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Books people are talking about. |
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A razor-sharp novel about the rise and fall of an unemployed actor who lands the greatest role of his life when he's hired as a personal assistant to an absurd Hollywood family. An exceedingly smart and funny novel. --Sam Lipsyte, The New York Times Book Review Raj Ladlani is a morose and unemployable actor. He has reasons to believe he is spectacularly talented, a legend in every way but for the success. He leads an anonymous life in LA, working part time at a frozen yogurt store, fantasizing about stardom and clinging to the encouragement of his aging and kindly acting coach. At his life's nadir, Raj reads a job posting detailing a relentless, laughable parade of menial responsibilities for an organization blandly described as Hollywood Family. The Simp tells the story of Raj's momentous employment with the H Family and the destruction that follows. Jim H is a massive and macho director in a creative rut. Anna H might uncharitably be described as his much younger trophy wife, quietly and neurotically seeking out her own independent sense of purpose as a screenwriter. Raj's work as their executive assistant becomes his new sense of soaring purpose. But he procured the job through a sea of lies. The job itself is an absurdist walk through a landmine of affluent domestic chaos, identity politics, and petty Angeleno grievances. And things only get weirder when it turns out Anna H has been working on a secret project of her own--one that will change everything for Raj.
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A BEST BOOK OF THE SUMMER: New York Times - Town & Country - Los Angeles Times - Goodreads - LitHub FEATURED IN: People - A Cup of Joe - theSkimm - The Ezra Klein Show ** In development as a series with HBO ** Reading this book reminded me how much fun a novel can be. Caro Claire Burke, author of Yesteryear In this timely and comedic take on ambition, consumerism, and the sticker price of privilege, an ad exec who bombs the biggest pitch of his career decides to forgo capitalism and live off the land of his suburban Connecticut home. Perfect for readers of Rufi Thorpe and Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Alan Anderson is a powerful advertising executive who has built a successful life and thriving business by making people buy stuff they don't actually need. He's up for the biggest pitch of his career and the account everyone wants, US Dairy: cow's milk sales are plummeting, and the C-Suite wants to see trendy oat milk kicked to the curb. But when an anarchist farmer tanks Alan's presentation, Alan bombs the pitch but ends the day with an epiphany. No longer will he exploit the insecurities of others in the service of capitalism. Alan is opting out. This development is anathema to his wife, Vivian. She's just a few positive affirmations, a swimming pool, and an exacting series of social tests away from finally becoming part of the elite women's club, the Queen Annes, in their adopted town of Greenwich, Connecticut. As if contending with a daughter who wants to write plays ( ) and another who has an unnatural empathy with animals isn't enough to manage, she can only watch as Alan moves into their backyard playhouse to live off the land andworsespend time with the family. But instead of shocking the neighbors, Alan's commitment to a less-is-more lifestyle seems to be catching on. Could everyone want what Alan's not selling? Funny, sexy, intelligent, and poignant, Alan Opts Out is the most ambitious novel to date by celebrated author Courtney Maum, acclaimed for her stories that tackle big, chewy subjects of our post-modern America with wit and heart.
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A bold young adult thriller about a teen scammer who won't let boys, friends, or even murder get in her way. Features blood red sprayed edges Li's first foray into thriller pulls out all the stops to great success. Ambitious, smart, and wickedly fun, this is the fast-paced story of a teenage girl willing to do whatever it takes to not just survive but thrive under pressure. Whatever it takes.--Joelle Wellington, author of Their Vicious GamesAmelia Wu is great at relationships. So great, in fact, that she's in three of them. Why choose between the suave debate team captain, the charming indie filmmaker, and the tennis star when she can be with them all? The catch? None of them know about each other. It works perfectly. They're in love with her--or the versions of her that they get. Amy. Ellie. Mia. And she's in love with the lavish dinners, fancy yacht trips, and expensive gifts. Times three. But schemes always get complicated, don't they? When Amelia's best friend ends up dead, her alleged murder shocks their placid beachside city. And soon, Amelia's carefully planned relationships start to dangerously unravel. In a fit of desperation, Amelia teams up with her academic nemesis Jackie, the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, to get to the bottom of this. After all, Amelia needs to keep her boyfriends close and her enemies closer if she wants to keep her scam--and herself--afloat.
