What To Read

Notable releases for May include Megan Abbott's highly anticipated thriller, Susan Sontag's posthumously published essay collection, Brandon Taylor's newest novel, R.F. Kuang's dark satire Yellowface, and so much more.

Notable Releases for the Week of May 29, 2023

FICTION

Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott

One of the year's most anticipated thrillers from the bestselling author of The Turnout is an ominous tale of a pregnant woman on a family outing to Michigan’s remote Upper Peninsula. As their idyllic cabin vacation takes a sinister turn, she becomes trapped in a web of surveillance, questioning reality and fighting for survival in a spine-tingling story of suspense that CrimeReads likened to Rosemary’s Baby.

Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman 

The author of the TikTok sensation Funny You Should Ask is back with another hot and heavy helping of smoldering romance that promises to be as big as her last. This one features a former pop star who finds herself back in the spotlight—along with an old flame from her past— in a steamy affair tailor-made for fans of Broadway musicals, boy bands and celebrity drama.

Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

The latest from the Mexican-American poet, novelist and Pulitzer Prize finalist is a female-focused war epic inspired by his mother's courageous service during WWII. The gripping and largely forgotten true story follows the brave women commanding Red Cross Clubmobiles at the front line, in a historical drama Publisher’s Weekly hailed as a “moving and graceful tribute to friendship and to heroic women who have shouldered the burdens of war.”

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

Take a heartwarming trip to Big Sur this summer with the latest from the bestselling author of The Guncle. In an emotional ode to friendship that’s been called “a Big Chill for our times,” five 50-something college friends reunite to honor a lifelong pact and celebrate life amidst the challenges of getting older. But this time around, a deep secret puts their friendship to the ultimate test.

Witch King by Martha Wells

The first new fantasy in over a decade from the Nebula award-winning author of the Murderbot series. In a time-hopping action-adventure story brimming with elaborate worldbuilding, a demon named Kai must escape an elaborate water tomb in order to reunite with lost comrades and unravel a terrible conspiracy. 

Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (a Novel) by T. J. Newman

The flight attendant turned bestselling author of Falling is back with another edge-of-your-airplane seat thriller about a flight that crashes and sinks to the bottom of the Pacific. As a daring rescue gets underway, the surviving passengers are trapped in a desperate race against time and oxygen that "reads like Apollo 13 underwater,” according to crime legend Don Winslow.

NONFICTION

On Women by Susan Sontag

A new collection of Sontag’s seminal essays traverses “the politics and aesthetics of being a woman in the United States, the Americas, and the world,” writes critic Merve Emre in her introduction. From musings on film and fascism to points of view on aging and beauty, the ideas in this collection exemplify the originality and intellect of one of the great thinkers of the 20th century.

The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts

Childhood friends Monica and Darci grew up poor in an ultra-religious rural town in the Ozarks. While Monica achieved her dreams, Darci struggled with addiction, homelessness and single parenting in poverty. Narrated by Monica, now a senior politics reporter for FiveThirtyEight, the book delves into the factors contributing to their divergent outcomes, and sheds light on just how limited the choices are for people growing up in the declining working class communities in America.

Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives by Amelia Possanza

Seven unique and largely untold stories of lesbian relationships through the ages—from ancient times through the present—recounted through a carefully researched mix of historical fiction and personal memoir. Kirkus describes this debut by a Brooklyn-based author as “warm, personal, and accessible. Detailed and immensely readable, this is a generous history of lesbian love."

The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me about (Desiring) Men by Manuel Betancourt

A collection of ten provocative essays on masculinity and male desire by a queer Colombian culture writer and film critic that according to The 2000s Made Me Gay author Grace Perry  “goes deep on the perennial queer dilemma: Do I want to be them, or bang them?” *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

Tenderheart: A Cookbook about Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds

The James Beard Foundation finalist and To Asia, With Love author reminds us to eat our veggies in this flavorful homage to her Chinese Australian heritage. There are 180 original recipes including Miso Mushroom Ragu with Baked Polenta, Celery and Vermicelli Spring Rolls, Sweet Potato and Black Sesame Marble Bundt, Crispy Potato Tacos and more delicious vegetarian dishes in this 528-page volume that Nigella Lawson praised as, “A love letter to vegetables and almost a memoir through recipes, this truly special book speaks to the soul as much as to the stomach."

Other New Releases This Week:

FICTION

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

Central Park West: A Crime Novel by James Comey

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig

Uranians: Stories by Theodore McCombs

NONFICTION

Genealogy of a Murder: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night by Lisa Belkin

Everything All At Once: A Memoir by Steph Catudal

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Arrivals | Notable Releases for the Week of May 22, 2023

FICTION

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

Here’s a stylish murder mystery to toss into your beach bag this summer. This propulsive debut unravels the treacherous depths of infidelity and murderous intrigue on Fire Island, the tranquil seaside resort beloved by New York’s artists and intellectuals. But when a body is found, the residents' idyllic lives are turned upside down, unveiling dark secrets beneath their picture-perfect facade.

