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Fiction A to Z February 2021
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| Black Buck by Mateo AskaripourWhat it is: A debut novel with a biting take on racism in corporate America and the story of a man who may have found success at the expense of his sense of self.
Starring: Darren, a college graduate who takes a job at a cult-like NYC startup. The longer he stays and the greater his success, the more the corporate excesses push him toward helping other young Black people succeed in America's sales force.
Why you might like it: styled like a self-help manual, this provocative satire exposes a lot of hypocrisy and prejudice and speaks to the current moment in American history. |
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| Before the Ruins by Victoria GoslingThe set up: Four best friends become five with the arrival of a mysterious stranger in their tiny English town. But their group fractures and, decades later, one member has disappeared.
What happens: Ringleader Andy sets out to find her oldest pal, with whom things have long been strained. In so doing, she uncovers long-hidden secrets.
Also available in eBook on OverDrive |
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| Detransition, Baby by Torrey PetersWhat happens: Trans woman Reese, her detransitioned ex Ames and his cisgender lover (and boss) Katrina build an unconventional family in response to an unplanned pregnancy.
Read it for: Loving, engaging, and relatably complicated characters; abundant wit; and the understanding that there are many ways to build a family.
About the author: Torrey Peters is herself a trans woman; this "smart, funny, and bighearted" novel (Kirkus Reviews) is her full-length debut after three novellas. |
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| The Liar's Dictionary by Eley WilliamsWhat it is: A tale of two parallel stories, both set in the offices of a dictionary publisher. In the 19th century, a lexicographer adds made-up words to the New Encyclopaedic Dictionary; in the modern day, an intern is tasked with finding them.
Why you might like it: Puns and wordplay make this a linguistic delight, while the romantic adventures in both eras humanize it.
Also available in eBook on OverDrive |
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| The Awkward Black Man: Stories by Walter MosleyWhat it is: A collection of 17 short stories that portray the wide variety of American life, all starring Black men, many of them over 50, narrating their own stories.
Don't miss: "The Good News Is," in which a man's insecurity about his weight gives way to a serious illness. It's the first in the book and once you've read it, you'll be hooked on award-winning author Walter Mosley's insight and slice-of life perspective. |
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| I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura Van den BergWhat it is: A collection of stories in which women, often in Florida, often already struggling with grief or anxiety, must cope with loss and strained relationships.
Why you might like it: While some stories have an element of the absurd, others are deeply layered; a sense of menace pervades but does not overwhelm a sense of empathy for these women, especially those who are suffering at the hands of men.
Want a taste? "I want to tell you about the night I got hit by a train and died. The thing is -- it never happened." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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