Maria Mccann
[isbn]
What a gut punch of a book. God how I loved it. As Meat Loves Salt is grimy and greasy and bloody; where love (lust?) and violence are written with the same amount of passion and dedication. This book is incredibly immersive — I could practically taste and smell 17th-century England while I was reading, and it totally swept me away. If you're looking for a book with a twisty and toxic queer relationship — or a psychological portrait of... (read more)
Recommended by Nicole S
|
Rosa Campbell
[isbn]
I'll never forget how it felt to read this verdant meditation on grief, houseplants, and queer home-making for the first time — how moved I was by its warmth and brilliance, how I read it all in a single afternoon even as I wished it wouldn't end. With Pothos as her debut, Scotland-based writer Rosa Campbell reveals herself to be a thrilling and vital new voice, as well as a generous guide towards the small things that can save us.
Recommended by Alexa W.
|
Benjamin Labatut
[isbn]
Spellbinding, illuminating, imaginative. The sort of book that imbues the everyday with a wash of light. Labatut defies genre, taking creative liberties in charting the relationship between scientific discovery, madness, and mutually assured destruction. Sure to keep you up at night, perhaps in the garden, pondering the existence of black holes while replicating them in the earth below...
Recommended by Nadia N.
|
Kao
[isbn]
A heartwarming exploration on what it's like to be a newly-out transman — with a fantasy twist!
Recommended by Haven W
|
Neil Cochrane
[isbn]
A trans- and queer-centered homage to Beauty and the Beast! This book is wonderfully imaginative, lushly written, and just a downright joy.
Recommended by Gigi L.
|
Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali and Hatem Aly
[isbn]
With simple text and friendly artwork that’s both cartoony and painterly, with messages of kindness and generosity, The Kindest Red is a book we all need right now regardless of age — one of sheer, boundless hope.
Recommended by Gigi L.
|
Sequoia Nagamatsu
[isbn]
My *goodness*, this book. Set aside any misgivings you might have about reading a pandemic novel during a pandemic. These gracefully interconnected narratives have their roots in familiar territory, but their branches arc and sprawl beyond the world we know into the far reaches of Sequoia Nagamatsu’s imagination. The result is an immersive, tender, life-affirming book that left me both wonderstruck and — much to my surprise — comforted.
Recommended by Tove H.
|
Sequoia Nagamatsu
[isbn]
My goodness, this book. Set aside any misgivings you might have about reading a pandemic novel during a pandemic. These gracefully interconnected narratives have their roots in familiar territory, but their branches arc and sprawl beyond the world we know into the far reaches of Sequoia Nagamatsu’s imagination. The result is an immersive, tender, life-affirming book that left me both wonderstruck and — much to my surprise — comforted.
Recommended by Tove H.
|
Roland Barthes, Richard Howard
[isbn]
Before Anne Carson wrote Eros, the Bittersweet, Barthes set to paper this treasure trove of musings on the nature of being in love. Told in fragments or "figures" (the figure is the lover at work), laden with references to philosophers, artists, strangers, and friends, this book promises to, in equal parts, delight and annihilate.
Recommended by Nadia N.
|
Tom Crewe
[isbn]
In his debut novel, Tom Crewe brings 19th century London to life through the story of two men collaborating on a book that defends homosexuality. The New Life documents a time of great social and sexual upheaval, and is a thrilling read!
Recommended by Adam P.
|
Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Eric Talbot
[isbn]
Sometimes you just want to laugh and remember why it's all good, eat pizza with pals and say cowabunga! If now's not that time, you know where to find these renaissance turtles and their sage pops, Splinter!
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Elizabeth Trembley
[isbn]
How can we put the past to bed? What does trauma look like for different people? Elizabeth A. Trembley guides us, panel by panel, through an attempt at helping us heal.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Hailey Piper
[isbn]
A noxious blend of horror and romance through an unabashedly queer lens from the name in horror no one can stop screaming about, Hailey Piper. Themed around women's agency and its incessant overriding, Queen of Teeth speaks to those who see the delight in the disgusting, the fairness in ferocity, and the vaudeville in the villainous. And, of course, to the gays.
