Category: True Story

Hello fellow nonfiction lovers – happy Friday and welcome to June! This week I want to highlight three new books that I think will be great as audiobooks, before jumping into a random assortment of nonfiction news.

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We’re giving away $500 to spend at the bookstore of your choice! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

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So Close to Being the Shit Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta (May 29 from St. Martin’s Press) – Parks and Recreation is my favorite television show, and essay collections from funny women are my favorite type of audiobooks… so of course I’m going to get excited about a book from Retta, who played Donna on the show. In this collection, she writes about “throwing her hard-working Liberian parents for a loop” by moving to Hollywood after graduating from Duke, and everything that came after. I get the sense there’s bits on imposter syndrome here, along with just some really funny, honest stories. I can’t wait!

Calypso by David Sedaris (May 29 from Little, Brown) – A new David Sedaris book is always something to celebrate. I love his weird humor and darkly strange way of looking at the world. It appeals to my not-so-secret grumpy and anti-social side, I think. In this collection of essays, Sedaris writes about “middle age and mortality” while enjoying time at his beach house on the Carolina coast. I always recommend Sedaris on audiobook – there’s something about his voice and delivery that really sells every story. I just don’t think it’s the same in print.

Yes We (Still) Can: Politics in the Age of Obama, Twitter, and Trump by Dan Pfeiffer (June 19 from Twelve) – Confession time… I planned out this three-on-a-theme newsletter assuming that Dan Pfeiffer’s new book about working in the Obama administration was coming out on June 5. Turns out not, but I’m forging ahead anyway! It’s just more upcoming than I thought. Anyway, this Obama staffer memoir is about navigating the world of Trump and how to forge a path ahead amidst the madness. Pfeiffer is the co-host of the political podcast Pod Save America, which makes me think this will be especially great if he’s the narrator.

Nonfiction News! 

Overlooked is coming to television! The New York Times’ editorial project to write the obituaries of famous women who didn’t get an obituary when they died will become an anthology series where every episode is written and directed by women. Yes, please.

There’s another suspect for notorious hijacker D.B. Cooper! An 84-year-old pet sitter from Florida has written a memoir wherein he argues that a longtime friend committed the 1971 hijacking and theft (which is, to this point, unsolved). I’m a little skeptical, but curious to see if this theory goes anywhere.

This top nonfiction of 2017 list from Reading Group Choices is pretty great! It reminded me of several that I haven’t read yet, which I always appreciate.

More women are writing scientific memoirs, and we are all in for it over at Book Riot. This piece from Elizabeth is a little old, but interesting!

Speaking of memoirs, what do you think about the idea that we need more memoirs about surviving ordinary life? I tend to lean into the “stranger-than-fiction” memoirs that open this piece, but there’s definitely an argument to be made that a deep dive into everyday experiences can teach uf something too. There are a bunch of great recommendations at the end of the piece, so make sure to get all the way through.

Don’t forget, Book Riot is giving away $500 to the bookstore of your choice. Think of all the books you could get with $500! I’m practically swooning at the thought. Anyway, enter here!

And with that, I’m out! You can find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Hello, nonfiction readers! Memorial Day weekend always feels like a big one on the calendar. For some, it’s the first true weekend of summer, marked with BBQs and lakes and all that good stuff. For others, it’s a time to reflect on the sacrifices of men and women who have died while serving the military. And for many, it’s a time for both.

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We’re giving away $500 to spend at the bookstore of your choice! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

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This week I wanted to take a break from new books to recommend a couple of older titles I love that would make excellent reading this Memorial Day weekend, if you’re in a more reflective mood.

Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel – In the book, journalist David Finkel follows several soldiers returning home from a tour of duty on the front lines in Baghdad. Many of them are suffering from PTSD or other physical and mental injuries, and their struggle to adjust and reintegrate affects their families and the other professionals trying to help them. It’s a really compelling portrait about the sacrifices we ask from soldiers, and the less obvious sacrifices that a deployment can ask from others. I was just blown away at the honesty and depth of this book. While there were moments when Finkel relies on some linguistic flourishes that I didn’t think were necessary, overall this was a compelling, sobering, important book.

