I married into a family of history lovers who introduced me to a whole new world of narrative and informative nonfiction. And since my spouse and I are about to head out west to see his family, I thought this would be the perfect time to share some of my favorite history books of late, PLUS an old favorite. But first, we have bookish goods and new books!
Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations, plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!
Bookish Goods
Arthur Library Card Keychain by TheBookishCraftHouse
I cannot tell you the joy that I felt when I saw these. How cute are these little library keychains? And we can get these featuring different characters! $7
New Releases
Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life by Kao Kalia Yang
Kao Kalia Yang shares the story of her mother’s experience fleeing Laos in the 1960s, moving to a refugee camp, and eventually meeting Yang’s father. Where Rivers Part gives us a look into the conflict that caused the displacement of millions of people across Southeast Asia.
The Observable Universe: An Investigation by Heather McCalden
In 1990, Heather McCalden lost both of her parents to AIDS. The Observable Universe follows McCalden as she dives headlong into a research project to learn more about her parents and the horrific disease that took their lives.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
The Rediscovery of America by Dr. Ned Blackhawk
In the fall of 2023, Dr. Ned Blackhawk won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for The Rediscovery of America, his history of North America that intentionally centers the perspective of Indigenous Peoples. From the colonialism of New Spain to Native American Sovereignty in the Cold War Era, Dr. Blackhawk details the major events that impacted the lives of Native Nations. Dr. Blackhawk also notes what non-Indigenous scholars have often missed or underappreciated in their work that centers colonialists in their histories of the United States. The Rediscovery of America is a must-read for any history lover.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Isabel Wilkerson is such an incredible writer and researcher. I adored The Warmth of Other Suns and couldn’t wait to pick up her next book. In Caste, she compares America’s systemic racism to the Caste systems in India and Nazi Germany. She argues that America has a similar caste system, just by a different name. I really appreciated her insight. Her writing is always thought-provoking, but Caste asks readers to reconsider how they view America’s history of racism. It’s definitely a read you won’t want to miss.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra