have finally achieved ultimate success: home, family, and happiness. But their arrival causes the unraveling of a chain of events, and there is no stopping what is on its way. Narrated by a Greek chorus of neighbors, who see all and know all, they are nonetheless drawn into the vortex that the Whitmans create, and the scene is set for an explosion. Fowler writes a timely... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Simon Garfield
[isbn]
I'm obsessed with all things miniature, and I know I'm not alone. Teeny tiny things are magical, mesmerizing, and adorable. This book delves into our collective obsession with the miniature, from dollhouses to tiny scenes in snow globes, model trains to mini food, and everything in between. Looking through the lens of the miniature makes us feel more powerful in an uncertain, chaotic world, and who among us doesn't want that?
Recommended by April L.
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Jonathan Safran Foer
[isbn]
A thoughtful and urgent examination of climate change anxiety and how we can — and must — overcome it to take action.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Alex Kotlowitz
[isbn]
Alex Kotlowitz profiles individuals facing grave threats, unimaginable anguish, and impossible choices. He does it with a calm, clear eye that cuts through noise and coveys the deep humanity of his subjects. Kotlowitz is one of the best journalists in America, as this book clearly demonstrates.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Nabila Lovelace
[isbn]
In Sons of Achilles, Lovelace deals in inherited violence — that which is passed down from our families, our countries, our cultures, our lovers, our myths — a violence which threads itself through every facet of our lives. I am particularly drawn to the relationship between violence and intimacy in these poems, the expression of love as violence: What can it mean that even (or especially) love is expressed through violence? How do we... (read more)
Recommended by Darla M.
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Jericho Brown
[isbn]
I don't have words for how amazing this collection of poetry is, except to say that every word in it is a revelation. I read these poems again and again, and the best thing I can say is that it refreshed my heart and made me feel less alone, which is maybe the most important thing we can ask language to do.
Recommended by Tim B.
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Regina Porter
[isbn]
This book goes all over the place — Georgia, Germany, Coney Island, New Hampshire, France, and back again — looping around two families, black and white, across five decades. The result is a stunning novel that grabs hold of big questions and doesn't let go: What does it mean to be a family? Can you outrun the past, and should you try? Who gets to belong in this messed-up, beautiful country we call America?
Recommended by Tim B.
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Sarah Perry
[isbn]
Sarah Perry’s beautiful novels richly reward the patient reader. Her world building is lavish and precise; though her prose often tilts into poetry, her characters are crystalline, giving the writing a paradoxical quality that is both ornate and bare. This confusion between what is exposed and what only imagined drives the wonderfully creepy Melmoth, in which a fabled wanderer combs the world for human wickedness, doling out consolation... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Liane Moriarty
[isbn]
Nine strangers meet at a health spa in a remote part of Australia. Moriarty works her magic once again, with empathetic characterization, taut narrative, and heart-pounding suspense. Meet the washed-up romance novelist, the family of three, and the rest of this disparate group.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Lisa Brennan Jobs
[isbn]
You will be shocked by what you read about Steve Jobs in this beautifully rendered literary memoir by his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs. You will be equally stunned by the author’s insight and honesty. I’m recommending Small Fry to everyone I know. Vivid, compelling, ambitious — it’s the full package.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Maxwell King
[isbn]
Maxwell King’s The Good Neighbor is a comprehensive biography of Fred Rogers, the beloved host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. King paints a vivid portrait of a man who was dedicated to embodying and exemplifying the very ideals he strove to instill in others — especially children.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Chuck Palahniuk
[isbn]
Adjustment Day is the Palahniuk book that 2018 requires. A satire in his typical style, this book is disturbing, uncomfortable, and nearly impossible to put down. Comparisons to Fight Club are inevitable, but I stuck with Adjustment Day for its relevance to the current news cycle, and it didn't disappoint.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Stephen Markley
[isbn]