Rogue Justice: A Thriller by Stacey Abrams

The political powerhouse and bestselling author of While Justice Sleeps is back with another breathless legal thriller that pulls back the curtain on the machinations of power in Washington like only she can. This time around, a federal judge is dead and Abrams' unflappable heroine, Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene, is back to crack a conspiracy involving murder, blackmailed judges, and America’s ultra secret FISA court.

Tomás Nevinson by Javier Marías

The highly anticipated final novel by the perennial Nobel Prize favorite and follow-up to his acclaimed Berta Isla. In this espionage thriller, the charismatic half-Spanish, half-English British spy finds himself consumed by a mission to unearth and kill the mastermind behind a series of terrorist bombings that have left Spain in turmoil. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

The highly anticipated novel from the Booker prize finalist and Filthy Animals author follows the entangled lives of four friends in Iowa City during a pivotal year in their young lives. An exquisitely written portrait of friendship and chosen family set among the poets, blue collar workers, amateur pornographers, aspiring bankers, artists, mathematicians and other characters that inhabit the classrooms, bedrooms and cafes of the vibrant college town.

Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda

Critically-acclaimed western noir from the acclaimed author of These Women. When two cellmates with a turbulent relationship get out of an Arizona women’s prison, a relentless cat and mouse chase kicks off up the California coast in a gritty, feminist thriller that’s been likened to No Country for Old Men and the hit show Killing Eve. 

NONFICTION

On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good By Elise Loehnen

A feminist manifesto from the bestselling author and former Goop content honcho that weaves together history, memoir, and cultural criticism to explore the ways patriarchal concepts affect women’s minds, bodies, and wallets. The Pulling the Thread podcast host urges women to reconsider their aversion to the ancient “sins” of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth to liberate their potential and enjoy more authentic lives.

I Could Not Believe It: The 1979 Teenage Diaries of Sean Delear by Sean Delear

An unvarnished account of growing up Black and queer in a conservative Los Angeles suburb, from a young boy who would go on to leave an indelible mark on LA’s music and art scene in the 1980s. These previously unknown diaries were discovered and published following the Glue frontman’s untimely passing in 2017, and offer a raw time capsule of a pivotal moment in the influential artist’s life.

The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself by Tinx

With signature mini mic in hand, the breakout social media star has garnered millions of devoted fans and a spot on Forbes's list of Top Creators of 2022 for her zeitgeist-capturing takes on everything from food to dating to rich mom starter packs. In her first ever book, Tik Tok’s self-proclaimed older sister offers her signature brand of advice on dating, friendship, love, happiness, self fulfillment and turning chaos into a source of creativity and inspiration.

In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy by Jeff Biggers

Dreaming of a summer vacation soaked in breathtaking scenery, captivating history, fabulous cuisine and award-winning wines? On the 100th anniversary of D.H. Lawrence’s famed portrait of the beguiling Italian island, this terrific and well-researched new travelogue by an acclaimed historian brings us the unique characters, flavors, archaeological discoveries and untold stories of one of the Mediterranean’s great treasures. 

The Flavor Thesaurus: More Flavors: Plant-Led Pairings, Recipes, and Ideas for Cooks by Niki Segnit

The author of critically-acclaimed taste bible Flavor Thesaurus is back with a plant-based sequel, blending science, history, and anecdotes in a handy cross-referenced format. Home chefs will learn to expertly mix and match the unique taste profiles of ingredients like kale, fennel, pomegranate, lentil, miso, mustard, rye, pine nut, poppy seed, sesame, turmeric, and more.

Other New Releases This Week:

FICTION

Identity by Nora Roberts

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis

The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer

Austral by Carlos Fonseca

Notes on Her Color by Jennifer Neal

NONFICTION

Why Fathers Cry at Night by Kwame Alexander 

Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs by Jamie Loftus

Women We Buried, Women We Burned: A Memoir, by Rachel Louise Snyder

Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon by Melissa L. Sevigny

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Arrivals | Notable Releases for the Week of May 15, 2023

FICTION

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

This dark satire tracks the meteoric rise of a white author who finagles her way onto the bestseller list by shamelessly stealing the work of her dead Asian friend. A piercing indictment of white privilege, cultural appropriation and the lack of diversity in the publishing world from an acclaimed fantasy writer.

The Guest by Emma Cline

The bestselling author and National Book Critics Circle award finalist returns with a thrilling, sun-soaked examination of class, gender and survival set among the elite social circles of Long Island's East End. Homeless at summer's end, a crafty young impostor penetrates the rarified world of gated driveways, hedged lanes and decadent pool parties.

