| The thirty names of night by Zeyn JoukhadarIntroducing: three generations of Syrian Americans -- a 20-something trans man (Nadir, who is unnamed and misgendered at first), his late mother, and a long missing Syrian artist, Laila Z. -- linked by their love of birds.
What it's about: the search for identity and belonging in an unwelcoming world.
Why you might like it: Syrian American and trans himself, author Zeyn Joukhadar richly captures New York's Little Syria over the decades through the alternating perspectives of Laila Z. and Nadir. |
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| To be a man: Stories by Nicole KraussWhat it is: a short story collection about the relationships between men and women at all stages of life, and how the characters' Jewish identities informs those relationships.
Don't miss: "Future Emergencies," which is alarmingly of-the-moment; "I Am Asleep But My Heart Is Awake," in which a daughter inherits her father's apartment, only to find it inhabited.
Why you might like it: Nicole Krauss' straightforward writing style is highly detailed and addresses weighty topics. |
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Make Russia great again: A novel
by Christopher Buckley
Herb Nutterman never intended to become Donald Trump's White House chief of staff. Herb served the Trump Organization for twenty-seven years, holding jobs in everything from a food and beverage manager at the Trump Magnifica to being the first general manager of the Trump Bloody Run Golf Course. And when his old boss asks "his favorite Jew" to take on the daunting role of chief of staff, Herb, spurred on by loyalty, agrees. But being the chief of staff is a lot different from being a former hospitality expert. Soon, Herb finds himself deeply involved in Russian intrigue, deflecting rumours about Mike Pence's high school involvement in a Satanic cult, and leading President Trump's reelection campaign. What Nutterman experiences is outrageous, outlandish, and otherwise unbelievable, therefore making it a deadly accurate account of being the chief of staff during the Trump administration.
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The lending library: A novel
by Aliza Fogelson
When the Chatsworth library closes indefinitely, small-town art teacher Dodie Fairisle turns her sunroom into her very own little lending library, which leads to both new friendships and romance, as well as an unexpected chance to realize her secret dream of motherhood.
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The nesting dolls: A novel
by Alina Adams
Moving from a Siberian gulag to the underground world of Soviet refuseniks to oceanside Brooklyn, The Nesting Dolls is a heartbreaking yet ultimately redemptive story of circumstance, choice, and consequence and three dynamic unforgettable women, all who will face hardships that force them to compromise their dreams as they fight to fulfill their destinies.
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The death of Vivek Oji
by Akwaeke Emezi
What it's about: the mysterious death of young Nigerian Vivek Oji; friendship and family loyalty; gender identity; and deeply rooted transphobia.
Read it for: the many narrative perspectives, the description of middle-class Nigeria and the generational contrast in beliefs, the elegant writing style, and the raw depiction of grief.
Reviewers say: "There's just no way to finish this powerful novel and not feel more deeply than ever the ghastly consequences of intolerance" (The Washington Post).
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Ordinary hazards
by Anna Bruno
It's 5pm on a Wednesday when Emma settles into her hometown bar with a motley crew of locals, all unaware that a series of decisions over the course of a single night is about to change their lives forever. As the evening unfolds, key details about Emma's history emerge, and the past comes bearing down on her like a freight train. Why has Emma, a powerhouse in the business world, ended up here? What is she running away from? And what is she willing to give up to recapture the love she once cherished? An exploration of contemporary love, guilt, and the place we call home, and in the tradition of Ask Again, Yes and Little Fires Everywhere, Ordinary Hazards follows one woman's epic journey back to a life worth living.
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| Too Much Lip by Melissa LucashenkoFeaturing: queer First Nations Australian Kerry Salter, who travels back to her home in Bundjalung country in New South Wales on a stolen Harley when she hears that her grandfather has fallen sick.
What it's about: the needs of family and the effects of colonisation: despite her intention to stay only briefly, Kerry is drawn into a family fight to prevent their spiritual home from being used to house a jail.
About the author: Melissa Lucashenko, who won the 2019 Miles Franklin Award for this book, is of Bundjalung and European heritage and is an advocate for prisoners' rights. |
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| Laura & Emma by Kate GreatheadIntroducing: privileged, inconstant Laura, a woman who drifts through life supported by her wealthy family, and her spirited daughter, Emma, the result of a weekend fling (of sorts).
Why you might like it: From the 1980s to the mid-nineties, this leisurely paced debut offers complex, unique characters and evocative descriptions of Manhattan.
For fans of: quiet, character-driven novels that center on mother/daughter relationships, like Elizabeth Strout's My Name is Lucy Barton. |
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| It's not all downhill from here by Terry McMillanThe weekend: As a way to celebrate her 68th birthday, Loretha and Carl Curry spend the weekend at a Palm Springs resort, only for Carl to suffer a fatal heart attack.
What happens next: Loretha must contend with her own health issues as she relies on her closest friends -- who are facing their own problems -- as she grieves.
Read it for: the longstanding friendships among a well-drawn group of mature Black women. |
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| The altruists by Andrew RidkerFeaturing: broke professor Arthur Alter and his two grown kids, who inherited their mother's fortune.
What happens: Hoping they'll bail him out, Arthur invites underemployed Maggie and shut-in Ethan home for the weekend, only to find that things don't quite go to plan.
Why you might like it: With its imperfect protagonists, this debut will appeal to fans of Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You or Cynthia D'aprix's Sweeney's The Nest. |
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| Chances are... by Richard RussoWhat it's about: Three long-time friends come together for a weekend on Martha’s Vineyard, where they puzzle out what happened to the fourth of their group, a beautiful young woman each had been in love with, and who disappeared 40 years previously.
Why you might like it: As usual, author Richard Russo effectively captures male friendships; a touch of suspense as secrets are revealed may surprise and engage fans. |
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| The house of broken angels by Luis Alberto UrreaWhat it's about: the weekend-long gathering in honor of Miguel Angel de la Cruz, whose mother upstages what is sure to be his last birthday by dying herself.
Why you might like it: The stories and memories of the members of the sprawling Mexican-American family abound, resulting in a novel that is "knowing and intimate, funny and tragic at once" (Kirkus Reviews).
Want a taste? "He winked at her. Only Big Angel could wink and denote wisdom." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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