Recommended by Stacy W.
|
Robin Mckinley
[isbn]
O Robin Mckinley, light of my life! This book fully ruined reality for me at 15 and I've reread it obsessively in dark times ever since. If only life were as simple as stepping into your magically imbued spiritual inheritance and going head to head with a demon king...
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Mary Oliver
[isbn]
Does Mary Oliver's heart beat slower to be able to capture the delicacy of a morning, getting out of bed, or walking outside like she does? I don't know and pardon if the question is distracting. What I mean to say is that reading her work makes my heart beat slower, helps me feel how my life is poetic too. Lots of gratitude for this person.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Charles Simic
[isbn]
Flip to p. 17 and let me know what you think. Simic's poetry is bite-size and chock-full of the attention
that comes either after a lifetime of musing
or a true appreciation for the details that make life grand. Any book by him may just help you see the world anew.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Thomas Yeates
[isbn]
For one so small, you're so well drawn. The classic story is brought to life with gripping illustration. A customer favorite as well. Tarzan teaches us about nature and nurture with a flair for adventure.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Fernanda Melchor
[isbn]
Melchor's work is always uniquely woven with strong insights on violence and the systems that perpetuate it. In This is Not Miami, Melchor applies her sharp, analytical eye to true stories of her hometown of Veracruz, Mexico. As a lover of both Melchor's previously translated works and narrative nonfiction as a genre, I am ecstatic to get my hands on this release.
Recommended by Mar S.
|
Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson
[isbn]
Would you recognize a dystopia? Spider Jerusalem does, and he's trying to keep the world from falling deeper in disarray using a time-tested method — writing and talking about it all the time! Check out Transmetropolitan for a blast from the past guessing at the future.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Yan Lianke, Carlos Rojas
[isbn]
After being mesmerized by Lianke's The Day the Sun Died, I'm excited to experience more of his unique satirical voice. The premise, described by the publisher as "the unlikely love story of a Buddhist nun and a Daoist priest" against the backdrop of "organized tug-of-war competitions between the religions," appears delectably absurd, tackling questions of religion, faith, and corruption. If that weren't enticing enough, this book will... (read more)
Recommended by Mar S.
|
Raymond Briggs
[isbn]
A heartbreakingly beautiful and magical story told through the wonderful illustrations of Raymond Briggs. A classic from the British Isles, highly recommend following up the book with the animated holiday film version, which features an amazing musical score.
Recommended by Jack M
|
Various, Sonja Eismann, Maya Schoningh
[isbn]
A worthwhile narrative about love and people coming together for a common cause. Movements and Moments hopes to catalogue significant occurrences in the last 100 years that showcase the wholly powerful and compassionate force of feminine nature that has cared for the quiet voices around the world, untelevised and radical.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Becky Chambers
[isbn]
Each of the four books in Chambers's Wayfarers series is remarkable, but Record of a Spaceborn Few is by far my favorite. This book is a deep reminder for me of what it means to be human, how small acts of deliberate kindness can make all the difference, and that everyone's story deserves to be told. I cried on the bus while reading this book about five different times, and there's no higher recommendation I can give.
Recommended by Anna B.
|
Robert Wood Lynn
[isbn]
I do not often get the chance to look at yet to be released poetry books, but I am so very glad I was able to stumble upon an early copy of this book. Everything about this collection from the way it is sectioned, to the amazing poems titles, to the formatting is clearly a labor of passion and it pays off big time and all works together to enhance the beautiful poetry within. These poems will make you laugh, make you cry, and most importantly... (read more)
Recommended by Aster A.
|
Morgan Matson
[isbn]
Every Morgan Matson book is genuinely funny and layered without being heavy. If you're in the mood for a light, heartwarming read, this is the YA book for you.
Recommended by Sarah B.
|
Kendare Blake
[isbn]
I was immediately hooked by the premise of this book — three sisters forced into a competition and a fight to the death for the crown. This book was recommended to me by a friend who reads YA fantasy nonstop and it's one of her favorites and now mine.