Stephen Markley’s remarkable debut novel, Ohio, is a Rust Belt tale of longing and loss, desperation and despair. With empathy and compassion, Markley chronicles the bottoming out of the so-called American Dream. It's a painful (yet beautifully written) story for our current age of widespread anxiety and anguish.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Jill Lepore
[isbn]
These Truths is an expansive and comprehensive history of the United States. With a painstaking attention to the voices rarely heard in the discourse of the nation's history, Jill Lepore focuses on the bloody bondage of African Americans, the silencing of women, and the struggles of the oppressed in the great American experiment. Exhaustive and engaging, Truths asks its readers to consider the consequences of democracy and... (read more)
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Susan Orlean
[isbn]
Just as she did with The Orchid Thief, Orlean tells a true story that has the page-turning appeal of great fiction. This time her focus is a devastating fire that struck the LA library in 1986, and it serves as a launchpad for a riveting journey into the history of LA, public spaces, and the vital role of libraries themselves.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Ijeoma Oluo
[isbn]
Oluo is an excellent guide through the explosive terrain of 21st-century race relations, providing clear explanations of the many ways American society is structured to empower white people, particularly men. Arguing that a person can be complicit in a racist society without being an explicitly bad or racist person, Oluo takes some of the sting out of a conversation that rightly places the onus on white citizens to take the lead in confronting... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Natalie C Parker
[isbn]
Captain Caledonia Styx returns in this Mad Max-esque futuristic celebration of sisterhood on the high seas! Fresh off a failed attempt to take out the man who killed her family, all Caledonia wants is to fight her way back to her crew. But when she finds herself in the midst of a group of defectors from the dictator who pulls the world’s strings, she may end up fighting her way to revolution. This joyous, thrilling series is not to be... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Carlos Ruiz Zafon
[isbn]
I loved this so much I carried all 848 pages both to and from NYC on a recent trip. It's the last of the series that started with The Shadow of the Wind, but it certainly stands alone as an epic, gripping read. Alicia Gris is a conflicted secret agent of the Franco regime sent back to her native Barcelona in search for a missing state official. Nothing is at it seems in the dark world of Franco's Spain. Alicia follows clues that lead her... (read more)
Recommended by Kathi K.
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Abbi Jacobson
[isbn]
Abbi Jacobson is well known for her hit show Broad City, but in this wonderful collection of essays she proves to be a powerful and emotional force as an author. Written while navigating the trials of heartbreak, I Might Regret This will resonate with anyone who has experienced the messiness of love's disappointment. Honest and hilarious, this collection is sure to delight fans of Broad City and avid memoir readers.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Samantha Hunt, Maggie Nelson
[isbn]
Samantha Hunt's amazing first novel, The Seas, has been out of print for several years; I am so happy that Tin House has republished it in this gorgeous new edition, so that a whole new group of readers can enjoy Hunt's graceful, brilliant prose. The Seas is a beautiful and feverish tale of grief, love, and magic narrated by a possible mermaid. Hunt's unique voice and vision are intoxicating.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Marc Hamer
[isbn]
In this quiet, respectful, and inspiring tome, Hamer uses moles as a framework for his philosophy on nature and life, incorporating prose, poetry and even illustrations. Part natural observation, part memoir of a life spent mostly outdoors, How to Catch a Mole is 100% delightful.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Maja Säfström
[isbn]
An engaging compendium of animal facts (bats give birth upside down! parrots name their young!) accompanied by playful ink drawings, Maja Säfström’s Amazing Facts About Baby Animals is a delightful way to celebrate the world’s diversity while refueling on fascinating conversation starters for all those holiday parties.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Jane Leavy
[isbn]
Babe Ruth takes Manhattan, and the rest of the country, by storm in The Big Fella. Using the lens of a 21-day exhibition cash-grab, reporter Jane Leavy reveals Ruth as the man who created the celebrity/pitch-person persona that dominates modern culture. Forced from a dysfunctional home by an unfit set of parents, Ruth both bucked authority over his actions and looked for acceptance in the grandstands where his every at-bat was cherished.... (read more)
Recommended by Bill L.
