John Koenig
[isbn]
It is only fitting that I would struggle to describe a book like The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. It's a dictionary, a work of art, a song. It wanders through ideas and images like an infinitely scrolling collage. It makes me cry at times, laugh at others, miss the things I have lost, yearn for the moments that haven't happened yet. Give this book to the readers, the artists, the dreamers in your life. I hope they love it as much as I... (read more)
Recommended by McKenzie W.
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Rebecca Solnit
[isbn]
A contemplation on the life of one of the 20th century's greatest essayists, journalists, and truth-tellers by one of the 21st century's greatest? I'm in! I dropped everything on my TBR with plans to fly through it in a weekend, but quickly slowed down because this is an adroit, scholarly collection that deserves to be savored with deliberative reflection.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Charlotte Higgins, Chris Ofili
[isbn]
Using tapestry as framework and metaphor, Higgins draws her retellings from imaginary textiles the female characters are weaving. A cunning and intriguing structure that allows for beautiful illustrations (and nods to the centrality of weaving in Greek mythology), Greek Myths is for lovers of Madeline Miller, Pat Barker, and D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Maggie Nelson
[isbn]
Maggie Nelson reclaims the concept of “freedom” from overused, empty rhetoric and examines what it truly means in four areas of contemporary life. Once again, Nelson’s rigorous analysis and unique perspective show her to be an essential voice in uncertain times.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Leslie Jamison
[isbn]
We are definitely living in the Golden Age of Essays. There’s a wealth of authors to choose from and a myriad of viewpoints. Leslie Jamison is among the best, starting with her 2014 Empathy Exams, and Make It Scream, Make it Burn is another fascinating collection from a top-notch author.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Sadhguru
[isbn]
2016’s Inner Engineering was a breakout hit, due in part to Sadhguru’s popular YouTube channel, but more so because his living-in-the-world-not-in-a-cave methods of spiritual growth make so much practical sense. In Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting You Own Destiny, he takes on this over- and often misused term, showing that it’s not so simple as it’s portrayed, but not complicated, either — that karma in its essence is... (read more)
Recommended by Chip G.
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Olivia Laing
[isbn]
Olivia Laing is a true polymath, and her philosophical exploration of the nexus of the physical self and social progress pulls inspiration from a myriad of artists, writers, activists, and thinkers — yet her work always feels like the insightful product of a singular vision.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Rebecca Buxton, Lisa Whiting
[isbn]
From female philosophers of ancient Greece and China to Mary Wollstonecraft and Angela Davis, prepare to be blown away by the breadth and depth of scholarship, though largely unheralded. Read about Diotima, for instance, who may well have taught Socrates what came to be known as his own method, and essentially elucidated the path of love, or what was later known as the Bhakti path to enlightenment. Women have always been active in this field —... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Stephen Van Dyck
[isbn]
I'm blown away by how Van Dyck's unassuming diary-like vignettes can cover so much emotional and sexual terrain. It's like a memoir in list form and it beautifully/hilariously/awkwardly documents his early adulthood through the people he's met on the Internet. There's a lot of sweetness throughout, as if the author is still in love (or still boyfriends) with many of the men and women described. His descriptions of the early AOL chatrooms and... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Neil DeGrasse Tyson and James Trefil
[isbn]
A philosopher’s science guide, for every curious mind who likes to pore over beautiful photos and graphs about the universe and revel over its (and our own) origins. You really can’t go wrong with physicists Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil at the helm.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Hanif Abdurraqib
[isbn]
Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet and a culture critic — a writer I will follow anywhere. A Little Devil in America is his most expansive book to date and showcases his usual clarity about the pressures that creative pursuits, personal decisions, historical dictates, dreams deferred, and cultural trends all exert. In his new book, he focuses on the intersection of performance and the Black experience in America.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Neil Gaiman
[isbn]
Master storyteller Neil Gaiman brings to life the Norse gods as only he can, from their origins to their twilight. Find out why the handle on Thor’s hammer was forged too short, and how poetry is said to have come into the world. Comic book fans and fantasy readers alike are sure to treasure these classic myths.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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George Saunders
[isbn]
What a treat, to have George Saunders as a guide! He dives deep into stories he's taught for years, emanating a joy and respect for the craft of storytelling that's incredibly inviting. A delightfully enjoyable and approachable book that has enriched all my reading ever since I picked it up.
