Author: Liberty Hardy

Two more weeks until 2019! This is the last New Books newsletter of 2018, so I wanted to share a few book ideas in case you’re a last-minute shopper, or you want to get more gifts. (Orrrrrrr if you need more books for yourself, because who doesn’t??!?) I think there’s a little something here for everyone, and I’ve included a little bit of the publisher’s synopsis with each.

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Sponsored by Book Riot’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2018 Giveaway

We’re giving away ten of our favorite works of nonfiction of the year! Click here to enter.

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If you want to know about more 2018 releases, you can hear about several more of our favorite books of the year on this week’s episode of the All the Books! María Cristina and I talked about a few of the amazing books we loved, including Washington Black, The Feather Thief, and Severance.

These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore

“In the most ambitious one-volume American history in decades, award-winning historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore offers a magisterial account of the origins and rise of a divided nation, an urgently needed reckoning with the beauty and tragedy of American history.”

Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson

“New York Times bestselling author and star of 2 Dope Queens Phoebe Robinson is back with a new, hilarious, and timely essay collection on gender, race, dating, and the dumpster fire that is our world.”

 

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

“Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.”

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

“It’s the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can’t wait to meet her classmates. But it’s hard to make human friends when they’re so darn delicious!”

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

“This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward—with hope and pain—into the future.”

Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount

“A source of endless inspiration, literary facts and recommendations: Bibliophile is pure bookish joy and sure to enchant book clubbers, English majors, poetry devotees, aspiring writers, and any and all who identify as book lovers.”

Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee

“American food is the story of mash-ups. Immigrants arrive, cultures collide, and out of the push-pull come exciting new dishes and flavors. But for Edward Lee, who, like Anthony Bourdain or Gabrielle Hamilton, is as much a writer as he is a chef, that first surprising bite is just the beginning.”

Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts by Leah Tinari

“In the spirit of She Persisted, Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, and Rad American A-Z, acclaimed artist Leah Tinari offers a spectacular collection of portraits, celebrating iconic, inspirational, and groundbreaking American women.”

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

“The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the multibillion-dollar biotech startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite pressure from its charismatic CEO and threats by her lawyers.”

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

“Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a new life—saving each other in the process. Lyrically told by one of today’s most powerful storytellers, Sweepis a heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and wonder.”

The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne B. Freeman

“In The Field of Blood, Joanne B. Freeman recovers the long-lost story of physical violence on the floor of the U.S. Congress. Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, she shows that the Capitol was rife with conflict in the decades before the Civil War.”

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

“From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice.”

 

Animal Kingdom: A Collection of Portraits by Randal Ford and Dan Winters

“These arresting studio portraits capture the beauty, power, and even humor of 150 furry and feathered species – a delight for any animal or bird lover.”

 

Monument: Poems New and Selected by Natasha Trethewey

“This is a poet’s remarkable labor to source evidence, persistence, and strength from the past in order to change the very foundation of the vocabulary we use to speak about race, gender, and our collective future.”

 

Check, Please!: Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

“A collection of the first half, freshmen and sophomore year, of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.”

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson

“A rollicking true-crime adventure and a captivating journey into an underground world of fanatical fly-tiers and plume peddlers, for readers of The Stranger in the Woods, The Lost City of Z, and The Orchid Thief.”

Salt Lane by William Shaw

“Juggling the case, her aging mother, her teenage daughter, and the loneliness of country life, Detective Cupidi must discover who the woman really was, who killed her, and how she managed to reconnect with her long lost son, apparently from beyond the grave.”

 

Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy) by Tade Thompson

“Tade Thompson’s Rosewater is the start of an award-winning, cutting edge trilogy set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction’s most engaging new voices.”

 

 

Queen in 3-D Updated Edition (3-D Stereoscopic Book) by Brian May

“”There’s no ghost writer for this book. It’s just me.” – Brian May. With these words, the author announces the first book ever to be published about the legendary rock band Queen by a member of the band. And certainly the first book of its kind in the world.”

Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History by Blair Imani, Monique Le (Illustrator)

“An inspiring and radical celebration of 70 women, girls, and gender nonbinary people who have changed–and are still changing–the world, from the Civil Rights Movement and Stonewall riots through Black Lives Matter and beyond.”

Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones (A Targaryen History) (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Martin and Doug Wheatley

“With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire & Blood is the the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.”

Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter

“Moving, haunting, and as fast-paced as a novel, Invisible tells the true story of a woman who often found her path blocked by the social and political expectations of her time. But Eunice Carter never accepted defeat, and thanks to her grandson’s remarkable book, her long forgotten story is once again visible.”

I’ll Be There for You: The One about Friends by Kelsey Miller

“I’ll Be There for You is the definitive retrospective of Friends, not only for fans of the series, but for anyone who’s ever wondered what it is about this show—and television comedy—that resonates so powerfully.”