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Paulina Flores
[isbn]
Paulina Flores’s debut is a remarkably accomplished collection that centers on the singular pain that comes with humiliation, despite the varied circumstances that lead to it. Flores skillfully varies voice and form, but the collection is unified and consistently engaging — exactly what I look for in a short story collection.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Mark Savage
[isbn]
This is a genre-bending novel featuring a narrator who attempts to review a series of movies that don't exist. What first begins with a series of academic footnotes about notable films throughout history becomes an obsessive journey into his mind and life, revealing a personal history that overwhelms and challenges the reviews themselves. This book will appeal to fans of Nabokov's Pale Fire, Jorge Luis Borges, film history and theory,... (read more)
Recommended by Ariel K.
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Lisa Taddeo
[isbn]
A work of engrossing literary excellence that will disturb and entrance readers, Lisa Taddeo's Three Women is at its core about women's desire but is a painstaking achievement in nonfiction. I wouldn't hesitate to compare it's influence to Truman Capote's In Cold Blood; this is a book others will fail to hold a candle to for years to come.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Robin Kelley
[isbn]
A scholarly tome about the High Priest of Modern Jazz. Robin Kelley's masterfully told, rich tapestry of Monk's life is pure genius. A must-read for every jazz
aficionado. Tremendous!
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Stanley Crouch
[isbn]
Saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker is likely to remain the most important jazz
musician ever! His influence was huge, yet his life was tragic, lasting only 34 years. Crouch brings Parker's biography and times to life.
I enjoyed this so much! Sadly, the second volume, about Parker's years in New York, has yet to
be published. Bird Lives!
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Heather Corinna, Luke Howard, Isabella Rotman
[isbn]
This book goes over an uncomfortable topic and presents it in a way that is relatable and super easy to understand. I love that this is a graphic novel, because a lot of what happens during puberty is visual and can be the root of a lot of self-hatred. But this book reminds the reader that everyone feels weird at this age and that's OK. I wish I had this book growing up.
Recommended by Rose H.
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guojing
[isbn]
Come in from the rain, curl up by the fire, and prepare to be enchanted. A lonely, adorably scruffy dog meets a kind, sweetly patient human in this beyond gorgeous wordless story. I want to wrap this book up in a warm, weepy hug, and I know this book will hug me right back.
Recommended by Christine R.
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Davina Bell, Allison Colpoys
[isbn]
An important reminder for readers of all ages that there are so many wonderful ways to be smart. Vibrant colors and charming whimsical illustrations fill the pages with character, and the rhythmic, rhyming text makes it a delight to read out loud. A necessary and joyful celebration of all the different things that we can do, from"reading, writing, spelling" to "caring, sharing, scaring" to my personal favorite "drawing very pointy stars."
Recommended by Sarah R.
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Joseph E Stiglitz
[isbn]
Columbia University economist Joseph Stiglitz has written another lucid, easy-to-understand assessment of the U.S.'s political economy since the Trump era. Stiglitz organizes his latest work into two parts: the first is his exegesis of the problems of massive inequality in America and the economy's poor performance, which he argues has been caused by globalization and the financialization of the U.S. economy since the Reagan era. In the second... (read more)
Recommended by Manuel H.
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Jaquira Diaz
[isbn]
Jaquira Díaz’s beautiful memoir is harrowing and haunting. Her stories of a horrendous childhood, a rebellious adolescence, and their lasting repercussions into her adulthood are leavened by the reassurance found in an authorial voice that guides the reader with a true survivor’s knowing generosity.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Maurizio Torchio, Anne Milano Appel
[isbn]
An unflinchingly difficult look at one man's life of crime, imprisonment, and finally, solitary confinement. Solitary is a deeply disturbing and complex exploration of the intersections between crime and punishment, and asks timely questions about the ethics and consequences of isolating human beings from each other. A challenging and rewarding read.
Recommended by Darla M.
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Adam Rex and Claire Keane
[isbn]
Adam Rex — author of the utterly amazing Nothing Rhymes With Orange, among many others — brings us the hilarious, thoughtful, surprisingly poignant story of a curious little girl and a villain who wants to take over the world. (Why? To cover it in yarn, mostly.) Why? is the perfect book for anyone with a "why" child (or who is a "why?" adult), or wants, in the funniest way possible, to get beyond the binary of good guys and bad... (read more)
Recommended by Jill O.
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Elly Griffiths
[isbn]
Elly Griffiths writes a spooky ghost story and a chilling murder mystery tangled into one creepy novel. Set in a school on the moors of rural England, with a haunted mansion and plenty of intrigue, The Stranger Diaries is framed by a sinister horror story, and absolutely every character is hiding something. Peppered throughout with literary references and — surprisingly — some spot-on humor, this is the brilliant gothic/ghost/school... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Aislinn Hunter
[isbn]
The World Before Us is a complex story about the disappearances of a young woman and a small girl into the same forest over 100 years apart. Based partially on an actual event involving Alfred Lord Tennyson, and narrated effectively by a chorus of dead inmates from a long-defunct local lunatic asylum, this novel deftly examines memory, social status, mental illness, self, and human nature. Trying desperately to understand what has... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Josh Malerman
[isbn]
Bird Box is the scariest book I have read in years and I have read many scary books. I jumped out of my chair while reading it when my wife came home unexpectedly one evening. It's not for the fainthearted.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Rey Terciero, Bre Indigo
[isbn]
I loved this modern-day retelling of Little Women! Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy highlights real issues faced by women and girls growing up today. The story touches on important themes of identity and social justice — all while telling a great story. All of the girls have strong personalities, and most little women will be able to see themselves reflected in at least one of the March sisters.
Recommended by Alexa S.
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James Baldwin
[isbn]
Wow, Giovanni's Room really ripped my heart out — and I loved every minute of it! Baldwin's distinctly American story is set in Paris, and the "most romantic city in the world" is an effective backdrop for this devastating exploration of repressed sexuality and squandered love, an exploration that is inspiring in its honest representation of American masculinity, bisexuality, and what's at stake in the battle between fear and love.
Recommended by Darla M.
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Mark Dunn
[isbn]
A series of letters between family members in times when language and
alphabet usage is restricted and punishable by banishment.As the letters of
the alphabet are banned, the author stops using them while still telling a
wonderful tale.
Recommended by Angelo R.
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Kai Cheng Thom and Kai Yun Ching
[isbn]
No matter how Miu Lan changes or who they become, their mother always loves them unconditionally! This fantastical and beautifully illustrated story is perfect for nonbinary and gender-nonconforming kids and their loved ones.
Recommended by Leanna M.
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Michael Sussman, Julia Sarda
[isbn]
When a giant snake comes out of young Duckworth's closet and swallows him whole, his parents refuse to believe it. After all, Duckworth is a difficult child, and it is best to ignore the fantasies of difficult children. With no help from his parents, Duckworth must take matters into his own hands before his cousin is swallowed as well! Dry humor and delightful illustrations, reminiscent of Edward Gorey, make this book a satisfying read for... (read more)
Recommended by Leanna M.
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Cynthia Hand and Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
[isbn]
My favorite retelling of Jane Eyre! In My Plain Jane, Charlotte Brontë goes to school with Jane, there are ghosts (and a pre-Victorian Ghostbusters-esque society), and Jane's best friend is a dead girl who gives snarky, feminist critiques of Rochester's somewhat problematic approach to romance. This dynamic trio of authors — Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows — brilliantly handles this beloved classic with... (read more)
Recommended by Joanna S.
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Sonia Hartl
[isbn]
Sonia Hartl's Have a Little Faith in Me is one of the funniest books I've read this year. Internet humor has taught me how to read jokes without moving a single facial muscle, but this book had me laughing out loud (really) in public. Not only does it have one of my very favorite romantic tropes — fake dating! — but it also explores real issues like consent in the context of modern day religion. Hartl's writing is dynamic, comedic,... (read more)
Recommended by Joanna S.
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Americas Test Kitchen Kids , Maddie Frost
[isbn]
This interactive board book is a favorite with my kids. They love pretending to help make these adorable cupcakes. My daughter's favorite page is where she has to shake the book to mix everything together. So much giggling! I love that it encourages helping out while also engaging the imagination. If your kids liked Press Here by Hervé Tullet, they will love Stir Crack Whisk Bake.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Stephen Fry
[isbn]
Told as a seamless story, Stephen Fry's Mythos is a complete set of ancient myths presented in an easy and fun to read format. More than a mere retelling of bygone tales, Fry draws connections between ancient mythological characters and modern culture. A fascinating read for anyone interested in etymology, cultural references and, of course, mythological gods and monsters.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Michael Mahin, Jose Ramirez
[isbn]
Follow rock legend Carlos Santana’s musical journey with the vibrant colors of Ramirez’s Mexican folk art-influenced illustrations on every page. A glorious introduction to a guitar hero culminating at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Emily Kendal Frey
[isbn]
There are few books I return to as frequently as I do Sorrow Arrow. It's the kind of book you pick up when you want to read a single page or even a single line to carry you through the day, but it's also the kind of book that, once you've picked it up, you're likely to read cover to cover in one sitting. Frey's lines are sharp as the titular arrow — they lodge themselves deep, and while yes, some of them are likely to bring the sharp... (read more)
Recommended by Darla M.
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Magda Szabo
[isbn]
The Door is an astonishing novel. It left me speechless, reeling, heart between my teeth. Szabo's characters are so real, so lived in, so particular and surprising in the way that everyone is particular and surprising, if only we had the time and the perceptive capacities to see each other clearly, wholly, without judgement or fear. Her story is truly unlike anything I've read. If I were the kind of person to throw around words like... (read more)
Recommended by Darla M.
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Christopher Leonard
[isbn]
Christopher Leonard’s thoroughly reported telling of the rise and impacts of Koch Industries is a tremendous achievement. The personal, business, and political lives of Charles Koch are all clearly elucidated alongside an explanation of his staggering influence on the American corporate and political landscapes.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Joy Williams
[isbn]
Strange, haunting, esoteric, unlike anything I've read before or since — Williams is a gem, and Changeling is not to be overlooked.
Recommended by Darla M.
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Ben Hatke
[isbn]
It’s the intergalactic team-up you’ve been waiting for! Jack and Zita have both had their share of adventures, but it will take all of their combined experience, cleverness, and heart (not to mention their friends!) to take down the army of giants and screeds knocking at Earth’s cosmic door.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Mary Ruefle
[isbn]
I came late to Mary Ruefle's poetry, influenced by her many passionate admirers among the Powell's staff. Her language is at times unadorned, somewhat like W. S. Merwin's, filled with grace, revelatory juxtapositions, and the beauty of the natural world. If you haven't yet read her, let the extraordinary Dunce, her 19th collection, be your starting point as well.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Sharon Olds
[isbn]
Sharon Olds is one of the most prestigious and critically acclaimed living American poets today, and her latest collection (her 15th!), Arias, contains some of her strongest, most distinct verse to date. Ranging in subject from birth to the modern TV to language itself, Olds illuminates the universal through the particular.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Barbara Natterson Horowitz, Kathryn Bowers
[isbn]
Safety. Status. Sex. Self-Reliance. Wildhood argues that mastering these four things are the markers of maturity. Using four different species (penguin, hyena, blue whale, and wolf), in addition to humans, the authors demonstrate how adolescent behaviors pertaining to these four competencies are universal, and have been in existence from the beginning. A fascinating, easily readable book, Wildhood is a MUST-READ for teachers,... (read more)
Recommended by Beth C.