Ashley’s War by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon – In 2010, the United States Army began piloting a new program that would allow women to serve alongside Special Operations soldiers in Afghanistan. As part of Cultural Support Teams, these female soldiers went on raids out in the field with a specific focus on connecting with the women in insurgent compounds to look for weapons and gather intelligence. In this book, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon follows one of the first CST units through their recruitment, training, and first experiences in combat. This book was really stellar, and opened my eyes to some of the unique challenges and dangers facing female soldiers. Without spoiling too much, I’ll just say that the book is a heart-breaker that is a truly excellent read.

Nonfiction News You Can Use

Another group of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students are publishing a book. We Say #NeverAgain will be a book for young readers, edited by high school journalism teachers Melissa Falkowski and Eric Garner. The book includes “first-person accounts, richly researched and reported articles, and photographs by and about the students” who attend the school.

Masha Gessen’s epic look at totalitarianism in Russia, The Future is History has racked up another award. This week, Gessen was recognized with the New York Public Library’s Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. Be sure to click through and check out the other finalists – there are some great titles there.

This one’s a little bit of a stretch, but hear me out. This week, lawyer/author Stacey Abrams became the “first black woman to be a major party nominee for governor of the United States.” She’ll be running for governor of Georgia this fall. Abrams recently published a memoir, Minority Leader, and previously published a series of romance novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery.

Last, but certainly not list, a giveaway alert! Book Riot is giving away $500 to the bookstore of your choice. Enter here!

And with that, I want to wish you a wonderful, relaxing, and reflective Memorial Day weekend. You can find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Turns out, there are a lot of great books coming out in May! Because of that, this week’s newsletter is going to be another one focused heavily on new books – six new titles coming out this month, and a few pieces of news about books you can look for in the future!

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Sponsored by The Myth of the Nice Girl by Fran Hauser

Leading executive and investor Fran Hauser offers practical advice to young women in business. She dispels harmful assumptions about being “nice,” proving that kindness is not a weakness. Instead, it can create powerful advantages that will lead to success in one’s career and beyond.

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New Books

Tip of the Iceberg by Mark Adams – I love a good modern adventure story. In this book, Mark Adams sets out to trace an 1899 summer voyage in the wilds of Alaska that was organized by a railroad magnate. Edward Harriman’s journey was on a steamship he converted into a “floating university” for his distinguished. Adams’ journey is on Alaska’s contemporary public ferry system. It sounds… kind of hilarious.

Damnation Island by Stacy Horn – In the 19th Century, Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island) in New York City was home to a lunatic asylum, two prisons, a home for the poor, and multiple hospitals. This two-mile island was supposed to be an example of modern incarceration techniques… except it wasn’t. This book is a historical look at the island and everything that went wrong about it.

I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown – This memoir is about “growing up Black, Christian, and female in middle-class white America” and explores how to practice genuine diversity and inclusion in our institutions and communities. I think a book that looks at the intersections of race and religion is worth picking up right now.

Brothers of the Gun by Marwan Hisham and Molly Crabapple – This book is a contemporary memoir about coming of age during the war in Syria, and the ways that this conflict shaped the lives of three young men who first participated together as student protesters. Hisham became a journalist, tweeting news from a war-torn city before joining the wave of refugees fleeing the conflict. The book includes ink illustrations, which I think will be a wonderful addition to an already powerful story.

The Trials of Nina McCall by Scott Stern – In 1918, 18-year-old Nina McCall was coerced into committing herself to a detention hospital after being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. Turns out, this was part of a larger policy in the United States from the 1910s to 1950s to target, jail, and “treat” women who were suspected prostitutes, had STIs, or were just promiscuous. The summary of this one has me all riled up already!

Rock Steady by Ellen Forney – Ellen Forney is back, with a new graphic memoir about her life as an artist with bipolar disorder. This book is a sequel/companion to her 2012 book, Marbles, and looks outward more offering advice and help for people who are struggling with similar issues or disorders. I think this seems like a great resource to pick up!

New Book News

Abbi Jacobson of Broad City will be releasing a book of essays this fall. I Regret This is scheduled for publication at the end of October.

Last week I included Not That Bad, a collection of essays on rape culture edited by Roxane Gay, in my new books section. I forgot to link to this interesting article from Entertainment Weekly about the “process and pressure” of putting together the anthology.

Two student survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, have sold a book to Random House. Seventeen-year-old David Hogg and his 14-year-old sister, Lauren, are the authors of #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line, which will come out in June. That’s a fast turn around for a book, but I’m intrigued.

Until next week, find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

It’s new books week here at the True Story newsletter! May is jam-packed month of new nonfiction, which all sounds pretty excellent. This week, I’ve rounded up seven titles from the first couple of weeks that I think are interesting. I’m hoping to do another round up next week as well. Yay, books!

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Flatiron Books and The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich

An intellectual and emotional thriller that is also a different kind of murder mystery, THE FACT OF A BODY is a book not only about how the story of one crime was constructed — but about how we grapple with our own personal histories.

 

 

 

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Great American Outpost by Maya Rao – I used to live out on the prairie, close to the border of Minnesota and North Dakota, so news stories about the oil boom in cities like Williston and Dickinson were always catching my attention. This book is one of the first I’ve seen to try and cover this time and place, so I’m interested. In the book, journalist Maya Rao spent put boots on the ground to chronicle this “modern-day gold rush” and the people affected by it in both good and bad ways.

The Electric Woman by Tessa Fontaine – Of course I am going to get psyched about a memoir with the subtitle “a memoir in death-defying acts” that chronicles a woman’s relationship with her mother and her time on the the road as part of the last traveling American sideshow.

Chasing New Horizons by Alan Stern and David Grinspoon – Space nonfiction! This is a weakness of mine. This book is about the first mission to Pluto, when New Horizons made history capturing images of the distant planet, including the men and women inside and outside of NASA who helped make it happen.

Not That Bad, edited by Roxane Gay – This essay anthology of “dispatches from rape culture” is probably one of the most anticipated books of 2018, and for good reason. Contributors include writers, performers, critics, and more, writing about “what it means to live in a world where women have to measure the harassment, violence, and aggression they face.” All of the contributors read their pieces for the audio book, so that may be a great format for this one.

Little Shoes by Pamela Everett – Historical true crime! After her father makes a cryptic comment about a tragedy in the family’s past, Everett starts digging. She uncovers 1937 triple murder in California that prompted a manhunt, the use of criminal profiling in court casts, and the beginning of modern sex offender laws. I appreciate true crime that connects with victims and families in a humane way, so I think this will be interesting.

Milk by Mark Kurlansky – Mark Kurlansky is back with another global food history! This time, he’s looking at milk, from Greek myths and the domestication of animals, to the industrial revolution and the food’s role in modern food politics. Salt, one of his previous books, has been on my TBR forever, but I’m almost more excited about picking this one up.

Gaslighting America by Amanda Carpenter – This book, written by a conservative former staff member to a competing presidential campaign, looks at Trump’s formula for lying and fabrication, and why it continues to work. As a former journalist, I’m interested in this perspective because I think the media is really struggling about what to do with a president and supporters who just don’t seem to care about the truth.

Old Books (and Stuff)!

But to keep this newsletter from being entirely new books, I’ve got a few links that will recommend some older titles you may have forgotten about:

• Reading Group Choices has put together a list of their favorite nonfiction of 2017.
• Over at Book Riot, Melody has rounded up six great ones that are now out in paperback. These would all be perfect for the Read Harder challenge!
• During a week celebrating mysteries and thrillers, Goodreads put together a list of the top-rated true crime books on the site. The authors on the list are very male and very white, but there are still some interesting books on there.
• And finally, Amiee put together an awesome list of 50 must-read books on nature and science for Book Riot. It’s excellent.

And that’s all the nonfiction I can fit in this newsletter this week. Until next week, find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Last week I sort of breezed over the news that the a suspect identified as the Golden State Killer has been arrested. Not this week! I’ve got a bunch of Golden State Killer links, plus some other odd news from the world of nonfiction. Let’s go!

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Sponsored by Bas Bleu Books and Gifts

In 1927, nineteen-year-old Anne Hobbs arrived to Chicken, a tiny gold-mining community in the Alaskan territory, to teach school. Hobbs forged friendships with many of the villagers, but her affinity for some of the local Indians was a source of much conflict, especially when she began to fall in love with a “half-breed” miner. Hobbs forged ahead, staying strong in the face of life-threatening hardships and soul-crushing prejudices, opening her home and heart to those who needed it most. Captivating and inspiring, this true story has become an unexpected favorite of readers of all ages!

