August glides by, either steadily or softly, depending on how you view it. The publishing calendar is settling into a calmer spell—a span of quiet before the September surge. Yet August continues to offer a bounty of delights for readers: Warrick’s nonfiction portrait of a notorious figure, a fresh novel from Katy Simpson Smith, and a host of other picks. Read on, and may your Tuesday be bright!
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Joby Warrick, The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos, the World’s First Super-Terrorist
(Scribner)
“A gripping portrait of a monumental figure who helped redefine terrorism as a public phenomenon—and the journalists, policymakers, spymasters, and rulers who propelled him into the glare.”
–David McCloskey
LaToya Watkins, The Book of Chuck
(Tiny Reparations)
“A transcendent reading experience that exposes life’s darkest corners while offering a surprising glimmer of hope.”
–Kirkus
Katy Simpson Smith, The Maltese Version
(FSG)
“Katy Simpson Smith playfully reworks the Mediterranean psychological thriller, offering a lush, textured ride through lives braided by language and time.”
–Téa Obreht
Dorthe Nors, trans. by Caroline Waight, Range
(Graywolf)
“A brilliant novel that threads broad intellectual horizons with the intimate texture of everyday humanity.”
–Kirkus
Raphael Montes, The Secret Dinner
(Celadon)
“Dark, gripping, and wickedly clever, The Secret Dinner twists friendship and ambition into a mind-bending finale.”
–Lisa Jewell
Julie Kliegman, Finding Renee Richards: The Groundbreaking Story of Tennis’s Trans Pioneer
(HarperOne)
“A compelling account of a pivotal yet often overlooked figure in American sports and culture.”
–Jonathan Eig
Steve Hawk, Nearshore
(Viking)
“Engrossing, graceful, and transporting, this is a remarkable—albeit unsettling—exploration of a near-catastrophe scenario.”
–Publishers Weekly
Tom Rosenstiel, The Next Journalism: How the Press Must Change to Serve Democracy
(Crown)
“Seasoned journalist and novelist Rosenstiel lays out thoughtful approaches for navigating today’s fragmented media landscape.”
–Booklist
Kim Eui-Kyung, trans. by Sora Kim-Russell, Hello Baby
(Hogarth)
“A humane, sometimes humorous, and consistently enlightening exploration of the hopeful, painful journey of pregnancy and birth that countless people undertake worldwide every day.”
–Lydia Kiesling
Danny Ramadan, Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Memoir
(Soft Skull)
“An artfully told, candid, and often provocative memoir that edifies as it reveals.”
–Vancouver Sun
Camille Acker, A Very Special Episode
(Random House)
“A sly social commentary on how race, class, and family heritage intertwine.”
–The Millions
Anjet Daanje, trans. by David McKay, The Song of Stork and Dromedary
(FSG)
“A significant, moving achievement that blends historical mystery with a lasting human core.”
–Elizabeth DeNoma
Malavika Kannan, Unprecedented Times
(Holt)
“A sparkling novel that feels like pages torn from a witty friend’s diary, brimming with humor and heart.”
–Booklist
Rowan Hooper, Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life’s Greatest Collaborations
(Knopf)
“This may well be one of the rare books that becomes a classic upon its release, quietly guiding you to see the world in a refreshed, hopeful light.”
–Bill McKibben
Ekin Oklap, First Summer
(Summit)
“This luminous novel will submerge readers in a tender, intoxicating tale of young love. A dreamy, queer coming-of-age story about deep friendship and first romance that will resonate with readers of all ages.”
–Booklist
Mariana Salomao Carrara, trans. by Julia Sanches and Alison Entrekin, The Loneliest Tree in the World
(Catapult)
“An arresting exercise in naturalism.”
–Publishers Weekly
Jennifer Givhan, The Sleeping Sisters
(Little Brown)
“A suspenseful, moving ride from page one, Givhan’s lyrical prose draws readers into the emotional wounds, fixations, grief, guilt, and trauma of deeply drawn characters set in the Southwest.”
–Nina McConigley
Lucinda M. Vardey, The Green Soul: Returning to Our Sacred Belonging in Nature
(HarperOne)
“An essential work for anyone drawn to spiritual life and the future of the planet.”
–Jennifer Kavanagh
Jennifer Michelle Herrera, Siren Says
(Putnam)
“Siren Says blossoms with enchantment, secret knowledge, and otherworldly links, charting characters’ quests for purpose and redemption as they navigate intimate ties and the residues of past harm.”
–Diane Marie Brown