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Liz Phair
[isbn]
Always integrating her life into art, Horror Stories is Liz Phair’s collection of heartfelt and candid essays. She reflects on key moments that have continued to linger in her memory: her grandmother’s death, giving birth, and others.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Philip Pullman
[isbn]
The Secret Commonwealth continues the adventure and brilliant world-building of The Book of Dust, as a college-age Lyra sets out to learn more about Dust, and a city in the desert said to be haunted by daemons. But Lyra, Pantalaimon, and Malcolm Polstead will all pay the toll for the secrets revealed.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Erin Gleeson
[isbn]
Gleeson’s first cookbook has pride of place on my too-full shelves, but it’s going to be sharing the spotlight with Forest Feast Mediterranean, whose simple vegetarian recipes are accompanied by Gleeson’s equally mouthwatering watercolors and travel photography. Ideal for new vegetarian cooks who like their meals with a side of beautiful.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Christopher Franceschelli, Peskimo
[isbn]
Franceschelli and Peskimo are an unstoppable board book superhero team. Their latest, Farmblock, is a delightfully bright and clever tour around a busy farm. With thick, indestructible pages and engaging peekaboo cutouts, babies and toddlers are sure to ask for repeat visits to this charming farm.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Elton John
[isbn]
Admit it: You’ve spent at least a few deliriously happy moments belting “Tiny Dancer” while stuck in traffic or washing dishes. Elton John’s music is simply un-unlikable, no matter how highbrow you claim to be, and his candid memoir about fame, family, and recovery is equally beguiling.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Vashti Harrison
[isbn]
Harrison’s renderings of visionary women from around the world are insanely adorable and amazingly inspiring. Toddlers will love the bright colors and strong, simple text, and parents will love sharing their wonder and pride in the breadth of female achievement with their children.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Michelle Lopez
[isbn]
If you’ve been casting lovelorn glances at your standing mixer as you hurry through each day’s endless to-do list, fret no longer. Lopez’s cheery and creative collection of time-saving recipes will reunite you with your mixing bowls. One bite of her Supernatural Brownies and you’ll be making baking a part of your everyday.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Andrea Beaty, David Roberts
[isbn]
Sofia wants to turn the town landfill into a park! But what happens when she visits City Hall and is told, “You’re only a kid”? With rhyming text and friendly, cartoony art, the latest in the Questioneers series is a fun tale of perseverance and doing good in the world.
Recommended by Moses M.
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John Hodgman
[isbn]
As John Hodgman is recognized as a (minor) celebrity less and less, he pauses to reflect — as any philosopher-king might — on the anxiety he feels about his frequent flyer program, among other things.
Recommended by Keith M.
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David Treuer
[isbn]
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee is a sweeping account of Native Americans from pre-"who shall not be named" to present day, and a rich counter-narrative to the myth that Natives are a relic of the past. Instead of the vanishing Indian narrative, Treuer delivers testimonies of resilient people over time, truths about termination policies that continue to this day, and portraits of contemporary Natives continuing to both resist colonial... (read more)
Recommended by Kate L.
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Zadie Smith
[isbn]
The first short story collection from master novelist Zadie Smith is an assemblage of brief but potent vignettes, ranging from aimless Spanish resort holidays to uncomfortable Manhattan lingerie shopping, that all offer reflections on identity in changing times.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Zach Klein and Freda Moon
[isbn]
This book is truly a feast for the eyes and fuel for wanderlust as it takes the reader around the world and inside various cabins, treehouses, and one truck hut. Warning: reading this will send you into an Airbnb rabbit hole in search of your next getaway.
Recommended by Rachel M.