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Take What You Can is so brilliantly, unbelievably good I have a burning in my heart.... Love is utterly bewildering, and nobody writes about it better than Naima Coster.--Catherine Newman, New York Times bestselling author of Sandwich From the New York Times bestselling author of What's Mine and Yours, a rich, panoramic exploration of female friendship, class, new motherhood, and independence Val and Milly fell in love with France at the same time they fell in love with each other and became immediate best friends. Then, they bonded as the only Black students on a study-abroad trip. Now, they are in their thirties, each married and with a baby girl on the way. When Milly suggests Val move to New York to raise their daughters together after a decade apart, it's a resounding yes. Despite their excitement, the pair secretly wonder if their friendship has always worked best as a trio. From that first trip to France, these two motherless daughters were taken under the wing of an older woman named Helene. She showered them with money, love and attention, and showed them the possibilities of a meaningful future. But without Helene, who are Milly and Val? Milly, a successful influencer married to restaurant royalty, is occupied with her desire for independence. Val, a brilliant journalist, is struggling to write her first book and fit into her old friend's new world. The realities of class and social capital, of strained marriages and the demands of motherhood, serve as constant reminders of how far apart they've grown. And no matter how much they try to avoid it, everything comes back to the rift that began all those years ago in France. What they've long tried to bury may finally destroy their sisterhood. Weaving between Brooklyn brownstones and the glittering beaches of southern France, Take What You Can is a dazzling novel exploring what it means to be a mother when you have none, a sister without blood ties, and a woman in pursuit of the life she wants. With her signature sharply-observed prose, Coster illustrates what it means to be--and to stay--someone's person through all phases of life.
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Book Club: Natalie Portman
Set on a Southern army base in the 1930s, REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE tells the story of Captain Penderton, a bisexual whose life is upset by the arrival of Major Langdon, a charming womanizer who has an affair with Penderton's tempestuous and flirtatious wife, Leonora. Upon the novel's publication in 1941, reviewers were unsure of what to make of its relatively scandalous subject matter. A critic for Time Magazine wrote, In almost any hands, such material would yield a rank fruitcake of mere arty melodrama. But Carson McCullers tells her tale with simplicity, insight, and a rare gift of phrase. Written during a time when McCullers's own marriage to Reeves was on the brink of collapse, her second novel deals with her trademark themes of alienation and unfulfilled loves. |
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One of TIME Magazine's All-TIME 100 Nonfiction BooksOne of The Guardian's 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All TimeRachel Carson is a pivotal figure of the twentieth century...people who thought one way before her essential 1962 book Silent Spring thought another way after it.Margaret AtwoodIn celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalog. Rarely does a single book alter the course of history, but Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did exactly that by helping to launch the environmental movement.The outcry that followed the publication of Silent Spring in 1962 forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson's passionate concern for the future of our environment reverberated powerfully throughout the world. Silent Spring not only addressed issues of the time, but began a critical discussion on humanity's responsibility for our planet that continues to this day. As Carson reminds us, In nature, nothing exists alone.The introduction by acclaimed biographer Linda Lear, author of Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature, tells the story of Carson's courageous defense of her truths in the face of a ruthless assault form the chemical industry following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death.Wonder and humility are just some of the gifts of Silent Spring. They remind us that we, like all other living creatures, are part of the vast ecosystems of the earth of the earth...this is a book to relish: not for the dark side of human nature, but for the promise of life's possibility. from the IntroductionA BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE WITH FLAPS: Featuring French flaps and a unique vivid cover design, each book in the collection is published as a deluxe trade paperback that is a part of a stunning series look.HARPER COLLINS AMERICAN CLASSICS: This series includes timeless novels, poetry, children's books, and groundbreaking nonfiction that has shaped American thought, literature, and identity across generations.AMERICA'S PUBLISHER: Since its founding in 1817, no American publisher has been so entwined in the history of American letters. Our books enrich, challenge, and defined the American spirit.AMERICA 250: The HarperCollins American Classics arrive in time for America's 250th anniversary celebrations
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Book Club: Oprah's Book Club