Blue Skies by T. C. Boyle

The latest from the California-based novelist and regular New Yorker contributor is a darkly humorous ecothriller about an influencer’s impulsive purchase of a Burmese python to make up for her life’s other inadequacies, setting off a calamitous chain of events. 

The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williams

A wickedly clever debut novel from a British Nigerian writer that captures the escalating tensions between a woman's doting husband and her best friend. Told from three distinct perspectives -  the wife’s, the husband’s, and the wife’s snarky pal - over the course of a single explosive day that begins to unravel as the trio’s toxic relationships are stretched to the limit. 

NONFICTION

Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby

So many Irby fans have been waiting for this collection of hilarious and personal essays on Hollywood, pop culture and fame from the bestselling author of Wow, No Thank You. The candid comedian, bitches-gotta-eat blogger, and writer on Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That… takes on bathroom etiquette, red carpet woes, dental pitfalls, and her QVC obsession with her signature brand of self-deprecating humor.

The World: A Family History of Humanity by Simon Sebag Montefiore 

If you think Succession’s backstabbing and intrigue makes for high family drama, wait till you get a load of this bestselling historian’s sweeping new history of families from ancient times to the  present day. From the fossilized footprints of a family of five out for a stroll 950,000 years ago, to the romances, and rivalries of clans like the Bonapartes, Habsburgs, Zulus, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Churchills, Kennedys, Castros, Saudis, Kims, Assads and many more, this epic by the acclaimed author of The Romanovs offers a masterful account of world history through its dynasties. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

A Renaissance of Our Own: A Memoir & Manifesto on Reimagining by Rachel E Cargle

Looking for inspiration to re-think, re-frame or re-design your life? Consider the work of Rachel Cargle, racial justice warrior, feminist activist, philanthropist, entrepreneur—and now, author. She writes about using the power of imagining new belief systems to shatter dated paradigms and oppressive constructs in this deeply personal memoir that follows her evolution from small-town Christian wife to one of today’s leading queer feminist voices. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig

The highly anticipated and the first major biography of the renowned civil rights leader in years, from the author of the bestseller Ali: A Life, combines revelatory research and captivating storytelling, along with a shocking, previously unknown revelation about a notorious quote long attributed to the beloved American icon.

Other New Releases This Week:

FICTION

Close to Home by Michael Magee

Dances by Nicole Cuffy

Glassworks by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith

Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis

Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway

Harold by Steven Wright

NONFICTION

Thinning Blood: A Memoir of Family, Myth, and Identity by Leah Myers

A Life of One's Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again by Joanna Biggs

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Arrivals | Notable Releases for the Week of May 8, 2023

FICTION

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

Yes, that Tom Hanks. Turns out the legendary movie star also creates his own comic books, which are at the heart of this touching new novel that jumps back and forth between post WWII America, the 70s and present day to tell the making-of story behind a Hollywood blockbuster inspired by comic books.

Even If Everything Ends by Jens Liljestrand

An entertaining and unsettling cli-fi debut from a Swedish journalist that imagines the lives of four characters living in a dystopian yet all-too-possible near future ravaged by climate change. Somehow,  life manages to go on for a hapless middle aged man, a climate-denying influencer, a vengeful son and a sensible teenage daughter as the world around them burns. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

The founder of McSweeneys and acclaimed author (The Circle, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) Dave Eggers has collaborated with a Caldecott-winning illustrator on this canine caper narrated by a charismatic dog plotting to free the animal denizens of a fictional island park. But parents shouldn’t feel left out of the fun, says Eggers, “I’ve been obsessed with the idea of all-ages books for a long time, because there are so many great, classic books — whether it’s ‘Charlotte’s Web’ or the work of Brian Selznick — that I think everybody can enjoy equally.”

Queen Charlotte: Before the Bridgertons Came the Love Story That Changed the Ton… by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes

With the TV version of this anticipated prequel now streaming, here’s a chance for Bridgerton superfans to delve even deeper into the royal love affair that started it all, but in written form. This time around, the bestselling author of the Bridgerton novels, Julia Quinn, has joined forces with the smash Netflix show’s creator Shonda Rhimes for a steamy glimpse at the young Queen’s romantic adventures.

Retrospective by Juan Gabriel Vásquez

This critically-acclaimed family saga from a Booker prize finalist follows a celebrated film director looking back on the extraordinary events that shaped his life and family. Taking readers on a journey from the Spanish Civil War to Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China, and from the guerrilla battles of 1960s Latin America to the present, this Mario Vargas Llosa-praised epic packs a historical wallop.