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Thor Hanson
[isbn]
Both informative and readable, Buzz is a fascinating deep dive into the world of bees. Thor Hanson adeptly tours us through the history and mythology of the bee.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Leigh Bardugo
[isbn]
Leigh Bardugo’s adult debut is an immersive, heart-pounding, brain-twisting read set in an alternate New Haven. Alex Stern’s connection to Yale’s secret societies may be more dangerous than she bargained for. Drenched in magic and darkness, this world will clench you between its bony fingers until the end.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Bill Bryson
[isbn]
Bill Bryson takes the reader through fascinating facts of the human body (the kidneys process over 3 pounds of salt a day!); best guesses as to why we exist the way we do (is the uvula a "mudflap for the mouth"?); and the often questionable medical experiments and characters that have helped illuminate how the body works. The Body is a surprisingly cheerful journey through both the ways in which we seem to be perfectly designed, and the... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Christopher McDougall
[isbn]
I love this heartwarming true story about a donkey named Sherman. The author and his family rescued him from a hoarding situation. He was in bad shape, but with the help of friends, neighbors, and some fellow animals, Sherman trained to run the World Championship Pack Burro Race.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Karen Thompson Walker
[isbn]
In a California college town, a young woman falls into a deep sleep and won’t wake up. This sleeping sickness spreads to more and more people until the town is quarantined. The Dreamers is eerie, beautifully written, and the pacing is spot-on. This book absolutely captivated me.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Randall Munroe
[isbn]
Cartoonist Randall Munroe’s impish love of physics has driven him to discover and share how to best use it for absurd ends, like moving a house with rockets or boiling a river with tea kettles. Please don’t do either.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Leo Robitschek
[isbn]
This is definitely the cocktail book of the season — but with nearly 300 unique and delectable recipes, it will serve you well for many seasons to come. NoMad’s attention to detail and reverence for quality cocktails is undeniable. Happy holidays! I can’t wait to celebrate.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Paul Theroux
[isbn]
Prodigious travel writer Paul Theroux never fails to entertain and inform, but his journey through Mexico is particularly prescient. An insightful, compassionate, and nuanced exploration of an oft-vilified country and people, On the Plain of Snakes is necessary reading for anyone seeking to make sense of our current cultural flash point.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Jenny Slate
[isbn]
There couldn’t be a more perfect title for this book. These tiny and delightfully bizarre essays are an intimate look into Jenny Slate’s inner life. They’re whimsical, hilarious, insightful, and with their short length, you can’t help but speed through them. This book will give you some chuckles, but also all the feels.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Terry Tempest Williams
[isbn]
Activist, nature writer, and conservationist Terry Tempest Williams
is also an American treasure. In Erosion:
Essays of Undoing, Williams balances empathy and outrage, anger and
forgiveness, beauty and loss, hope and despair. Williams is a magnificent
writer and Erosion is simultaneously
a salvo and salve for our disquieting Anthropocenic age.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Shea Ernshaw
[isbn]
With Winterwood, Ernshaw has once again crafted the perfect atmospheric autumnal page-turner. I gobbled it up in one sitting — just couldn't put it down! It checks all the boxes for my favorite kind of read: gothic and witchy and stormy and spooky and romantic and mysterious and SO MUCH FUN.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Rachel Ignotofsky
[isbn]
What a charming and informative book! This is a delightful way to learn about some incredible women in art who have been ignored or overshadowed for far too long. I’m glad this book is shining a light on them in such an accessible and enjoyable way.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Caitlin Doughty and Dianne Ruz
[isbn]
Mortician Caitlin Doughty is a death myth-buster. Will My Cat is made up of kids' questions about death. Her practical approach helps to normalize the post-life we will all face. Her informative answers are sometimes yucky but always funny, making this guide to death good for the whole (slightly ghoulish) family.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Raina Telgemeier
[isbn]
Hooray, a new graphic novel from Raina Telgemeier! In Guts, she brings her recognizable illustration style and storytelling skills to the topic of anxiety and stomachaches. It is funny, relatable, and encourages kids to talk about their feelings. This may be her best book yet.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Susan Cooper and Carson Ellis
[isbn]
In The Shortest Day, a poem written by Susan Cooper, beautiful illustrations by local artist Carson Ellis accompany a simple but inspiring and timely message. Celebrating the rhythms of time, tradition, hope, and celebration, this book is a lovely reminder that even in the darkest times, all is not lost.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Questlove
[isbn]
Questlove: a musician who loves food as much as he loves music. In Mixtape Potluck, he invites celebrities, musicians, and chefs to share a favorite potluck dish. Questlove awards each dish a song that exemplifies the recipe and the person. (Martha Stewart gets Snoop Dogg’s "Life of the Party." Perfect.)
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Timothy Egan
[isbn]
On a spiritual journey across 1,000 miles of Europe and 2,000 years of Christian history, Timothy Egan reckons with his skepticism and lapsed Catholic beliefs while confronting a bigger question: What is the role of religion in a world that is rapidly losing its faith?
Recommended by Emily B.