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The Golden State Killer: A Deep Dive

As you may (or may not) recall, the Golden State Killer is just one nickname for a serial rapist and murder connected to more than 50 sexual assaults and 12 murders in California between 1974 and 1986.

He came back into the public eye this year after the publication of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, a book by journalist Michelle McNamara chronicling her search for the killer. McNamara died in 2016, and so the book was published posthumously by her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, and her research assistants. You can also read many of her news stories on the case in this archive at Los Angeles Magazine – “In the Footsteps of a Killer” is a great read.

Last week, authorities in California arrested a suspect, a 72-year-old former police officer that they connected to the crimes using DNA evidence. But not DNA evidence they collected in the usual ways – they used a genealogy website called GEDmatch to match DNA from the crime scenes to a relative of the killer, then used other evidence to confirm the suspect.

Wired has a great article about how that all worked. It’s not quite as nefarious as the police looking directly at your DNA from a testing service like 23andMe, which explicitly doesn’t allow law enforcement access. In this case, people could voluntarily submit already-completed DNA profiles to the site, which allowed the police to create a fake profile with DNA from a GSK crime scene. According to the Washington Post, the DNA investigators had was used to find the killer’s great-great-great grandparents, which were the start of 25 family trees tracking thousands of relatives to the GSK. Fascinating!

There’s a ton of interesting reporting happening around this case. A few other articles to peruse:

• ABC News reports on two key ideas that helped open up the case – duplicate rape kids, and the genealogy website.
• Despite arresting a suspect, there are still a lot of questions on the case. Chief among them is why the GSK shifted his attacks to the south midway through the spree.
• One thing I have not enjoyed about this reporting are the stupid headlines suggesting that the GSK’s ex-fiancée, is somehow to blame because she broke up with him. Yeah… no. That’s dumb and sexist and gross. This column in the Boston Globe gets at everything that’s pissing me off about this narrative.
• On the plus side, the HBO documentary series based on McNamara’s book has been officially greenlit, meaning it’s in production and on the way. Yay for that.

Bits and Pieces

And finally, a couple of odd little nonfiction-adjacent stories that came across my feed this week:

Maria Konnikova (author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes) has delayed her next book, all about the world of professional poker, because she’s become so good at poker that she wants to keep playing. I love stunt memoirs – books about people really trying a new thing, or radically changing their life for a period of time – so the idea that someone working on one got so good they just gave up on that whole book thing makes me laugh.

Sarah Carlson, a former CIA analyst hoping to write a book about her experience, has been prevented from publishing the book by the CIA… after they originally said she could. From 2008 to 2015, Carlson worked in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, “analyzing terrorist groups’ plans and patterns of attack outside their Mideast and North African home courts.” According to the lawsuit, the book was approved twice by the CIA’s approving agency, but has now been deemed to reveal classified material. Lawsuits are ongoing.

Susan Orlean has a new book coming out… how did I miss this? The Library Book, out in October, is about at 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library that “destroyed or damaged more than a million books.” I’m in.

That’s it for this week. Don’t forget, Book Riot has an awesome giveaway going on right now – follow this link to be entered in a drawing for 15 of the year’s best mystery/thrillers!

I’ll be back in your inboxes next Friday with some new nonfiction to look for this month. Until then, find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Hello and happy Friday, fellow nonfiction nerds! There’s been some big nonfiction books adjacent news breaking this week — a former California police officer has been identified as the Golden State killer. He was arrested on Wednesday, based on new DNA evidence. The recently-published true crime book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark chronicled journalist Michelle McNamara’s search for the Golden State Killer before her death in 2016. Exciting!

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Sponsored by How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee

From the author of The Queen of the Night, an essay collection exploring his education as a man, writer, and activist—and how we form our identities in life and in art. As a novelist, Alexander Chee has been described as “masterful” by Roxane Gay, “incomparable” by Junot Díaz, and “incendiary” by The New York Times. With How to Write an Autobiographical Novel, his first collection of nonfiction, he’s sure to secure his place as one of the finest essayists of his generation as well.

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Beyond that, this week’s newsletter has new books, some sales numbers for the James Comey blockbuster, and news about musicians who are writing memoirs. Let’s get going!

New Books!