 

In Pieces by Sally Field

“In this intimate, haunting literary memoir, an American icon tells her own story for the first time–about a challenging and lonely childhood, the craft that helped her find her voice, and a powerful emotional legacy that shaped her journey as a daughter and a mother.”

 

Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote

“A haunted house story for the 21st century, INFIDEL follows an American Muslim woman and her multi-racial neighbors who move into a building haunted by entities that feed off xenophobia.”

 

 

Guinness World Records 2019 by Guinness World Records

“The world’s most popular record book is back with thousands of new categories and newly broken records, covering everything from outer space to sporting greats via Instagram, fidget spinners and all manner of human marvels.”

Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, its Chaotic Founding… its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis by Sam Anderson

“Award-winning journalist Sam Anderson’s long-awaited debut is a brilliant, kaleidoscopic narrative of Oklahoma City–a great American story of civics, basketball, and destiny.”

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North

“With this book as your guide, you’ll survive–and thrive–in any period in Earth’s history. Bestselling author and time-travel enthusiast Ryan North shows you how to invent all the modern conveniences we take for granted–from first principles.”

Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents by Pete Souza

 

“From Pete Souza, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Obama: An Intimate Portrait, comes a potent commentary on the Presidency–and our country.”

 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse -The Art of the Movie by Ramin Zahed

“Discover the world of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in this stunning collection of art. Packed with concept art, final designs, and artist commentary plus previously unseen storyboards.”

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London by Christopher Skaife

“Shining a light on the behavior of the birds, their pecking order and social structure, and the tricks they play on us, Skaife shows who the Tower’s true guardians really are―and the result is a compelling and irreverent narrative that will surprise and enchant.”

…And Then You Die of Dysentery: Lessons in Adulting from the Oregon Trail by Lauren Reeves and Jude Buffum

“A quirky, nostalgic send-up to the Oregon Trail computer game, featuring snarky and hard-earned life lessons from the trail.”

It has been another fantastic year of books. Thank you for being a part of it! I love being able to spread the word about great books and I couldn’t do it without you. I hope you have wonderful holidays! If you want to learn more about books new and old, or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Mwah!

Liberty

Because of the way the holidays fall this December, this the second-to-last newsletter of 2018. Let’s talk upcoming releases! While 2018 was probably the most amazing year of reading I’ve ever had – SO MANY GOOD BOOKS – I am wildly excited about a zillion of the titles coming out in 2019. I could easily list 700 here, but for starters, I thought I’d tell you about 21 books coming in the first half of the year that I think are worth putting on your calendar now. (21 titles because making the proofreader go through 700 titles might be frowned upon.)

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Sponsored by Book Riot’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2018 Giveaway

We’re giving away ten of our favorite works of nonfiction of the year! Click here to enter.

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Also, on All the Books! this week, Rebecca and I discussed several of our favorite 2018 titles, including American Marriage, Air Traffic, and The Parking Lot Attendant.

Mouthful of Birds: Stories by Samanta Schweblin: Schweblin’s slim, disturbing novel, Fever Dream, was my 2016 obsession. These stories are equally as distressing and amazing. (January 8)

An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma: The follow-up to his wonderful novel, The Fishermen, this is about a poor chicken farmer who works to win the hand of the daughter of a wealthy family.(January 8)

The Dreamers: A Novel by Karen Thompson Walker: It has been a long time since The Age of Miracles, but Walker has delivered a new novel worth the wait. It’s about a small college town that falls under a sleeping sickness. (January 15)

We Cast a Shadow: A Novel by Maurice Carlos Ruffin: A profound satire about racism and survival in America, about a near-future America where a father tries a radical surgery to keep his son from becoming black. (January 29)

The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays by Esmé Weijun Wang: Powerful essays surrounding Wang’s diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, the medical community’s disagreements over mental illness labels and diagnoses, and the complexities of the illness. (February 5)

Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken: McCracken’s first novel in over a dozen years is a winner, about a stranger who turns up in a New England graveyard, and goes on to establish roots in the town and open a candlepin bowling alley. (February 5)

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James: How exciting is this?! It’s the first book in a trilogy, about a tracker who is hired to find a missing girl. This is being pitched as “Game of Thrones in Africa,” which is all I needed to hear to pick it up. Jk, I’d read a phone book if you told me Marlon James wrote it. (February 5)

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli: A ferociously dark and smart road-trip novel about a family unraveling as they travel to the US-Mexican border. (February 12)

Bangkok Wakes to Rain: A Novel by Pitchaya Sudbanthad: Several stories set in Thailand converge to form a gorgeous novel about home and longing. (February 19)