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Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker
[isbn]
We welcome the new edition of Joy of Cooking. Based on consumer feedback from the past six years, the authors updated this edition to reflect our modern lifestyle. Included are 600 new recipes and 80 new illustrations, as well as recipes resurrected from previous editions. This is a must-have cookbook.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Jung Chang
[isbn]
The Soong sisters were directly connected to the most pivotal events in China’s tumultuous 20th century. Jung Chang’s richly detailed history shows just how important these women and their familial bonds were to the fate of their nation.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Lonely Planet
[isbn]
Lonely Planet’s latest entry in their Epic series, Epic Runs is chock-full of gorgeous photos of runs across the globe and short chunks of information about them. Perfect for the aspirational runner or the seasoned race veteran, and truly a delight to peruse.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Elizabeth Strout
[isbn]
Elizabeth Strout continues the fascinating story of Olive Kitteridge in Olive, Again. Strout's unforgettable character is older now, though just as blunt and unapologetic. In this follow-up to her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Strout's incisive portrayals of Olive and the other townspeople of Crosby, Maine, shine.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Sean Carroll
[isbn]
Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here, takes on some of the most challenging and mind-bending questions in modern physics in his new book, Something Deeply Hidden. In lucid prose, using accessible and hard-to-refute arguments, Carroll lays out his case that there are more than one of us — of everyone — in the universe. A persuasive, fascinating, and landmark work of physics.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Rick Riordan
[isbn]
Apollo (or Lester, as he’s known on Earth) faces his toughest challenge yet on his quest to restore his godly powers: the siege of Camp Jupiter. The evil Triumvirate is closing in, and while the key to victory may lie in a forgotten tomb, the ruler interred there may be worse than any foe Apollo has seen yet.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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J K Rowling, Jim Kay
[isbn]
Jim Kay returns at last with his fourth fully illustrated Potter venture, and his gorgeous artwork is well worth the wait! This book marks a turn in the series towards a darker world, and Kay manages to land both the excitement of the Triwizard Tournament and the terror of Voldemort’s plotting with aplomb.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Shea Serrano and Arturo Torres
[isbn]
Movies (And Other Things) is an illustrated delight, combining perfect pop culture analysis with the specific joy of watching a movie scene accomplish exactly what it set out to do. Serrano’s essays center on the type of questions that come up with your closest friends — which films were robbed at the Oscars, the best action movie kills, whether Finding Nemo or Face/Off has a more devastating opening — and make... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Oliver Sacks
[isbn]
This collection is one of two books Sacks was working on when he passed away, and with probing essays on time, memory, creativity, and consciousness, it’s a fitting send-off. As usual, his inquiries reveal a dedication to intellectual rigor matched by an extraordinary generosity of spirit.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Sam Kean
[isbn]
Sam Kean is such an entertaining writer he can imbue a topic as mundane as air with page-turning drama, and with Caesar’s Last Breath he has done just that. Through a playful mix of stories and science, Kean expounds on the origins, human exploitation of, and changing composition of the air around us.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Edward O Wilson
[isbn]
Edward O. Wilson's latest book is a beautifully written and persuasive argument for resisting the separation of the arts and sciences, and understanding how — combined — they hold the keys to the most essential human traits. The Origins of Creativity is a graceful, intelligent, and crucial work.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Anil Ananthaswamy
[isbn]
The “double-slit” experiment has flummoxed scientists for 200 years. With concise, compelling prose that makes this complex, bizarre subject not only fathomable but downright fascinating, Anil Ananthaswamy explores the who, what, why, and how of one of the weirdest, most mysterious experiments in the history of science.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
Once man has conquered plague, famine, and war, what will the next quest be? New York Times bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari tackles this question deftly, painting a fascinating, insightful, and frankly downright scary picture of the future of the species that strives to be gods of the earth.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Chris Colfer
[isbn]
When Brystal became a maid at her local library to get around her country’s ban on women reading, she couldn’t know she’d find a room full of banned books, or a future in their pages. Colfer’s new venture is a searing ode to the importance of knowledge, questioning, and compassion, and the power they give us to better our world.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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