“Books have a unique way of stopping time in a particular moment and saying: Let’s not forget this.” – Dave Eggers
The Book of Birds: A Field Guide to Wonder and Loss by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris
nonfiction / nature / birds / environment / art.
The Book of Birds is a field guide with a difference: It shows readers not just how to identify birds, but also how to identify with them.
Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris conjure the unique spirit of nearly fifty once-common species: avocet to yellowhammer, kestrel to kingfisher, skylark to nightingale. In lyrical and incantatory essays, Macfarlane describes each bird’s habits and habitats, their patterns of flight and patterns of song, how they hunt or fish or scavenge or gather, how they nest and raise their chicks, the myths that attend them, the threats that shadow them―and how their lives intersect with our own. On every page we encounter Morris’s exhilarating artwork, painted from life in watercolor and gold leaf, and animated with an extraordinary attention to detail.
The Book of Birds is a love letter to the thrilling variety and mysteries of birdlife, and a clarion call to halt the rapid depletion of our skies.
“…imaginative and beautifully illustrated… The ordinary becomes extraordinary in this ode to the wonders of the natural world. Bird lovers will be delighted.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] field guide like no other… A radiant, exhilarating, and invaluable creation.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist
“Each entry is a prose poem aimed at evoking the spirit and the unique qualities of each bird… The audio edition also features terrific sound design courtesy of field recordist Chris Watson, known for his work with David Attenborough. Watson has meticulously recorded the call of each bird and incorporated them into each chapter. This blend of lyrical prose and birdsong make for moving love letter to our feathered friends.” – Fiona Sturges, The Guardian
Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register by Ann Larson
nonfiction / memoir / economics.
Grocery stores may all seem the same. But the supermarket as an institution is anything but ordinary or one-dimensional. At the supermarket where I worked, I found a microcosm of society: a place of brutality and violence as well as solidarity and the promise of change.
Unemployed and looking for work during the pandemic, journalist and activist Ann Larson found a job as a cashier at a supermarket in Utah. Though she had written about low-wage work for years, nothing could have prepared her for what she experienced.
Informed by her time behind the register, Cleanup on Aisle Five is Larson’s deep dive into supermarkets and how they operate from the inside out: from the low-wage workers stocking the shelves and the customers coming through at all hours, to the communities these stores serve and the larger capitalist forces and corporate interests at play that control how we shop for food. In the process, she chronicles the evolution of the grocery store, unpacks the political implications of the battles between shoppers and staff, and invites us to imagine grocery stores as places where one can foster community and even equity—if we can separate food distribution from profit motive.
Deeply reported and refreshingly insightful, Larson follows the interactions between the workers, including Stanley who can’t afford a sandwich, Nick who doesn’t have health insurance, and Scarlet who is all out of patience, and customers, including the old lady who finds comfort in tidying the shelves to the one homeless guy who only comes in to use the facilities. From the unforgettable characters to the common challenges we face when it comes to food, Cleanup in Aisle Five will forever change the way we look at grocery stores.
“…illuminating… Dotting her empathetic account with historical tidbits about the evolution of customer service and American productivity, Larson offers a firm rebuke of late capitalism. It’s essential reading.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“From describing the physical toll on their bodies to the bonds of getting through the day, Larson draws readers into the stories of grocery workers and how food distribution and profit could change for the betterment of society.” – Jennifer Adams, Booklist
“This insider account persuasively argues that cashiers, stockers, baggers, and other grocery store workers deserve more money, rights, and respect for their ‘skilled and socially necessary’ labors… This compassionate book will make some shoppers think twice about using self-checkout machines… In a thoughtful memoir, a former grocery store worker calls for industry reform.” – Kirkus Reviews
Contrapposto by Dave Eggers ★
fiction.
Cricket Dib, born on the American prairie, has no particular prospects or ambitions until, in grade school, he realizes he can draw. He soon meets a girl, Olympia Argyros, one year older, who is captivating and brilliant and far more worldly. Recognizing his talent, she convinces him to deface, with profound vulgarity, a popular playground. Under her direction, he does it willingly, already in love, and thus begins a sixty-five-year entwining between Cricket and Olympia, encompassing friendship, working partnership and love affair. Together they go to art school—an experience of dubious value—and then navigate the art world for the next fifty years, together and apart.
Contrapposto is a moving and very funny novel about allies and art, and what it means to be an artist. All through their lives, Cricket sees Olympia as his soulmate and destiny, and while she is always his champion, romantically her eyes are always seeking something—and someone—else. Their love changes over the decades, but their commitment to each other, and their search for meaning in the making of art, never wanes. The novel spans the globe, from New York to Thailand, Indiana to Paris, and follows Cricket and Olympia through sickness and health, war and death.