The Truth About Animals by Lucy Cooke – The subtitle of this book is what convinced me I needed to read it. What would be better than a book of “stoned sloths, lovelorn hippos, and other tales from the wild side of wildlife”? Lucy Cooke is a great person to share those stories too – she has an MA in zoology from the University of Oxford and is a National Geographic explorer.

Born With Wings by Daisy Kahn – Daisy Kahn, a women’s rights activist, grew up in a progressive Sunni Muslim family in India. She came to the United States to finish high school and, after a period of questioning her faith, she returned to Islam and married the imam of a mosque in New York. The book is about her spiritual journey as well as her current mission to empower Muslim women and challenge ideas about what it means to be Muslim.

God Save Texas by Lawrence Wright – There’s something really funny to me about the idea that Lawrence Wright would go from writing about Scientologists to writing about Texas. This book is an exploration of the “history, culture and politics” of Texas, looking into the stereotypes and misconceptions many people have about the state. I think this one will be interesting.

Need more new books? In last week’s episode of For Real, Alice and I talked about The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte, The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson, The War on Neighborhoods by Ryan Lugalia Hollon and Daniel Cooper, and The Opposite of Hate by Sally Kohn.

A Higher Loyalty Rolls On

It seems that James Comey’s media tour is doing what it’s supposed to do – sell a bunch of copies of his book, A Higher Loyalty. In the first week, the book has sold 600,000 copies.

For comparison, the New York Times reports that Hillary Clinton’s memoir, What Happened, sold 300,00 copies in its first week on sale, while Michael Wolff’s White House exploration Fire and Fury sold “just” (air quotes mine!) 200,000 hardcover copies in its first week. Fire and Fury has sold more than two million copies in total.

The book has been getting so much buzz that Amazon has limited reviews to Amazon customers who they know have purchased the book through the site because of “unusual review behavior” on the book. And Comey’s book tour is going strong – no doubt this book is going to break all sorts of sales records.

Musicians Making Memoirs

Prince’s official memoir will be published before the end of the year! The musician signed a deal to produce a memoir – and reportedly handwrote more than 50 pages – before he died in 2016. Prince’s agent announced this week that the memoir will be out in 2018.

Mariah Carey is also writing a memoir! The book will include mentions of her 2001 diagnosis for bipolar disorder, which she recently revealed to People magazine.

Around the Riot

And finally, I’ve got a few recent Book Riot posts I wanted to bring to your attention:

• Alice and I were guests on last week’s episode of Get Booked, Book Riot’s book recommendation podcast where we talked almost exclusively about nonfiction. It was a lot of fun!
• Katie rounded up 50 must-read true crime books, many of which I can heartily endorse.
• Daisy recommends a number of interesting books about the women of Golden Age musicals including Debbie Reynolds, Lena Horne, and Ginger Rogers.
• Yash has some fun nonfiction pairings for new and upcoming young adult books – great picks if you’re a reader who likes to alternate between the serious and the swoony.

Don’t forget, Book Riot has an awesome giveaway going on right now – follow this link to be entered in a drawing for 15 of the year’s best mystery/thrillers!

Find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

It’s been a big week of news in the world of books, especially when it comes to nonfiction! This week’s newsletter is going to go a little off format, focusing on two big stories – the Pulitzer Prize winners, and the publication of James Comey’s memoir, A Higher Loyalty. Let’s dive in!

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Sponsored by With One Shot by Dorothy Marcic.

The killer was behind bars—a woman who had confessed to the cold-blooded murder of her husband. But Dorothy Marcic suspected a more sinister tale at the heart of her beloved uncle’s violent death. And nothing would stop her from getting to the truth.

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The Pulitzer Prizes!

The Pulitzer Prizes, awarded each year in Journalism and Letters, Drama and Music, are some of my favorite prizes to nerd out about. This year’s winners in nonfiction are all books that I’m interested in picking up:

• History – The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea by Jack E. Davis (Someone needs to write a post about books on the waters of America… it’s a thing!)
• Biography – Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (After winning a National Book Critics Circle Award, this one is looking like a contender for… more awards? I’m psyched to read it with my book club later this year.)
• General Nonfiction – Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman Jr. (Yes, excellent, this is a book we needed to recognize this year.)