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Francesca Wade
[isbn]
Between the two world wars, five unorthodox intellectuals, poet Hilda Doolittle, novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, classicist Jane Ellen Harrison, historian Eileen Power, and novelist and essayist Virginia Woolf lived at Meckleburgh Square. They occupancy didn't overlap and they didn't know each other personally, so what's the premise of Francesca Wade's Square Haunting? It's an illuminating and captivating look at the lives of five women who... (read more)
Recommended by Sheila N.
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Patti Smith
[isbn]
I'm not the type to underline passages, but this book tested my resolve. A poetic, ruminative dream of a book, Year of the Monkey chronicles a difficult year in a mesmerizing and unpredictable way. Everything Smith writes feels like a gift, and this is no exception.
Recommended by Tove H.
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Joy Harjo and Leanne Howe and Jennifer Foerster
[isbn]
Spanning centuries and containing poems from more than 90 tribal nations, this anthology is divided into five geographic regions, each introduced with an essay. United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo has compiled a rich and varied tapestry for readers to enjoy for years to come.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Nathanael
[isbn]
Hatred of Translation is a must-read for anyone interested in the practice, art, and theft (?) of translation. But this book is not easy (though if it were hard you could grasp it). Feel your hands slip off its oiled body as you try to wrestle it. Read it forwards and backwards and sideways and let it confound you. Let yourself forget about it, and then when you are ready, you will not be able to avoid the dead pigeon in the road.
Recommended by Adie B.
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Cathy Park Hong
[isbn]
This book is ruthless and funny, exacting and searching, and will make you question, deeply, your assumptions about race, language, gender, and the interactions you have with the people and the world around you. Cathy Park Hong's essays are sharp and incisive, and she doesn't let anyone, or anything, off the hook.
Recommended by Tim B.
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Maggie Doherty
[isbn]
A well-researched group biography of five women and their experiences at Radcliffe's Institute for Independent Study. These writers and visual artists all struggled to balance society's expectations of women with their own artistic and personal goals, and through their friendships and collaborations helped guide and inspire women for years to come.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Wayne Koestenbaum
[isbn]
Wayne Koestenbaum’s deep and wide knowledge of art and literature, his respect for sentences and punctuation, and his passion for ambiguity of form and function make these febrile essays a joy to read. With the exercises he suggests, and using his ecstatic influence as a guide, we can puzzle through our need for answers in writing, and find a new consciousness — like seeing our hometowns from above for the first time.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Charlie Mackesy
[isbn]
This book is beautiful, kind, and sweet. The sentiment is inspiring and the drawings full of simple perfection invite the eye to linger on each page. This is the perfect book for a lazy day and a blanket, or a quick escape to lighten your mood and lift your spirit.
Recommended by Steph C.