Recommended by Sarah B.
|
Elyn Saks
[isbn]
A shining gem of a book. Elyn Saks's memoir about her experience living with schizophrenia is whip smart and delivered with such clear, brutal intelligence and humor that I could barely put it down after picking it up. While somewhat dated in its language by contemporary standards, I was most struck by what remains relevant when it comes to discourse about mental health — the need to be seen, to retain autonomy, to work with people who allow you... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Jorge Luis Borges
[isbn]
Borges's writing is as labyrinthian as his themes, and his stories have continued to puzzle and delight me since I first read them a decade ago. Fantastical and magical to the max, his characters traverse hexagonal libraries and impossible theoretical worlds, attempt to understand limitless books and find themselves trapped and devastated by their own astounding powers of memorization. Whether you're interested in Borges's vast influences and... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Mohsin Hamid
[isbn]
I am often resistant to allegory in practice (or even in concept, to be honest), but Mohsin Hamid’s The Last White Man has me questioning my priors, because he uses the literary device to create that rarest of things: a novel that is both simple and nuanced. This tale of the consequences that flow from an inexplicable racial upheaval is both gripping and gentle, full of a generous, yet restrained wisdom.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Mario Vargas Llosa
[isbn]
This book may be useful to all artists, creators, thinkers, musers, wanderers, etc. Since Llosa is writing to a friend, the tone is very conversational, yet quite profound. He says that the act of creation in general comes from a desire to see something new in the world and is itself revolutionary! Who isn't curious about what a creative revolution could like?!
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Gary Lippman
[isbn]
How much meaning and emotion can language compress? Exploring flash fiction and transcending genre with this 100+ collection of
stories, Gary Lippman shares a book that feels like walking through a bustling city borough, while able to hear everyone's thoughts. How real and messy it all is.
Recommended by Dana S.
|
Jeff Kinney
[isbn]
I started as a bookseller 20 years ago, not long before Greg Heffley first appeared on the scene. In the time since, it would seem that neither of us has matured, but we’re both still in bookstores. I think he’s having more fun, thö .
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Julian Aguon
[isbn]
If I could, I would shelve this book in every applicable section, so as to get the maximum number of eyes on it! It is certainly welcome in the climate change section, as its overarching theme is the threat of rising seas to Guam and other Pacific Island nations. I'd also welcome it in US History, where you can learn about our government's treatment of Guam, its people, its resources. Literature Reference? Yep, the book is full of loving... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
|
Suzette Mayr
[isbn]
The Sleeping Car Porter is an engaging and illuminating novel about the costs of work, service, and secrets.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
A follow-up to Sapiens, Homo Deus takes a look into the speculative future of mankind and the potential trials and tribulations our species may face in the millennia to come
Recommended by Sarah No
|
Sean Carroll
[isbn]
Sean Carroll blends physics and Lucretian philosophy in a style he calls poetic naturalism. The result is a solid primer on the history of physics, bayesian probability, the arrow of time, emergence, and many other compelling topics.
Recommended by Justin Horein
|
Megan Volpert
[isbn]
A wonderfully idiosyncratic appreciation of the right song at the right time, filled with smart analysis of song construction, the artist’s mindset, the record industry, and the lasting power of a writer and performer committed to truth.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Rachel King
[isbn]
A richly-textured set of interlinked stories set in Colorado, Rachel King’s Bratwurst Haven offers moving glimpses of the many costs of underpaid labor and the profound and sustained difficulty of moving on from misfortunes, mistakes, or unforced errors.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Carolyn Hays
[isbn]
I honestly have no idea how I would react to a surprise visit from a caseworker for child services, but I definitely hope I'd be as strong as Carolyn Hays. All her family was doing was loving her child enough to allow them to express their gender the way their child wanted and someone anonymously reported them to child services. Their story made me ugly cry. Every parent should read this book.
Recommended by Rose H.
|
Daniel Lieberman
[isbn]
Even athletes struggle with that voice inside telling them that a nap sounds better than running. Why is that? Lieberman does a great job explaining how humanity evolved from being "naturally" active to having to want to move. I loved how he used Jane Austen to explain Darwin's theory of natural selection. And I learned so much about how the human body uses energy. Definitely a great read if you're interested in exercise science.