As I think I’ve mentioned before, take some time to check out the winners in the journalism categories. The Public Service award went to the work by Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey and Ronan Farrow for their investigations into sexual harassment in Hollywood (that’s going to be a book!). I’m also excited to explore the work of the Feature Writing winner, Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, and the finalists, John Woodrow Cox and Norimitsu Onishi.

James Comey Tells All… Too Late?

At the beginning of the year, I thought the publication of Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff would be the biggest nonfiction release of the year. But I forgot about the publication of A Higher Loyalty, a memoir from former FBI Director James Comey that was release this week. And Lordy, it’s been quite a show.

In February, the book’s publisher, Flatiron Books, announced that they were going to move up the release date from May to April because of “demand of the former FBI director to be heard amid an urgent conversation” about the FBI. They also reported that the first printing of the book was 850,000 copies, more than five times the initial printing of Fire and Fury. People were ready for this book to be big!

Early copies of the book were pretty tightly controlled, but after an embargo was lifted last week there were a blitz of stories highlighting some of the most salacious details in the book. NPR’s Ron Elving said Comey describes an “unethical, and untethered” president. Michiko Kakutani returned to the New York Times to review the book, calling it “absorbing,” and highlighting the differences it shows between Comey and the president. And of course, President Trump couldn’t stay off Twitter, spending several days lashing out at Comey and others as news about the book continued to come out.

Despite the flurry of press, and Comey’s flurried press tour on just about every major news network, what I’ve seen about the book has been a lot of fluff and not much substance. In the Washington Post, Carlos Lozada asks whether Comey lives up to the standards of ethical leadership that he espouses (spoiler alert… maybe not). Sure, Comey has a lot of negative things to say about the president… but did we really expect that he wouldn’t? I tend to agree with this analysis by Jamil Smith in Rolling Stone: “It is fascinating, indeed, that Comey rediscovered his ability to effectively rebuke the president only after publishers came calling.”

My favorite anecdote about the book release is one reported by CNN – booksellers in Washington D.C. expected huge crowds for the publication of the book on Tuesday, but just got a bunch of journalists and cameras instead. Whomp whomp.

Bookish Deals and Giveaways

Whew! That was a lot. Just a few quick ebook deals to conclude this newsletter:

• The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck for $3.99
• The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean for $3.99
• Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine by Sarah Lohman for $1.99

And don’t forget, Book Riot has an awesome giveaway going on right now – follow this link to be entered in a drawing for 15 of the year’s best mystery/thrillers!

Find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

I don’t know about you, but April always feels like the month of the year where the world of books first goes from exciting to overwhelming. My “books to watch for” list suddenly seems too long, my library holds start coming in at a furious pace, and my bookshelves seem to shudder under the weight of the books I’ve bought since the new year… #bookpeopleproblems

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Sponsored by The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind by Barbara K. Lipska

As a deadly cancer spread inside her brain, leading neuroscientist Barbara Lipska was plunged into madness—only to miraculously survive with her memories intact.  In the tradition of My Stroke of Insight and Brain on Fire, this powerful memoir recounts her ordeal, and explains its unforgettable lessons about the brain and mind.

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To keep you all in the same state of (mostly joyous) book overwhelm as I am, this week’s newsletter is going to be entirely devoted to new books coming out in early April. Here are eight that I would dearly love to Drop Everything And Read.

The Recovering by Leslie Jamison – This book is my most-anticipated book of April, and most anticipated book of the year. In the book, Jamison writes about her own experiences with alcoholism, partnered with an exploration of addiction stories and the recovery movement. If this is near as good as The Empathy Exams, it’ll be stellar.

The Opposite of Hate by Sally Kohn – As a current CNN (and former Fox News) commentator, Sally Kohn has butted heads with colleagues on divisive issues while still remaining friendly. That makes her an excellent person to explore the science, psychology, sociology surrounding hatred.

The Library by Stuart Kells – Who doesn’t love a library? This book is a tourist-y look at libraries around the world, and the stories of their creators, collections, and secrets. Given that it’s National Library Week, this one seems like an especially great book to pick up ASAP.

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein – Books about strange jobs is one of my genre kryptonites, so of course I am intrigued by the story of “one woman’s extraordinary life in the business of death, decay, and disaster.”

The Displaced, edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen – This collection of essays by refugee writers seems especially timely right now. The contributors are from all over the world – Mexico, Bosnia, Iran, Afghanistan, Soviet Ukraine, Hungary, Chile, Ethiopia, and others – and offer personal stories about what it means to be seeking home.

The Hope Circuit by Martin E.P. Seligman – This book is a memoir by the founder of the Positive Psychology movement, exploring why he chose to study optimism, the stories behind some major psychological finds, and his personal struggle with depression. Sounds fascinating!

Sharp by Michelle Dean – This book is a mix between biography, literary criticism, and cultural history, looking at 10 women who are united by the idea of being sharp, or being able to “cut to the quick with precision of thought and wit.” Her list of subjects, which includes Joan Didion, Dorothy Parker, and Nora Ephron, looks so good!

Can’t Help Myself by Meredith Goldstein – A memoir about an advice columnist who can’t seem to get her life together might sound cliche, but I think this book sounds charming. In this memoir, Goldstein writes about her reservations about marriage and family, and the way the community around her daily column comes together in the face of tragic news.

Topple Your Digital TBR

Finally, I’ve got some Kindle deals that you don’t want to miss this month.

Want to read more Kelly Corrigan after finishing her awesome new book, Tell Me More? Her previous book, The Middle Place, is on sale for $2.99

Learn more about Zimbabwe with Peter Godwin’s excellent memoir When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by $2.99.

If chunky history is your jam, then be sure to snag Stephen Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage, a ultimate story of Lewis and Clark, for $3.99.

And as if all that great nonfiction isn’t enough, Book Riot is doing another giveaway – follow this link to be entered in a drawing for 15 of the year’s best mystery/thrillers!

Find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Hello, fellow humans! This week’s newsletter is my quarterly-ish update on some of the great nonfiction books that have come out in paperback in the last few months.

I think I’ve mentioned before how about paperback is my preferred reading format. I still love physical books, but hardcovers are both expensive and heavy to carry around. I think a trade paperback is the perfect way to read, so I’m always looking for the moment when a book I’ve been coveting finally releases in paperback. Here are 16 that I think are worth your dollars and attention:

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Sponsored by THE MANSON WOMEN AND ME by Nikki Meredith published by Citadel Press.

Journalist Nikki Meredith writes of her experience visiting Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel in prison…As Meredith got to know Krenwinkel and Van Houten over the years, she increasingly came to wonder how seemingly normal people can come to commit such vicious, barbaric acts.  Meredith asks the questions that have nagged many of us for years—how does this happen?

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Another Day in the Death of America by Gary Younge – A look at American gun violence through stories of the 10 children killed in a single 24-hour period. This one is incredible.

The Unsettlers by Mark Sundeen – A work of immersive journalism about people in “search through the simple life in today’s America.”

Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski – An introduction to the world of physics told through everyday life like popping popcorn and fridge magnets.

The One-Cent Magenta by James Barron – “Inside the quest to own the most valuable stamp in the world.”

Word by Word by Kory Stamper – The secret life of dictionaries as told by a lexicographer and editor for Merriam-Webster!

American Hookup by Lisa Wade – An analysis of hookup culture on college campuses, tied to a broader history of sexuality, higher education and feminism.

All the Lives I Want by Alana Massey – “Essays about my best friends who happen to be famous strangers.”

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann – An investigation into the historical murders of members of the Osage Nation, and the early story of the FBI.

Age of Anger by Pankaj Mishra – An attempt to explain the current wave of “paranoid hatreds” that have become nearly everyday occurrences in the modern world.

Somebody with a Little Hammer by Mary Gaitskill – A wide-ranging essay collection that includes political adultery, Björk, and porn star Linda Lovelace.

Love and Trouble by Claire Dederer – A middle-aged mother reflecting on how the emotional intensity of her teenage years mimics her emotional experience now.

The Home that Was Our Country Alia Malek – A history of Syria told through the stories of people who lived in the same apartment building as the author’s grandparents.

The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel – “The extraordinary story of the last hermit” and a meditation on the value and difficulty of solitude in the modern world.

Radium Girls by Kate Moore – The true story of hundreds of girls who toiled in factories painting radium on clock dials, before anyone knew radium could cause immeasurable harm.

Cannibalism by Bill Schutt – A history of cannibalism and the role it plays in evolution and human history.

Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life Yiyun Li – A love letter to books written over two years where the author was battling suicidal depression.

Over at Book Riot…

Steph shared six words of narrative journalism that challenge long-held beliefs. I’ve only read one book on the list – Being Mortal by Atul Gawande – but the rest also sound fascinating!

My For Real podcast co-host, Alice, suggests five books about overcoming obstacles. So inspiring!

I also loved Lisa’s post of books by disabled people to tell their own stories. She makes some great points about what it means for abled people to speak on behalf of the disabled, and encourages readers to listen better.

Love cosmetics? Hattie has seven makeup books for cosmetics geeks. This is… not me, but this is a fun list anyway.

ALSO! Book Riot is hiring an Advertising Sales Manager. We strongly encourage women, individuals with disabilities, and people of color to apply. To view position description and apply, go here.

And that’s all for this week! Find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!

Happy almost-April, nonfiction nerds. March is my least favorite month of the year, so I am incredibly happy that we’ll be turning another page on the calendar soon. This week I’ve got some new books, some award winners, and more news about memoirs that I missed last week. Let’s dive in!

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Sponsored by Flatiron Books

A memoir of the truths learned in life through crafting — Alanna Okun knows knows that even when we can’t control anything else, we can at least control the sticks, string, and fabric right in front of us.

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New Books!

Dear Madam President by Jennifer Palmieri – As communications director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, Jennifer Palmieri had a direct view of the challenges faced by the first female candidate for this position. Although Clinton lost, Palmieri argues that the campaign made it possible for the country to start seeing what it might look like for a woman to serve as President, and offers inspiration and advice for women looking to succeed in any field. I’m not sure if this book would have made it to the top of my list, but I heard Palmieri interviewed on one of my favorite podcasts, It’s Been a Minute on NPR, and she was excellent – warm, funny, honest, and realistic in a way I found really engaging.

The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton – In 1985, 29-year-old Anthony Ray Hinton was charged with two counts of murder in Alabama, crimes he didn’t commit but was found guilty of anyway. Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution, and spent 30 years on death row until he was released in 2015 (thanks to the work of another name to know – Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and author of Just Mercy). This book is a memoir of his time in prison, and “shows how you can take away a man’s freedom, but you can’t take away his imagination, humor or joy.”

Failing Up by Leslie Odom Jr. – Aaron Burr’s writing a memoir! Kidding, of course. Leslie Odom Jr. became a household name among theater nerds in 2015 when he originated the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton. In this book, Odom reflects on his path to Broadway and “asks the questions that will help you unlock your true potential and achieve your goals even when they seem impossible.” The audiobook for this one is set to be out April 10 – I’ll be waiting for that!

Women Winning Awards = Woo!

All of this year’s winners in the competitive categories of the National Book Critics Circle awards were written by women! I want to read every single one of the nonfiction winners right now:

• General Nonfiction – The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America by Frances FitzGerald
• Biography – Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
• Autobiography – Nine Continents: A Memoir in and Out of China by Xiaolu Guo
• Criticism – You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks, and Other Mixed Messages by Carina Chocano

Another awards longlist worth perusing is the finalists for the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. Awards are given in 10 categories, including Current Interest, Biography, History, and Science and Technology. The winners will be announced on April 20.

Not Done Talking About Memoirs

Right after I submitted last weeks newsletter, two more memoir-related stories popped up in my feed.

By Jiyang Chen – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

The family of fashion and society photographer Bill Cunningham, who passed away in 2016, has discovered a written memoir in his archive. According to the New York Times, “it’s not clear when Mr. Cunningham wrote the memoir … though multiple drafts of certain sections also found in the archive suggest he revised it.” The book, titled Fashion Climbing, is set to be published in September.

Over at Book Riot, Steph wrote a great piece on stunt memoirs that shook up their authors’ life for just one year. I love a good stunt memoir, but even I’ve only read six of the 10 she suggests. It’s a good list!

Cheap Kindle Deals!

This week, I’ve pulled together some Kindle deals in biographies (but get ‘em fast – it looks like these may end on April 1):

• Ashley’s War by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon for $1.99
• Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep by Michael Schulman for $2.99
• The Creation of Anne Boleyn by Susan Bordo for $2.99

Have a stellar weekend! As always, find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and happy reading! – Kim