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John Wackman, Elizabeth Knight
[isbn]
Consumerism is such a tricky friend. I"ll be the first to admit that I'm attracted to something new and shiny, even when the item I'm replacing could be repaired easily. I'm convinced that there must be a happy medium in there somewhere, and the rise of the repair café culture definitely brings that point home. Repair Revolution: How Fixers Are Transforming Our Throwaway Culture reminds us that we don't always need to upgrade, and that... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Mark Doty
[isbn]
Blending memoir, cultural criticism, and close readings of Walt Whitman's writings, Mark Doty uses his considerable skill as a poet to trace the streams of Whitman's influence to their sources, and shows how Whitman continues to live in us today.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Caren Beilin
[isbn]
The language in this book reminds me of those restaurants that offer the weirdest concoctions of food that make your taste buds question the normalcy of every other traditionally delicious food in the world. Most of the time, my brain (operating as taste buds to what I read) was delighted, sparked, spanked, and refreshed by the sting of fresh, new air. But yes, there were times I was challenged and had to question my idea of sentence structure,... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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David Sedaris and Jeffrey Jenkins
[isbn]
I'm a sucker for writers, actors, or musicians who are also artists. I really enjoyed all the elements of this book — the collage-ish layering of Sedaris's art, the funny journal entries and anecdotes, the running timeline of his life, the quotes, the colors, the randomness, the found artifacts, and the overall design. Jeffrey Jenkins's introduction and his photography of Sedaris's immense diary/journal-keeping collection is sharp and insightful.... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Caren Beilin
[isbn]
Blackfishing the IUD is a full-throttle flamethrower meant to illuminate and dismantle the way gendered illness is discussed and treated RIGHT NOW!
Specifically, it's about the dangers of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and how the copper elements in the author's IUD triggered a crippling ongoing struggle with RA (rheumatoid arthritis). Interspersed with accounts from other people affected (from online discussion boards, which are numerous),... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Seanan McGuire
[isbn]
Another beautiful and heartbreaking installment in the Wayward Children series. This time we travel with Lundy through her door into the Goblin Market, where rules and fair value govern the world. In the Market, Lundy finds a lifestyle that calls to her, bringing her outside of the life she's always lived inside her head. With each of her visits to the Goblin Market, Lundy feels more and more like she's come home. But what happens when it comes... (read more)
Recommended by Mecca A.
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Robert Michael Pyle
[isbn]
Along with salmon, rain, and huge trees, Bigfoot is one of the Northwest's enduring icons, yet the blurry beast seldom gets taken seriously. Where Bigfoot Walks is an open-minded and wide-ranging look at the phenomenon of Bigfoot, and the cultural significance of Sasquatch in regional history, place names, and collective consciousness. It takes us deep into the natural beauty of our remaining wilderness, investigates the cool weirdness... (read more)
Recommended by Jason W.
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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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Jess Row
[isbn]
In these essays, Jess Row interrogates and challenges the "universality" of the literary fiction white writers have written for the last 50 years — everyone from Raymond Carver to Anne Tyler to David Foster Wallace — and how the "absence" of race in these works has prevented white writers (and readers) from knowing "what we mean...when we say the word 'freedom.'" This book is essential reading for anyone who loves the literary fiction of the past... (read more)
Recommended by Tim B.
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John Zada
[isbn]
John Zada's lifelong interest in the legend of Sasquatch leads him to British Columbia in this well-written travelogue. I loved this exploration of the land and people that have kept these legends alive, especially when he delves into what it says about our society that these legends still hold such interest. Fascinating stuff!
Recommended by Leah C.
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Erika Meitner
[isbn]
These poems paint a grappling portrait of life in Southern Appalachia. Meitner tackles religion, violence, racial tensions, and motherhood, all with ever-present empathy and nuance. This collection is a timely and necessary addition to any poetry lover's library.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Leslie Jamison
[isbn]
In her best book yet, Leslie Jamison pokes into the unexplored corners of the world and tells stories on behalf of the collective and the individual. She begins with a singular premise and then widens her scope to encompass universal experiences. So when she writes about 52 Blue or Second Life or children with memories of past lives, she’s also writing about loneliness, alienation, and a deep longing for a connection strong enough to... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Yangsze Choo
[isbn]
For the sheer pleasure of losing yourself in a striking time and place (colonial Malaysia in the 1930s); and in a love story between sharply drawn characters; and in a murder mystery involving ghost tigers, the Confucian virtues, an illicit trade in human fingers, and a train station that ferries the dead, nothing beats Choo’s evocative The Night Tiger. It threw me into that best of readerly conundrums: Racing through to see how it ends,... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Kate Colby
[isbn]
Part internal dialogue on the essence of language, part critical essay on everything from Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station to Nancy Milford’s biography of Zelda Fitzgerald, and all framed by a single road trip, Dream of the Trenches somehow meshes that all together into what feels like a remake of William Carlos Williams’s "Spring and All" for the 21st century. In place of Williams’s strident manifesto, Colby gives us a... (read more)
Recommended by Jordan M.