The novel is a wild and beautiful examination of the rules and market forces of the art world, but chiefly it’s about two friends who believe they can change that world, and bring new meaning to it, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals, and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.
“[A] tour de force.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] very funny, very moving book about the deepest kind of friendship.” – McSweeney’s
“Contrapposto is by turns wistful and humorous, a wide-angle, wholly absorbing study of deep friendship and making meaning through art.” – Anita Felicell, Alta
“Drawings by Eggers, who was a painting major in college, and others punctuate his surpassingly beautiful and enthralling prose as he ingeniously meshes the arresting and affecting drama of Cricket and Olympia with an insightful, caustically funny, at times tragic, and truly profound inquiry into the making and meaning of art.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life by Dusty Baker with Steve Kettman
nonfiction / memoir / sports / baseball.
Dusty Baker walked with baseball legends and became one himself. After he signed with the Braves in 1968 at the age of nineteen against his father’s wishes, no less than the great Hank Aaron promised to take Baker under his wing. Mentored by Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie Mays, Baker became a premier hitter, helping take the Dodgers to a World Series victory in 1981. He would bookend this with another championship in 2022, this time as a manager helping guide and redeem a Houston Astros team humbled by a cheating scandal. Respected by generations across the game, Baker has come to embody the spirit of the sport—and yet, to discuss his baseball career is only to scratch the surface of a remarkable life.
Crossroads will bring readers into the mind of one of baseball’s mavericks: a curious, inquisitive thinker whose deep interest in the worlds of music, wine, and the simpler joys of life charts a journey of success, struggle, faith, and perseverance. Baker’s memoir is filled with hard-earned wisdom and a love for life so plentiful, it seems to radiate from every sentence.
A true American original, counting among his friends presidents and dignitaries, bluesmen and artists, Baker weaves a spell of life at the crossroads, where fate turns on our decisions and the unexpected answers that sometimes seek us out when we least expect it.
“A pleasure for fans of the old-school game, when titans strode the diamond.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Legendary MLB outfielder and manager Baker regales readers with his love of the game… endearing…” – Publishers Weekly
Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See ★
fiction / historical fiction.
In 1870, three Chinese women arrive in the small, dusty, and violent pueblo of Los Angeles. Dove, the bound-footed daughter of an imperial scholar, is entrancing and innocent. These characteristics should bring her great rewards, beginning with her arranged marriage to a much older merchant. Petal, the big-footed daughter of peasants, has grown up hungry and with dirt between her toes. In a moment of desperation, Petal’s father sells her to buy money for rice seed, and she is loaded onto a ship to the Gold Mountain—America—where she is once again sold. Moon is married to a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She is educated, speaks fluent English, and has been endowed with a face of great beauty, yet her failed footbinding as a child has left her with a limp that lessens her value in the eyes of many.
Each woman has her own desires. Dove wants to love and be loved, Petal desires freedom, and Moon seeks justice. Together they face a larger society that wishes them not one ounce of good will. Anti-Chinese sentiment is strong in Los Angeles, and this eventually leads to the Night of Horrors during which all three women are challenged in ways they could not have imagined. Brought together by hardship and heartbreak, they must use their bravery, endurance, and ability to “eat bitterness” to discover their voices, find freedom, and connect through solace and friendship. Together they are daughters of the sun and moon.
“See offers a stunning piece of historical fiction based in truth. It will touch readers with the characters’ resilience, heroism, and devoted friendship.” – Linsey Milillo, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“See’s narrative brims with historical detail… Poignant and fascinating, Daughters of the Sun and Moon is a heart-pounding frontier narrative and a tender tribute to female friendship.” – Katie Noah Gibson, Shelf Awareness
“…stirring… See builds a taut story from precise details… Without minimizing the period’s racism and misogyny, See offers an inspiring vision of female resilience.” – Publishers Weekly
“Book clubs will love this story because it sparks powerful conversations about history, justice, and the strength of women facing impossible odds… especially engaging [because of] how relevant it is today… the kind of book that reminds us that history has a way of repeating itself, and that is exactly why it needs to be read.” – Princeton Book Review
Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver
fiction / romance / suspense / horror.
It’s time to reap what you sow.
Cape Carnage is blooming with secrets, and they’re ready to harvest. But every time Nolan Rhodes digs one up, another grows in its place. Harper isn’t who he thought she was. Arthur might be more sinister than he first thought. And Sheriff Yates? The man is everywhere he turns. When true crime fanatics descend on the town looking for answers about the death of their leader, Nolan finds himself at the center of a search and rescue operation for missing people he knows are already dead. Cape Carnage teeters on the brink of chaos. And the harder Nolan tries to keep it together, the closer Harper comes to unraveling.
Harper Starling has risked everything to bury her trauma in Cape Carnage. But now that Nolan has unearthed her past, her whole life seems ready to break apart. And who can she trust? The enigmatic man she’s falling in love with? He came to kill her. The serial killer mentor she’s vowed to protect? He’s become an unpredictable menace. The woman in the mirror? She might be the most dangerous of all.
Loyalties are tested. Bonds are bent to a breaking point. And love? That might be the deadliest trap of all.
“…darkly humorous… flips the script on your typical small-town romance…” – Margarita Polkowska, B&N Reads
“Brynne Weaver remains completely unmatched at this specific genre-blending chaos.” – Sweet Treats & Book Reads
The Missed Connection by Tia Williams ★
fiction / romance / comedy.
Sasha Cruz knows types. As a booked-and-busy casting agent, she’s always casting—at happy hour, the grocery store, everywhere. She’s all about finding the perfect person to slot into the perfect role. What she doesn’t do, however, is relationships. Too much energy, not enough time.
On a flight to Paris for work, a chance encounter with her type changes everything. Sasha’s seated next to a broodingly attractive mystery man, and sparks fly—but they never exchange contact information. Convinced she’s lost out on her soulmate, Sasha emails her work friend for help, but accidentally writes to the entire company worldwide! The international manhunt to find Seat F begins.
Meanwhile Sasha takes matters into her own hands. She hires a smoldering detective she knew in another lifetime—who complicates matters in unforeseen (and irresistible) ways.
With a worldwide search underway, will love take flight for Sasha?
“…Williams’s fresh, clever writing and woman-centric way with a love scene light up this spicy rom-com.” – Marion Winik, Oprah Daily
“Flawed yet lovable characters shine in this celebration of human connection.” – Kirkus Reviews
“[A] brilliant, frothy quest… By balancing the plot-driven shenanigans and relatable emotion, Williams crafts a delicate sweet spot within her novel. It’s where the dramedy queen’s trifecta of humor, heat and ingenuity really shines… it’s hard not to love this fluffy and quirky rom-com confection.” – Carole V. Bell, BookPage
“In The Missed Connection,Williams balances fun and messy chaos with undeniable wit. And as in all her books, you’ll laugh at the pop culture nods and fan yourself through the chemistry―an ideal way to spend a summer night.” – Erin La Rosa, Los Angeles Times
Nantucket Second Chances by Pamela Kelley
fiction / romance.
Claire Shipman never imagined she’d be the single mom of a teenager, going through a contentious divorce, and unexpectedly pregnant. On the bright side, at least she’s on Nantucket, where she grew up, and where her mother and grandmother welcome her home with open arms.
For years, Claire lived an enviable Manhattan lifestyle. Until her ex had a marriage-ending affair and also lost his job and all their money. Claire’s high school friends invite her to their book club and an off-hand joke that she could sell one of her Hermes bags sparks a business idea.
Her friend’s brother, Cody, is a furniture builder with a spare storefront. He’s initially skeptical about the prospects of a “used handbag shop”.
But Claire is determined. With the support of Lily, her mother, grandmother, old friends and new, she begins to build a true second chance at a new life.
“Readers who enjoy the sun-soaked settings and family drama in Elin Hilderbrand’s beachy sagas will love Pamela Kelley’s new book, Nantucket Second Chances.” – Melissa D’Agnese, Woman’s World
Transcendent: A Memoir by Laverne Cox ★
nonfiction / memoir.
Laverne Cox is a powerhouse in the fight for transgender rights and representation—but her path from a struggling trans actress to a cultural movement was anything but easy.
Surviving a childhood full of trauma, dealing with depression, and working at a drag restaurant in New York City for seven years, Laverne was turning forty and felt it was time to throw in the towel when it came to being a Hollywood star—then she booked the character of Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black. Her world changed overnight.
She made history as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy, starred in a range of high-profile shows, and became the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy as executive producer on Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. A red-carpet fashion icon, podcast host, and fearless advocate, she uses her stardom to champion LGBTQ+ rights, whether on Hollywood’s biggest stages, her personal channels, or at Supreme Court hearings. And she’s only getting started.
In Transcendent, you will experience life in Laverne’s shoes, from her childhood abuse to making her big break, dealing with Hollywood bureaucracy, feeling lonely in a world that is unaccepting, and finding her voice through the chaos of it all. With behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflection, we can heal and fight for equality, right alongside Laverne.