Days by Moonlight by André Alexis: The author of such amazing books as Fifteen Dogs returns with the tale of a botanist, who goes on a road trip with a professor to learn the truth about a mysterious poet. (February 19)

Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid: The new novel from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, about an iconic 1970s rock band and the mystery behind their break-up. (Related: Doesn’t that cover look like Exile in Guyville???) (March 5)

Gingerbread: A Novel by Helen Oyeyemi: Another fairytale kinda-retelling from Oyeyemi, this time about a young woman’s family and their gingerbread empire, and her mother’s mysterious old friend named – wait for it – Gretel. (March 5)

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami: Lalami knocked it out of the park with The Moor’s Account, and this one is equally splendid, a rich, enthralling saga of the suspicious death of a Moroccan immigrant. (March 26)

Women Talking by Miriam Toews: Toews is a legend in Canada, but still hasn’t quite made it really big in the States. I’m hoping that will all change with this gorgeous, brutal novel about a group of Mennonite women who attempt to escape the abuse they suffer at the hands of the men in their community. (April 2)

Trust Exercise: A Novel by Susan Choi: It’s almost difficult to explain this wildly complex and brilliant novel without giving it away. Or even knowing where to start. I can tell you it’s about what happens to two students, David and Sarah, and that what you think happens to them does and doesn’t happen. You’ll have to read it to find out what I mean. (April 2)

Miracle Creek: A Novel by Angie Kim: A couple find themselves embroiled in a murder trial after their experimental medical treatment device kills two people. This is being compared to Everything I Never Told You and Defending Jacob! YES PLEASE. (April 16)

Rough Magic: Riding the World’s Loneliest Horse Race by Lara Prior-Palmer: Palmer’s memoir about riding in the Mongol Derby, known as the world’s toughest race. This is coming up very soon in my TBR, because everyone I know who has read this has lost their minds over how good it is.  (May 7)

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep: The true story of the serial killer who To Kill a Mockingbird author Lee spent years researching, and the book she had planned to write about him.  (May 7)

You Will Be Safe Here by Damian Barr: A powerful novel about two South African stories related to camps, one during the Boer War and one in present day. Based on true events. (May 14)

Patsy: A Novel by Nicole Dennis-Benn: The author of Here Comes the Sun is back with a new novel, about a Jamaican woman who abandons her daughter when she decides to travel to the United States with no plans of returning. (June 4)

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong: The debut novel of the incredible poet Vuong, written as a letter from a son to his mother, about her life in Vietnam before his birth, and their difficult lives together later on.  (June 4)

That’s it for me today! If you want to learn more about books new and old, or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Stay rad,

Liberty

Happy Tuesday, book lovers! I’m happy to be back again with more great new books! The year is winding down, but there are still amazing books coming down the pike. I’m going to share a few of today’s great books below, and you can hear about some of our anticipated reads of 2019 on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked talked about The Nickel Boys, An Orchestra of Minorities, Southern Lady Code, and more great books. (We also talked about her new puppy because PUPPY.)

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Today’s newsletter is sponsored by our $250 All the Books Barnes and Noble gift card giveaway!

Enter to win a $250 gift card to Barnes and Noble in support of our All the Books! podcast. Click here for more info.

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How Long ’til Black Future Month?: Stories by N. K. Jemisin

I was not lucky enough to get my hands on this speculative fiction collection before it came out, but I had to bring it to your attention, because it’s freaking N.K. JEMISIN, winner of three Hugo awards THREE years in a row! It’s at the top of my to-buy list for sure.

Backlist bump: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

The Razor by J. Barton Mitchell

An action-packed science fiction adventure about an inmate on a hard labor prison planet, who must rely on some of the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals after the prisoners are abandoned by their guards and left to die. Think The Martian meets The Shawshank Redemption.

Backlist bump: Lightless by C.A. Higgins

The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose

Based around a real exhibit by performance artist Marina Abramović, this thought-provoking novel is about a fictional character named Arky. Down on his luck and aimless in his life, things change when Arky encounters Abramović’s performance art at the museum and realizes what he need to do with his own life.

Backlist bump: The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even by Chris F. Westbury

That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Thanks so much for visiting me here each week! Y’all are the best.

xoxo,

Liberty

Hey, guess what day it is? That’s right, it’s Thursday! What’s that? Oh, right! I meant TUESDAY. Things get a little mixed up in publishing the last six weeks of the year. There’s not a whole lot coming out in comparison to the rest of the year, because of the holidays. So I’m doing something a little different today and talking about 25 great 2018 titles that I am thankful to have read.

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Sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment

For over FORTY YEARS, Troma Studios has blazed its own bloody, slime-covered trail, making movies their own damn way! From The Toxic Avenger to The Class Of Nuke ‘Em High to Poultrygeist to Tromeo And Juliet, Lloyd Kaufman never compromised, waving his independent freak-flag freely, and helped jumpstart the careers of luminaries such as James Gunn, Eli Roth, and countless others! How, you might ask, did a couple of rebels with almost no cash manage to make a library of a THOUSAND films? You’ll have to pick up this incredible collection to find out!

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I skipped some of the huge books that we will be sure to discuss on the All the Books! year-end show (Florida! There There! Educated!) to make space for a few more books that perhaps you haven’t heard as much about. And though I could have easily picked 300 titles, I went with the first 25 that popped into my head. (If you’d like to learn about more 2018 titles, I do a wrap-up of my 150 favorites on Twitter at the end of the year. It may have to be 200 this year.)

You can hear about a few new reads on this week’s episode of the All the Books! María Cristina and I talked talked about Watersnakes, My Sister, the Serial Killer, Newcomer, and more great books.

Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

These short stories knocked the top of my head off and poured gasoline on my brain.

Pulp by Robin Talley

YA novel about a lesbian pulp fiction writer in the 1950s and a present-day high schooler studying her work.

Little by Edward Carey

Highly inventive historical fiction novel about wax museum icon Madame Tousaud when she was…well…little.

All the Names They Used for God: Stories by Anjali Sachdeva

These short stories are still swimming in my brain like little inky fishes. Possibly my favorite book of 2018. (Shhh, don’t tell the other books.)

Terra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman

A scifi, bendy, settling of Australia story, but not really, but 100% genius debut from Claire G. Coleman.

Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

This memoir about Laymon’s relationship with food and childhood abuse will break your heart into a thousand pieces.

Severance by Ling Ma

A razor-sharp satire about dystopias, about attitudes toward millennials, about New York City, about a million things. I loved it with the heat of a thousand suns.

American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts by Chris McGreal

A tremendously important book about the history of America’s worst drug epidemic, and the apathy, greed, and lack of intervention that allowed it to grow.

The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat

A Boston teen befriends the leader of her Ethiopian community, a parking lot attendant, despite her father’s orders to stay away from him. I have read this five times now. I can’t get enough of it.

America is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo

A beautiful family saga about the so-called American dream, with a heartbreaking narrative that slips back and forth from the Philippines to America.

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

Fantastic, wicked smart essays from the always-wonderful Chee about being a Korean American, being a gay man, his time as an activist, his father’s death, and more.

Ambiguity Machines: and Other Stories by Vandana Singh

Singh’s scientific background is weaved throughout these thoughtful, charming SFF stories.

The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco

I loved this historical novel so much. It’s like queer Deadwood, full of violence, sex, Pinkertons, and ruthlessness.

Air Traffic: A Memoir of Ambition and Manhood in America by Gregory Pardlo

This was an excellent memoir from Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Pardlo. It is heartbreakingly honest, genuinely interesting, and beautifully written.

A Lucky Man: Stories by Jamal Brinkley

This was nominated for the National Book Award, but I still feel like more people need to hear about this fantastic story collection.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

I adored this book to bits! Mia is a 10-year-old girl who works the front desk at a motel where she also lives. It’s a charming novel, but also an important one, about immigration and the American dream.

Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by L. C. Rosen

A sex-positive, queer-positive novel aimed at teens? MORE LIKE THIS, PLEASE AND THANK YOU. This book is so great!

Small Country by Gaël Faye

A beautiful, heartbreaking coming-of-age novel about a boy and his family trying to stay together and live their lives at the start of the Rwandan genocide in 1993.

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor) by Jessica Townsend

I want to shout about this series from the rooftops! This is the second book of a middle grade fantasy series that I am certain is going to blow up really, really soon. IT’S SO GOOD.

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

An absolutely gorgeous picture book about a young boy who wants to be a mermaid, and his grandmother, who takes him to meet mermaids in their town.

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

A wonderful dystopian novel about a sickness that steals people’s shadows and then their memories, and a husband who must find his missing wife in the middle of the chaos.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

A Muslim girl must deal with prejudice and stupidity in a new school shortly after 9/11. She and her brother start a breakdancing club to keep busy, and she falls for her lab partner.

All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir by Nicole Chung

As a newborn, Chung was given up for adoption by her Korean parents and adopted by a white family. She discusses what she discovered and how she felt as she began investigating her birth parents.

The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook

Ohhhhhhh, I loved this book so much. It’s a Western set in post-Civil War Texas about a teenage boy and his young sister that leave their home to hunt the panther that killed their mother.

Insurrecto by Gina Apostol

I love novels that teach me about real history I hadn’t learned in school. This one deals with a movie being made about the massacre that took place during the Philippine-American war. The novel’s structure is fascinating. I lurved it.

That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Thanks so much for visiting me here each week! Y’all are the best.

xoxo,

Liberty