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Jia Tolentino
[isbn]
I always look forward to Jia Tolentino’s byline, so I had high expectations for her new book — and she exceeded them. Individually and collectively, these essays provide an incisive glimpse into this brave new world we have wrought in a way that feels both timeless and incredibly fresh. Using the trappings of modern life (athleisure, reality TV, megachurches, scam artists, chopped salads, and so on) as a starting point, she explores the... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Richard Kreitner
[isbn]
We love our books, and we love our vacations. How better to combine the two than Booked: A Traveler's Guide to Literary Locations Around the World. Visit West Yorkshire, England, to view Emily Brontë's The Heath; explore Margaret Mitchell's Atlanta, Georgia; or even the famous school bus in Healy, Alaska, from Krakauer's Into the Wild. Vacation planning made easy, for the book lover in your life.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Katherine Dunn
[isbn]
Written originally as a writing lecture and published posthumously, On Cussing (by the beloved author of Geek Love) may be short but it’s far from sweet. Packed with history and advice on how to wield your foulest language like a true swordsman, On Cussing is a spicy, seductive read.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Peter J. Woodford
[isbn]
What, if anything, do your values signify in the context of evolutionary history? How might moral truths emerge from (and be justified through) the feedbacking chaos of evolution? Peter J. Woodford explores these problems of value-grounding via the historical and philosophical works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Simmel, and Heinrich Rickert, i.e. those who "gazed into the abyss," as Nietzsche phrased it. With this book, your sacred cows are at... (read more)
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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James Mustich
[isbn]
As a lifelong passionate reader, this epic compilation enthralled me. It's not only a brilliant guide to what to read next, but a satisfying read all on its own, with illustrations and fascinating sidebars of information.
Recommended by Kathi K.
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Blythe Roberson
[isbn]
Lately, it's been increasingly necessary to remind myself that I don't actually hate men. I hate the system that awards white, cis/hetero men a disproportionate amount of power, enables them to do whatever they want, and shields them from any and every consequence. So this delightful book was like a balm to my perpetually chapped soul. Blythe Roberson channels her well-honed wit (seriously, Google her), her relatable experiences, and her... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Mark Greif
[isbn]
Twenty-first century America needs more critics like this guy. His defense of Thoreau is a modern classic. Fredric Jameson calls his work, "phenomenology of the present."
Recommended by Jason C.
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Hanif Abdurraqib
[isbn]
It doesn't matter if Hanif Abdurraqib is writing about Allen Iverson or Fall Out Boy or what it's like to grow up as a Muslim boy in a post-industrial Midwest town. Each of these essays is equal parts poem, polemic, and prayer, and it's hard for me not to describe the total experience of reading this book as anything less than sacred. This book blew me away, and Abdurraqib is very much a writer to watch.
Recommended by Tim B.