“…powerful… [Cox] dives deep in this memoir, chronicling her abusive childhood, depression, and her gig at a drag restaurant in New York for 7 years before rising to prominence as a Hollywood star and LGBTQ+ and trans-rights activist.” – Corinne Lestch, The Story Exchange
“How did a kid from Mobile, Ala., scarred by community bigotry and family cruelty, grow into an Emmy-nominated actress and transgender trailblazer? This powerful memoir fills in the blanks, replete with defiance, tears and no shortage of glamour.” – New York Times
Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1920, and the Struggle for the Soul of America by David S. Reynolds
nonfiction / history.
In the bitterly polarized decades leading up to the American Civil War, it was commonplace to argue that America’s strife could be traced back to the arrival of two ships, less than a year apart—The White Lion, which brought the first enslaved Africans to Jamestown in 1619, and the Mayflower, which brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock in 1620.
In a deeper sense, David S. Reynolds shows us, in this magnificent book, those two ships, invoked by Frederick Douglass and many others, stood for two quite distinct realities: the Puritans and the Cavaliers, names and ideologies born in the bloodshed of the English Civil War. The Virginia colony, founded by royalists, was steeped in the ideas of divine right, which flowed down in rigid patriarchal hierarchies. Plymouth Colony’s dissenters to the king and his church, while hardly perfect, carried the seeds of a more egalitarian political vision.
These two ships of 1619 and 1620 played a key role in the battle of images and words that marked the roiling fight, and then war, over slavery. As Reynolds shows, there was a long stretch of time in America when everyone knew what Cavaliers and Puritans meant. It was North versus South, but more deeply, it was about whether social hierarchy was the natural order of things.
But then, as America descended into the long night of Jim Crow, the metaphor of the two ships went to sleep as well. The meaning of the Mayflower and of Thanksgiving changed as they became mainstream, apolitical ideas. If the ships’ status as cultural touchpoints before the Civil War tells us something vital about that conflict, their forgetting afterward tells us much about why the road to true equality has proved so stony. By dredging up these two ships’ dueling images, the great David S. Reynolds enables us to make the same use of them that Frederick Douglass and his contemporaries did to challenge us, and to give us hope that we are up to the task.
“A highly recommended must-read, with great insights into American history and ideology.” – Lucy Heckman, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“…captivating… Readers will find this a wonderfully original take on U.S. history.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A welcome revisitation of an old but entirely appropriate trope in early American history.” – Kirkus Reviews
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer ★
fiction / historical fiction / romance / comedy.
An aspiring archivist determined to begin a “serious” life after an undistinguished undergraduate career takes up residence in the Italian countryside. Here, he becomes the all-purpose assistant to the Baronessa, known to her friends as Coco, a defiantly youthful and naturally flamboyant woman of ninety-two. Amid a chaotic and colorful milieu of gin-swilling princesses, incomprehensible handymen, roaming boarhunters, nuns, and other local wildlife, our young man does his best to catalog the villa’s extensive collection of art and antiques—although he notices that things seem to go missing from right under his nose.
Despite himself, he tumbles into an affair with a married man, complicating his future plans considerably. And when the Baronessa loses someone close to her, he becomes an unwitting accomplice in the acceleration of Coco’s great and final plan: to locate the love of her life and be reunited before it’s too late. Told with the signature wit, charm, and humanity that made Less an international phenomenon, Villa Coco is a dazzling, sun-soaked ode to life itself, a meditation on how seriously we ought to take ourselves, and a bawdy Mediterranean ballad about becoming who we’ve always wanted to be.
“[A] smart, sweetly wistful comedy from the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner, which goes down like fine olive oil. Buono!” – Colin Dwyer, NPR
“It is impossible to read this playful, escapist novel without a smile on your face.” – Anna Bonet, The i Paper
“From the first delightful sentence of this novel to its unconventional and satisfying conclusion, Greer takes readers on a charming Italian sojourn in which nothing is precisely what it seems… While the twists and turns of the plot will keep readers smiling, a deeper theme emerges about finding one’s place in the world… Disguised as a frothy, farcical romp, Greer’s novel is a heartfelt and poignant tribute to the mysterious process of growing up.” – Jennifer Alexander, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“…charming from start to finish… seductively entertaining… [Villa Coco] feels itself like a proverbial box of chocolates—a treasure chest of surprises waiting to be sampled… Greer’s novel is a Tuscan romp that overflows with sunshine and surprises while providing a deep meditation on growing up, growing old and navigating the many crossroads in between.” – Alice Cary, BookPage, STARRED REVIEW
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