Recommended by Rose H.
|
Travis Baldree
[isbn]
What happens when a road-weary barbarian decides to retire from her adventuring days and open a coffee shop? A charming, funny, and all-around lovely cozy fantasy with a splash of romance! I adored reading every moment of this book, and I am more than looking forward to reading it again (and again...and again)!
Recommended by Bee D.
|
Katrina Monroe
[isbn]
I was on edge from the very moment I started reading. This book is deliciously eerie, twisty, and thrilling. Revolving around a line of cursed women — passed down mother to daughter — a crumbling lighthouse, and a skeptical woman determined to be different from her family, all set on the rocky shores of Cape Disappointment. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since putting it down!
Recommended by Bee D.
|
Ashley Hutson
[isbn]
As someone who grew up on Nick at Nite and TV Land reruns, the idea of a lotto winner who attempts to recreate and immerse herself into the world of Three's Company was too irresistible to not pick up. Far more than just an exploration of fandom and obsession, however, One's Company also gives much to consider regarding the role of trauma and interpersonal relationships in defining who we are (or think we are). This book does... (read more)
Recommended by John Ha
|
John Darnielle
[isbn]
The perfect Halloween read, Devil House is the We Do it Different on the West Coast of novels, the alternating light and dark of a picturesque Golden State story with something indiscernibly and undeniably sinister between its pages. John Darnielle (or, Mr. Goats, as I lovingly refer to him) has never disappointed me before, and it is both a relief and a joy to see his artistic talent transcend from my stereo to my bookshelf.
Recommended by C.J.
|
Shanna H Swan, Stacey Colino
[isbn]
This book completely changed the way I look at what I put on and in my body. Count Down has made me a more informed and conscientious consumer.
Recommended by Sydney W.
|
Izumi Suzuki, Polly Barton, Sam Bett
[isbn]
Terminal Boredom: what phrase could better describe the tepid yet frenetic aura of modern life? This collection, originally written in the 1980s and newly available in English, fizzles with dark, punky magnetism. The reader is seamlessly initiated into Suzuki's universe of fantastical queer landscapes, green-haired aliens, and societies in which people are cryogenically frozen into the dreams of the living as a form of population... (read more)
Recommended by Nadia N.
|
Beth Morgan
[isbn]
This eye-opening satirical commentary on the insidiousness of social media will hold a mirror up to any millennial who pines after someone else's Instagram feed.
Recommended by Ally G.
|
Ry Downey
[isbn]
In The Dinosaurs Are Orange in Seattle, Ry Downey uses his poetic gift to do what poets do best: capturing those unspoken moods, drifting through contradictions of time and place, wandering around, absorbing everything he comes into contact with, and producing it into his own creative blend of words. He melds observations, nostalgia, and philosophical contemplations, into a natural, narrative, stream-of-consciousness style that is both... (read more)
Recommended by Nicholas Y.
|
Susan Dennard
[isbn]
Back in 2019, Susan Dennard started a choose your own adventure storyline in her Twitter feed. For months, hundreds of fans logged on daily to "Sooz-Your-Own Adventures" and helped Winnie Wednesday on her way to becoming a hunter, dealing with friendships and family, and trying to get "boops" for Jay Friday. This book is Susan's new take on Hemlock Falls, Winnie's quest to become a hunter and all the monsters that go bump in the forest. I had so... (read more)
Recommended by Mecca A.
|
Aja Barber
[isbn]
Aja Barber's Consumed is the sharply written reminder we need that our consumption habits, big and small, have an impact on many lives besides our own. It's nonfiction but feels conversational, a.k.a. it's very approachable! I recommend this for folks looking to learn more about consumer culture and history.
Recommended by Charlotte S.
|
Lane Smith
[isbn]
This whimsical adventure of Rabbit on a quest to find the perfect gift for his Nana uses lush and quirky artwork with fun typography that bounces and flies, to tell a sweet, simple story about kindness and love. Made me want to hug the whole world.