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Stoya
[isbn]
Stoya has made a name for herself in the public sphere through porn, and here she collects her years of fiery, sharp writing to make clear that one's participation in sex work in no way demeans one's intellect. She weaves philosophy and theory into insights from a career in an industry that is both famously romanticized and reviled — refusing to let us get away with lazy caricatures. Even with all that aside, she proves that she's an excellent... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Georges Bataille
[isbn]
Everything about and behind The Sacred Conspiracy is just so cool that I can barely handle it. Georges Bataille, who obsessed over (and indulged in) all manner of societal taboos and was ;the neurotic philosophical contemporary of French bigwigs like Camus and Sarte, was also known for being a staunch Marxist. He thought that fascism in its many manifestations was a cultural hydra that had to be defeated, but was sure it would continue... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Francine Prose
[isbn]
In this celebratory collection that will delight casual readers, bibliophiles, and everyone in between, Francine Prose shares 33 reasons to love literature through essays on such works as Great Expectations, Jennifer Egan’s Manhattan Beach, and the short fiction of the other Elizabeth Taylor.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Matthew Zapruder
[isbn]
Matthew Zapruder is a fantastic poet, and an equally fantastic advocate for why poetry continues to be essential. Why Poetry? is a powerful, beautifully written guide to connecting poetry to all readers and making it an accessible and necessary part of our everyday lives.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Alice Bolin
[isbn]
We all know the Dead Girl. She's the reason for the story, but rarely the focus. Instead she's a prop, a symbol, a fetish, a harbinger, or a means to an end. Bolin deftly explores this morbid phenomenon in the first section of her vital new essay collection. From there, she goes on to (among other things) challenge Joan Didion's iconic but problematic portraits of Southern California, reveals the subtle brilliance of seemingly banal pop hits,... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Nnedi Okorafor
[isbn]
This remarkable story is the very reason I read. Okorafor gives us so much heartbreak and joy mixed together, and shows us the very broken world we live in now through depicting the broken world of the future. And then writes it all into a new story. My mind and heart are full from the reading of this book.
Recommended by Doug C.
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Maggie Nelson
[isbn]
The Argonauts impacted me deeply, and continues to with each revisit. While it should be required reading for everyone, it's absolutely invaluable to anybody navigating or coming into any kind of queer identity. Maggie Nelson effortlessly combines poetics, prose, and theory to create something both breathtaking and wholly original. The title invokes the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, the great ship that is rebuilt piece by piece on its... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Mira Grant
[isbn]
We all know there are lots of creepy crawlies living deep in the ocean, but in the first book of Mira Grant's latest series, what lurks below is much worse than anglerfish and spider crabs. This book had me hooked at "flesh-eating mermaids," but it delivered more than just novelty. Into the Drowning Deep will suck you in, creep you out, and totally change the way you look at Ariel.
Recommended by Emily F.
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Kat Howard
[isbn]
A fast-paced and thrilling magical adventure, full of duels, betrayals, and dark secrets, An Unkindness of Magicians is deeply absorbing and compelling. Magic is fading and losing its power, despite the immense sacrifices being made on its behalf. Can balance be restored, or will magic be lost forever?
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Roland Barthes, Richard Howard
[isbn]
Take a look at the table of contents and off you go; you'll see your own heart broken up and sewn together in Barthes's musings. You'll wince and you'll rejoice, because love is like that.
Recommended by Gin E.
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Hilary Mantel
[isbn]
Hilary Mantel's Giving Up the Ghost is one of the most unusual memoirs I've ever read. In addition to being an extraordinary writer (she is the first woman to have been awarded the Booker Prize twice), she has had an extraordinary life, strewn with loss, pain, and the supernatural. Mantel moved to Botswana and Saudi Arabia with her husband, whom she divorced, then later remarried. She suffered much of her life with an extremely painful... (read more)
Recommended by Jill O.
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Vladimir Nabokov
[isbn]
Vladimir Nabokov once described Speak, Memory as “a new type of autobiography, a scientific attempt to unravel and trace back all the tangled threads of one's personality.” But the book, which Time magazine deemed one of the “ALL-TIME 100 Nonfiction Books,” is much more: a beautifully articulated account of the times he lived in, the history-rich days before and after the Russian Revolution. There are so many reasons to love... (read more)
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Bruce Handy
[isbn]
While revisiting kids’ books can be a lot of fun, reading Bruce Handy’s colorful commentary on beloved children’s classics is even more delightful. His insights are paired with fascinating details about the authors, and while he isn’t afraid to criticize some favorites (The Giving Tree, for one), his passion and enthusiasm are infectious.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Carina Chocano
[isbn]
Part memoir, part cultural critique, You Play the Girl details the countless ways movies, TV shows, and books teach us what femininity should look like. Examining everything from The Philadelphia Story to Flashdance to Frozen, Chocano covers a lot of ground in an intimate, engaging way. A must-read.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Naomi Novik
[isbn]
I found myself reading Uprooted while walking down the sidewalk, on every lunch break, and on the bus. The magic in this story makes it feel as though you could cast the spells yourself!