NONFICTION

Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino” by Héctor Tobar

The term and definition of “latino” is one of the most misunderstood catchall racial and ethnic terms in the United States. In this exploration of Latinx identity, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author (Deep Down Dark) decodes the term and offers a nuanced exploration into its meaning. Blending personal reflection as the son of Guatemalan immigrants with stories gleaned from his Latinx students, plus eye-opening insights on culture, politics and race, the Los Angeles native has woven together an important account of the modern Latinx experience.

When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach by Ashlee Vance

Bestselling Elon Musk biographer Ashlee Vance has written a fascinating, carefully-researched account of the commercial space race that was set off in 2008 when SpaceX launched the Falcon 1 rocket. The business and tech journalist has had a front-row seat to the frenzied scramble of private companies competing to dominate the market for satellites and rockets destined for Earth's lower orbit. In this revealing portrait of the era, he shares his exclusive scoops on top secret launches in exotic locales, espionage, heavily armed guards, hallucinogens and rockets galore.

Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy

You might’ve come across his moving (ahem) ode to the problem-solving powers of walking in a recent NY Times guest essay, or perhaps you recall him as the baby-faced 80’s Brat Pack actor (St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty in Pink). One thing’s for sure, the actor-cum-bestselling author logged some serious kilometers to write this intimate new travel memoir about a father forging a deep connection with his young son, one step at a time, while trekking along Spain’s Camino de Santiago.   

Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies: How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature by Elizabeth Winkler

Building on her provocative essay in The Atlantic, Winkler presents various theories about how Shakespeare could have actually been a woman. It's a literature live wire to doubt the identity or authorship of the Bard, and the author makes a brave and thought-provoking case for interrogating how much we really know about his (or her?) identity.

Other New Releases This Week:

FICTION

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan

NONFICTION

Orphan Bachelors: A Memoir by Fae Myenne Ng

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Arrivals | Notable Releases for the Week of May 2, 2023

FICTION

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Thirteen years after the release of his acclaimed Cutting for Stone, the polymathic Stanford physician is back with an equally ambitious epic about a South Indian family cursed by an enigmatic affliction that leads to drowning deaths in each generation. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

In a twisted take on the reality show, female gladiators compete in brutal death matches for their chance at freedom. This highly-anticipated dystopian novel from the bestselling author of Friday Black turns a scathing eye on American mass incarceration, and is Roxane Gay's May Selection for her Audacious Book Club. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane

In this new novel from the author of Ask Again, Yes,  an affable small-town bartender struggles to keep his local bar afloat while righting a complicated marriage over the course of one turbulent blizzard-swept week. 

Swamp Story by Dave Barry

Bestselling humorist Dave Barry's latest is a screwball adventure that could only go down in Florida. When a broke mom finds a life-changing treasure in the Everglades, a cast of scheming oddballs, meddlesome TikTokers and other villains enter the picture to make sure nothing goes as planned.

Shy by Max Porter

The author known for his explorations of boyhood in Grief Is the Thing with Feathers and the Booker-longlisted Lanny takes a deeper look at a troubled adolescence in this slender, stylized novel that’s heavy on guilt, rage, imagination and linguistic exploration.

NONFICTION

The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel

The untold, history-upending story of women artists from the Renaissance through the present day, expertly told by the London-based art historian and curator behind the @thegreatwomenartists instagram and podcast of the same name.

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg

An unprecedented and intimate look at the powerhouse political couple at the heart of the long struggle against Apartheid. Drawing from never-before-seen material, this gripping tale of power, revolution, love and deceit sheds new light on the complicated marriage that forever changed South African history.

The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them by Peter Wohlleben

A wonderful reminder from the bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees that there’s much more to a forest than simply a collection of trees. Turning a critical eye on modern forestry management, this ode to the power of ancient forests argues that nature itself may play a crucial role in healing our fragile planet. *A Tertulia staff pick for May.

Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral by Ben Smith

The candid inside tale of how digital news media emerged from early aughts New York City to transform culture and wreak havoc on modern democracy. This detailed history of the Disinformation Age tracks the fierce rivalry between Gawker Media’s Nick Denton and Jonah Peretti of HuffPost and Buzzfeed, who built the seminal foundations of click-bait media that would eventually overrun the internet.

Other New Releases This Week:

FICTION

A History of Burning by Janika Oza

You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

Gone to the Wolves by John Wray

La Tercera by Gina Apostol

NONFICTION

Deep Oakland: How Geology Shaped a City by Andrew Alden

Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism by Jeffrey Toobin

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony

Tell Me Everything: A Memoir by Minka Kelly

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy

Don't Call Me Home: A Memoir by Alexandra Auder

We Are Too Many: A Memoir [Kind Of] by Hannah Pittard