Recommended by Gigi L.
|
James Spooner
[isbn]
I have a soft spot for graphic novel memoirs. The High Desert is a really great coming-of-age memoir, dealing with love, racism, lonely desert towns, punk rock, awkwardness, and finding your place. Spooner is open and honest, and an excellent illustrator. You'll laugh, you'll seethe, you'll cringe, and most likely, you'll see something of your own time in high school reflected on the pages. A really great read!
Recommended by Lesley A.
|
Alastair Gee, Dani Anguiano
[isbn]
My mom lives in Magalia, a town just a few short miles northeast of Paradise. She doesn't drive, and her yard guy grabbed her and her cat Charlie and joined the lines of cars trying to get out from under a terrifyingly black and smoky sky. She stayed with me for three months after evacuating, finally returning to her home that stood a quarter of a mile from the edge of the destruction. I was nervous to read this book, but Alastair Gee and Dani... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
|
Eric Dean Wilson
[isbn]
After Cooling is an engrossing and entertaining read on a seemingly mundane topic! The history of cooling is really quite fascinating and Wilson's style is super readable. A truly enjoyable book that taught me a lot and challenged my concepts of comfort.
Recommended by Lesley A.
|
Emma Marris
[isbn]
This book stayed swirling in my thoughts for weeks after I finished it. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and doesn't pull any punches talking about humans, animals, and the nature of our co-existence. I can't recommend it enough.
Recommended by Lesley A.
|
Susan Cain
[isbn]
I loved Cain's Quiet for showing us our cultural bias against introverts and helping us celebrate their value. In Bittersweet, she similarly liberates those of us who willingly feel sorrow and longing, and she celebrates their healing value. Truly the "bitter" makes the "sweet" sweeter.
Recommended by Marianne T
|
Arthur C Brooks
[isbn]
Brooks has written a smart book about how to find greater meaning and joy in the second half of life, when striving becomes less valuable to well-being. Anyone in their middle years or beyond will appreciate the wisdom found here.
Recommended by Marianne T
|
KC Davis
[isbn]
This little book is SO LIBERATING. If you're a perfect housekeeper, do not buy this book — but for the rest of us, it's a new BFF.
Recommended by Marianne T
|
KC Jones
[isbn]
Wow. This read felt like being in a movie theater — all of the horrors larger than life, swallowing me whole. Me — wide-eyed and on the edge of my seat, muttering 'oh no' beneath my breath. This is a monster movie of a book. But in the deft hands of K. C. Jones, it's also a character study of two flawed people who find their reason to live at the end of the world. Cancel your plans and get comfy, you're in for a wild ride.
Recommended by Heather A.
|
Hiroko Oyamada and David Boyd
[isbn]
A delicately sinister contemporary parable, we explore Oyamada's Factory through the eyes of three recent employees with three different class and career aspirations. As our main characters trek around the massive corporate complex and try to figure out the purpose of their borderline ridiculous jobs, Oyamada allows us to watch the factory transform into something organic and hungry, with no regard for what it takes in and homogenizes.
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Tamsyn Muir
[isbn]
Ever felt disappointed by God, your job, and your love life? Have I got the series for you. In preparation for Nona, Muir's third installment in the Locked Tomb series, I gotta recommend Harrow. This book is the epitome of getting what you want but not the way you want it, and the aftermath of that experience. A brutal reckoning with what has been, can be, and can't be, all woven together with sexy Catholic guilt, Muir's... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Erin Beaty
[isbn]
A fascinating medieval-vibe story that revolves around an orphaned girl who stumbles upon a murdered body. With a sect of the population worshipping the moon, blood magic, and "Ripper"-styled murders, this was a fun mystery with a touch of romance that kicked me out of my reading slump.
Recommended by Mecca A.
|
Kelley Armstrong
[isbn]
While drawn to the sound of a woman in distress, Mallory ends up attacked... and wakes up in 1869 Edinburgh, in the body of a house maid for an undertaker. Now it's a race to figure out who attacked them and get back to her own body in 2019. First in a new series, I can't wait for the next one!
Recommended by Mecca A.
|
Juhea Kim
[isbn]
Juhea Kim’s epic chronicle of life in occupied Korea during the early twentieth century is at once intimate and sweeping, full of lush detail and complex, beautifully drawn characters. A powerful meditation on love, loss, struggle, and persistence.