Recommended by Junix S.
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Michael Robbins
[isbn]
Poetry and pop music are what poet Michael Robbins weaves together, mashes up, and spins into a great web of a book. Robbins has the ability to find common ground between two seemingly disparate topics, and makes grouping them together seem completely obvious.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Olivia Laing
[isbn]
Using the lives of four artists — Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, Henry Darger, and David Wojnarowicz — in addition to aspects of her own life as a jumping off point, Olivia Laing has written a moving and empathetic study of (and meditation on) urban loneliness. The Lonely City is observant, wise, insightful, and beautifully written.
Recommended by Sandy M.
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Edith Hamilton
[isbn]
I treasured and read my first copy of Edith Hamilton's Mythology so much that the cover fell off. Mythology is inherently fascinating but the way Edith Hamilton writes gives the stories new majesty. Her style is enchanting, but there are also notes and lots of historical context to keep the myths relevant, and when reading it is obvious she put in lots of research hours comparing different versions of the myths. As a side note, this is... (read more)
Recommended by Junix S.
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Simon Winchester
[isbn]
Simon Winchester makes everything within his intense gaze come amazingly alive. Here, he turns his attention to Charles Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland fame). Winchester looks at the critical period in Dodgson's life in which he becomes entranced with photography and ultimately turns his camera to a young girl. This young girl, Alice Lidell, would ultimately "become" the Alice in Wonderland. Speculation of... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Soren Kierkegaard
[isbn]
The father of Christian existentialism, critic of organized religion and Christendom, and champion of the passionate "single individual," Kierkegaard is a force to be faced — and this book, Provocations, is a perfect sampler. If you want to grapple and wrestle with existentialist thought, especially of the religious variety, you should read this well-curated collection.
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Jim Holt
[isbn]
Jim Holt's ontological search for the raison d'être of reality itself is perfect for all existential detectives and metaphysical gumshoes, those who wonder how and why this very moment, this particular concrete moment, is even possible. As a fellow private eye investigating the cold case of existence, I highly, deeply, and widely recommend this book.
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Patrick Weekes
[isbn]
If you like Terry Pratchett, you are going to adore Patrick Weekes. The Palace Job is an epic heist novel that starts off when a woman by the name of Isafesira de Lochenville, nicknamed Loch, is falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to a lifetime in prison. This, along with her precious family heirloom being stolen by her accuser, motivates her to escape the prison and take back what's hers to clear her name. But no one can go on such... (read more)
Recommended by Nicole S.
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Antoine Laurain, Gallic Books
[isbn]
This is a quirky little novel about French President François Mitterrand's hat, and the life it leads when separated from the man himself. He accidentally leaves it in a restaurant, and for the lucky souls who will next wear it, it is a good-luck charm of immense proportions. Thoroughly engaging, this unlikely story is a quick, fun read. But don't misconstrue "fun" for "insubstantial"; there are clever layers of allegory and meaning to discover... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Coralie Bickford Smith
[isbn]
This magical story about a lonely fox and his friend, Star, will capture your heart and dazzle your eyes. Lessons of companionship, hope, and courage augment Fox's journey through a dense forest and into the light.
Recommended by Heather A.
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DeWitt, Patrick
[isbn]
Lucy leaves his childhood home to take a position as "Undermajordomo" at Castle Von Aux; his life will never be the same. A demented Baron, a secret letter, a couple of professional pickpockets, a spawning salmon, a very large hole, and true love, all play integral parts in this quasi modern fairy tale. Portland author Patrick DeWitt carries forward his sparkling wit from The Sisters Brothers, making Undermajordomo Minor a... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Gregory Maguire
[isbn]
Maguire has sent new visitors down the rabbit hole, putting a contemplative twist on the madcap world of Wonderland. From iron corsets to slave trade, Victorian mores abound, making this a book to read quietly, by a stream, with plenty of tea and rumination.