Recommended by Gigi L.
|
Eric Larocca
[isbn]
Eric LaRocca is a master of atmosphere and We Can Never Leave This Place is a study in how the true power of horror lies in the untold and nondescript. Gothic and morose, delicate and heartfelt, the fine line between grotesque and dazzling is where you’ll find LaRocca dancing like a Puritan girl liberated by witchcraft, naked and levitating. You’ll start this book willingly, hand-in-hand, but by the closing pages it’ll be dragging you... (read more)
Recommended by Stacy W.
|
Steven Pinker
[isbn]
Really a powerpoint presentation as much as a book. If you can make it through all the data, it's quite informative.
Recommended by Justin Horein
|
Sarah Andersen
[isbn]
The perfect not so scary read for "scary season," Fangs is a joy to read. Humorous, gothic, and heartfelt all at once, this comic reads as more than the sum of its parts.
Recommended by Charlotte S.
|
Michelle Obama
[isbn]
Michelle Obama's Becoming put me in a good mood for weeks after I read it. I trust that her new book will do the same. I could really use it!
Recommended by Matt K.
|
Wang Yin, Andrea Lingenfelter
[isbn]
A memorable collection of Wang Yin's poetry that manages to be both surreal and deeply layered with imagistic clarity. The poet's ability to meld spiritual thought and grounded exploration of the world's effects on the inner-self brings this book beyond a simple opining on one's being; it is a beautiful, honest, and truly masterful exploration of place and point of view. A Summer Day in the Company of Ghosts is, for me, a discovery that... (read more)
Recommended by Eric L.
|
Esteban Castillo
[isbn]
Look at this cover! I bet your mouth is immediately watering and your oven already is preheating!
Recommended by Lucinda G.
|
Bob Dylan
[isbn]
Bob Dylan reflects on the nature of popular music. That's all we know about this book. It's more than enough to get me to read it!
Recommended by Moses M.
|
Chris Herring
[isbn]
Need a hoops fix before the season starts? Blood in the Garden chronicles the rough-and-tumble New York Knicks teams of the 90s, arguably the best of many good-to-great teams unable to win a title during the Jordan era. Exhaustively researched by Chris Herring and spanning from the hiring of mercurial perfectionist Pat Riley to their miracle run to the 1999 Finals, this book is sure to provide New York fans something they can enjoy (even... (read more)
Recommended by John Ha
|
Rey Chow
[isbn]
Roughly a year ago I took a deep dive into Rey Chow's literary criticism and cultural politics. The Protestant Ethnic & the Spirit of Capitalism is perhaps my favorite of all her books. Of any political, philosophical, or cultural text, this book stands out as one I most eagerly wish I could get other people to read and understand. It goes next to Race & Resistance by Viet Thanh Nguyen as one of my resources in my ongoing,... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
|
Fernando Pessoa, Margaret Jull Costa, Patricio Ferrari
[isbn]
Why, yes. I would like to lose myself in the imaginative musings of an uneducated shepherd that doubles as a latent homosexual, modernist poet's alternate personality. Recondite and for the melancholic, Caeiro (Pessoa) asseverates the incomparable feeling of saudade like a siren song across the Atlantic. I would advise learning to at least read EU Portuguese because the original poems are unbelievably beautiful read aloud.
Recommended by Stacy W.
|
Aida Salazar
[isbn]
A Seed in the Sun is compelling, accessible historical fiction with characters that jump off the page. Old ways and new ways of living collide, and bravery is found! I loved that this book focused on the Delano Farm Workers strike (1965) because you can see the progression (and reasons) leading up to the famous March with Cesar Chavez. Well-researched facts and verse with varied layouts makes this story interesting, even for the most... (read more)
Recommended by Erica B.
|
Haruki Murakami, Alfred Birnbaum
[isbn]
This book combines Murakami's early writing style with some of his best worldbuilding. Magical subterranean creatures, unicorn skulls, sci-fi brain surgeries, and surreal microworlds combine into a landscape that I wish I could have so much more of. If you haven't yet taken the dive into the fantastic and confusing stories of Murakami, I would recommend this book as an entry point (especially for readers coming from the sci-fi/fantasy genre).... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
|
Slavoj iek
[isbn]
Zizek is one of the few modern philosophers I've found who seems to understand Walter Benjamin's famous axiom, that understanding and enlightenment is more readily gathered through laughter than through tears. Though it can feel quite dark to find humor in studying the guy who coined the human condition as a "phenomenology of pain," Zizek does so with ease, reframing and reapplying Hegel's nihilistic philosophy to the absurdity of our... (read more)
Recommended by C.J.
|
Vince A. Liaguno and Rena Mason
[isbn]
As a peer and self-identified "other," I ran to this book like a madman. It's hard to say I was terrified by any of the stories in this compilation because I'm too focused on the justice of an inclusive horror anthology with Big 5 traction, but that's not to say that you won't be. The stories are both feral and poised, grotesque and dazzling, highlighting Hailey Piper's "The Turning" and Tananarive Due's "Incident at Bear Creek Lodge."
Recommended by Stacy W.
|
Randall de Sève and Carson Ellis
[isbn]
In the adorable, warm, enchantingly rhythmic This Story is Not About a Kitten, not only do kids learn about community and caring (and, yes, the kitten), they learn an important fact about stories — how they’re capable of being about so much more than you think.
Recommended by Gigi L.
|
Prince Shakur
[isbn]
Prince Shakur’s riveting memoir about coming of age, coming out, and standing up to systematic oppression is a moving examination of the many ways we fail each other, and the strength required to recognize it and move forward.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Cormac McCarthy
[isbn]
In his first novel in 16 years, Cormac McCarthy returns with The Passenger — a surprising and propulsive story of a man, his sister, a plane crash, and many more mysteries to unravel. This late career masterpiece from McCarthy demands your full attention, and rewards it mightily.
Recommended by Adam P.
|
John Crowley
[isbn]
Crowley's sprawling family saga is fantasy maximalism and it's wonderful. We follow average guy Smokey Barnable as he travels on foot to the Edgewood estate and marries into the odd Drinkwater family. What follows is a miasma of malevolent magical bargains, faerie theosophists, star-crossed lovers, fated tarot readings, dysfunctional family, and the elusive future. Dense, romantic, and tragic by turns, Crowley's beautiful prose is a bonus. A... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Tori Bovalino
[isbn]
Disguieting, gothic splendor and a deeply robust reimagining of the classic Goblin Market poem. I adore this book. This is the eerie tale read in creaky corners of an old house on a blustery day with tea brewing. Tori Bovalino's voice and prose far exceed the musings of your typical YA gothic fiction. I don't care how toxic it is I WANT TO GO TO THE GOBLIN MARKET AND PEEP AT GOBLIN MEN.
Recommended by Stacy W.
|
Alice Walker
[isbn]
A phenomenal collection of essays on everything from civil rights and the ethics of nuclear warfare to colorism and the necessity of intersectionality. This text is brimming with at least as much personal wisdom as professional, and Walker's critiques of the academy and the lack of both intersectionality and global perspective in American education systems sounds like it could be pulled straight from contemporary discourse. A call for justice... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
|
Megan Bannen
[isbn]
A fun and funky rom-com genre mash-up that's set in a fantasy-western world filled with zombies, demigods, magical mail service, and dogs!! One of my favorite books I've read in 2022 so far. Beware... you might need tissues, but it does have a HEA. xoxo Enjoy!
Recommended by Mecca A.
|
Saeed Jones
[isbn]
When I read the opening poem in Saeed Jones’ new collection, I was so struck by his insight into our intractable problems that I felt I needed to set the book down and walk it off. I went back to it. I’ll keep coming back to it.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
George Saunders
[isbn]
George Saunders makes a triumphant return to the short story form in Liberation Day. These nine stories revisit the quirky language of his early collections, and in them Saunders continues to find ways to uncover emotionally resonant moments in extremely unusual situations.