Recommended by The Dot
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Eliot Weinberger
[isbn]
The latest essay collection from wunder mensch Eliot Weinberger, The Ghosts of Birds collects nearly three dozen disparate pieces (including further entries in his serial essay, "An Elemental Thing") into another literary achievement. Weinberger's erudition is breathtaking to behold, and he so effortlessly makes each of his subjects seem like the most interesting thing in the world. Read, reflect, and repeat.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Mary Ruefle
[isbn]
After I finished reading Madness, Rack, and Honey, I looked up and said, “I have found the book that I will take to the You Can Only Have One Book on This Island, island.” Madness, Rack and Honey is intelligent, witty, beautiful, and the closest thing I’ve found to a bible; it takes the hidden mystery of poetry and solves it by pulling back the curtain and exposing that what’s behind is nothing more than a playground with at... (read more)
Recommended by D Lozano
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Kaiser Haq
[isbn]
I began researching Manasa Devi about two years ago and quickly became fascinated by her mythology. She is in many ways a deity that humans can relate to, especially in regards to her relationship with her father, Shiva, and stepmother, Chandi. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find information about this one-eyed snake goddess. All that changed with the publication of Kaiser Haq's The Triumph of the Snake Goddess. This is an exhaustive... (read more)
Recommended by Shannon B.
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Sjon, Victoria Cribb
[isbn]
Much like The Blue Fox, Sjón's The Whispering Muse is possessed of qualities that linger long after the novel has concluded. Combining elements of Greek mythology with modern storytelling (as well as incorporating his grandfather's fascination with Icelandic and Nordic fish consumption), The Whispering Muse is a lyrical, imaginative work. Set mostly upon a merchant ship in the spring of 1949, the crew is regaled nightly... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Daniel Levin Becker
[isbn]
Ebullient to those already under the Oulipian spell and likely befuddling to those ingenuity intolerant, Daniel Levin Becker's Many Subtle Channels is a fascinating, engaging, and well-researched account of Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle (translating loosely as the "workshop for potential literature"), a collective of mostly French writers and mathematicians that employ(ed) a range... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Sharma Shields
[isbn]
Did Eli's mother actually leave home with a sasquatch-like creature, or just a very hairy man? To the dismay of those around him, Eli makes it his life's mission to find out. Whether the strange characters and situations we encounter are allegorical or "real," there's no doubt this novel is immensely enjoyable.
Recommended by Jen C.
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Lobo Antunes, Antonio
[isbn]
Antunes crafts some of the world's most vivid and lively prose. The brief selections in The Fat Man and Infinity demonstrate that he is as masterful at creating brief vignettes as he is epic novels. As two-thirds of this book is comprised of autobiographical writings, it allows the reader considerable insight into the author's life and his background (from boyhood, through his service in the Angolan civil war, and into his years of... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Marina Keegan, Anne Fadiman
[isbn]
In 2012, Marina Keegan wrote a commencement essay for her college newspaper called "The Opposite of Loneliness." A few days after graduating magna cum laude from Yale, she died in a car accident. This deeply moving posthumous collection contains that hopeful essay along with a mix of other writings from a talent whose work continues to inspire.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Wilson, Edward O.
[isbn]
Through a brilliant melding of science and philosophy, "The father of sociobiology" boldly tackles humanity's biggest questions — namely, what is our role on earth, and how can we continue to evolve as a species? Wilson's writing style is accessible as always, and his passion and empathy continue to push us toward greater levels of enlightenment.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor
[isbn]
If anyone can do justice to 100 years of "the best" American short fiction, it's short story master Lorrie Moore. Thoughtfully edited and handsomely bound, this powerful anthology stitches together a century of vibrant literature through a patchwork of truly remarkable stories, including many lesser-known works that shouldn't be missed.
Recommended by Renee P.
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