Recommended by Adam P.
|
Randall Munroe
[isbn]
No one speaks to my unending desire for fun facts like Randall Munroe. Always delightful, absolutely hilarious, and yet somehow along the way you’re learning thermodynamics or aerospace engineering. Real science with wacky scenarios — a perfect shared read accessible to curious minds of any age.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
[isbn]
The team behind Monstress presents a beautiful new graphic horror novel that digs into family dynamics and finds some skeletons buried there. Also, monsters. And creepy dolls. Fun!
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Kate Beaton
[isbn]
Kate Beaton’s autobiographical graphic novel about years spent working amidst the fracking boom in Alberta skillfully uses the medium to show the rhythms and realities of a hostile workplace: it often seems fine; it never stays that way.
Recommended by Keith M.
|
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
[isbn]
My all-time favorite fairy tale could be in the hands of no finer picture book duo. Barnett and Klassen know how to have the last laugh; this troll doesn’t know what’s coming to him. I would talk my way across a BILLION troll bridges to make sure you read this book.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Lonely Planet Kids
[isbn]
Dogs! All the dogs from all the places! I’m so happy about this development!
Recommended by Lucinda G.
|
Ross Gay
[isbn]
In his latest collection, award-winning poet and bestselling author Ross Gay explores — in full-length, heavily footnoted essays that eddy conversationally around their topics — the complex, cathartic, and unifying thing that is joy. Whether you’re seeking it or seeking to better understand it, Inciting Joy delivers.
Recommended by Tove H.
|
Ken Forkish
[isbn]
Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I feel incredibly lucky to have this bread master giving us even more knead-to-know knowledge in a second book. (I'm sorry.) The great thing about bread (other than everything about consuming it) is it's a fun, achievable challenge to bake your first loaf, and a lifelong, delicious challenge to expand and perfect a recipe anew with every new technique and change in... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
|
Margaret Killjoy
[isbn]
A fast-paced, compelling, and truly marvelous collection: Killjoy delivers the queer, anarchist, and (dare I say it) utopian science fiction I didn't realize I needed until I read this book.
Recommended by C.J.
|
Emi Yagi and David Boyd and Lucy North
[isbn]
Yagi does a fantastic job creating an absurd situation that feels all too plausible, letting the reader in the on the secret while simultaneously leaving them in the dark. As we follow Shibata on her journey, we're with her for every hormone shift, weight fluctuation, mommy aerobics class, and doctor's visit... all of which blur our perception of Shibata's reality. Diary of a Void is a wonderfully biting commentary on the lengths women... (read more)
Recommended by Charlotte S.
|
Minnie Small
[isbn]
If you have ever struggled to finish a sketchbook or you’ve always wanted to start one, this challenge is for you. This book is full of great exercises that makes those blank pages less intimidating and (dare I say it?) fun. I love Minnie Small’s approachable teaching style and definitely enjoyed working through these prompts. Do you find the first page of a sketchbook daunting? The first prompt on page 10 will change your life.
Recommended by Rose H.
|
Clinton Walker
[isbn]
You spend enough time as a gigging musician and you start to think you know it all. And then you pick up a book that blows the doors wide open and really makes you question your preconceptions. Clinton Walker has done that to me twice now. Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music is an excellent work of scholarship that is as much fun to read as these impeccable artists are to listen to.
Recommended by Fletcher O.
|
Neil Shubin
[isbn]
While it's easy to imagine how simple adaptations occur in nature, the question "how do BIG evolutionary changes happen?" can be difficult to grasp for the average layperson. Author Neil Shubin, with his talent for revealing the intuitiveness of hard science, unveils life's capabilities for change beyond variation, and does so in a way both engaging and accessible.
More than just "interesting," I had several "wow!" and "oh my gosh, of course!"... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
|
Martin Duberman
[isbn]
I was looking for a book to "teach me my history" (and then some) and this book was it!
Expanding well beyond the famous event itself, author Duberman explores not only Stonewall and the pre-Stonewall queer rights movement, but also the day-to-day life of LGBTQ+ individuals in a pre-Stonewall world. The details of these events are shown through the eyes of six people who lived through it all. In making this work part-history and part-biography,... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
|