A musical prodigy and his mother spend years searching for each other in this tender, heartfelt novel about love, loss, and the enduring power of a mother's love (Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Women). A SWEEPING NOVEL FROM JENNA BUSH HAGER'S THOUSAND VOICES An immersive journey amid the sights and sounds of urban China as a migrant mother and son follow a seemingly impossible dream inspired by their love of music--and their devotion to each other . . . Keep something handy to dry your eyes.--Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake Song is a nobody--just a food delivery worker from a village in Northeast China--but her son, River, is a little wonder. At the age of four, he toddles to a piano and taps out his favorite song. At eight, he masters Liszt's three Liebestraume; at ten, he blazes through the complete set of Chopin's tudes. And at every step, through the valleys of loss, illness, and poverty, Song is there to light his way--until finally, at the age of eleven, River is invited to study with a preeminent teacher in Beijing. But in the chaos of Beijing Railway Station on the busiest day of the year, Song faces every mother's nightmare: She loses her grip on River's little hand and is unable to find him after a desperate, harrowing search. Over the next days, weeks, and eventually, years, Song and River fight to forge a path back to each other as they carve out new lives that carry them farther apart. An evocative exploration of a mother's love and a son's yearning, Little Wonder takes us on an extraordinary journey through a modern Beijing that pulses with the music of humanity and its impossible--and impossibly brave--hopes. As every musician knows: You start in one key. You wander to other keys, strange and distant places. But in the end, you always come back home. |
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READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY The perfect summer read...it is propulsive and drenched in light, just like the title. --Jenna Bush Hager Radiant...What begins as a teenage romance in 1950s Florida becomes an intimate, deeply moving story of separation, sacrifice, and self-determination--and of how early love shapes the lives we carry forward. --Christina Baker Kline The kind of book that makes you lean closer, then hold your breath as the beauty and betrayal unfold. I couldn't stop reading. I couldn't stop hoping. What an extraordinary novel --Ariel Lawhon A forbidden love blows open the world of a teenage girl, altering the trajectory of her life-from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Chaperone It's 1949, early in the Cold War, but St. Petersburg, Florida is warm, lush, and booming with newcomers seeking sunshine and opportunity. For seventeen-year-old Nora, St. Pete feels like paradise, especially after she meets and wins over Leonard, the shy, brilliant son of transplanted New Yorkers. Nora and Leonard are soon spending balmy days and evenings together, and in her adoring, encouraging company, he grows more confident, even as he remains tender and caring. Leonard's sophisticated mother welcomes Nora into their lives, but his father distrusts her motives. When his suspicions are seemingly confirmed, Nora is forced to cut contact. In her longing and fear, she takes a chance that changes her life, exiling her from the family she loves and setting off a chain of secrets and betrayals that will follow her into adulthood. It is a mature Nora who tells the story of her turbulent past. Wiser and more worldly, she commits to an honest but compassionate account, and to a future based on trusting, first and foremost, herself.Sunlight Finds You is, ultimately, a love story set in the past that has much to say about our present. Richly layered and propulsive, it's a book about extending forgiveness--for ourselves, and for others--and about refusing to settle for a life that is less than full.
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REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - Indie Next PickIf you love immersive, magical stories with unforgettable settings and books that spark great conversations, I think you're really going to love this one.--Reese Witherspoon (August '26 Reese's Book Club Pick)Ethereal...a story that reminds us sometimes the impossible is possible.--JODI PICOULTA haunting, heart-stopping debut.--CHRISTINA BAKER KLINEPart love story, part ode to nature, with a mystical, musical, mysterious quality.--NIKKI ERLICKFor readers of Wild Dark Shore and The Time Traveler's Wife, a fierce, haunting story of one woman caught between her first love and a mysterious stranger who upends everything--and the two worlds that won't let her go.Annie MacLeod always knew she was different, growing up on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest, navigating by stars and swimming with sea creatures alongside her parents and best friend Evan. But when a tsunami shatters her world, Annie is stranded on land and forced to confront how eccentric she is. In the wreckage, she rescues a wordless man named Walker, who emits a hum only she can hear.Their connection is instant, electric. Walker's touch gives Annie visions of the ocean's hidden world, a life she's never known but feels inexplicably drawn to. Yet even as she is pulled toward him, Evan--the steadfast love who has always been there--remains on dry land, offering the stability she may have to leave behind. Annie is torn between Evan's grounding presence and Walker's magnetic secrets. But then, Walker vanishes, along with the answers she needs about who she really is.Six years later, Annie has left the sea and buried the past--until Walker's otherworldly sound returns, pulling her back toward the ocean and the life she abandoned. The truth under the water is more ancient than she ever could have known, and Annie must confront a choice that will test her heart and determine her future.Absolutely dazzling.--SARAH PENNERIncandescent...I did not want to come up for air.--EMMA KNIGHTSpellbinding --NITA PROSE
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A love letter to Puerto Rican cooking through 100 recipes interwoven with stories, histories, and traditions that shine with joy and a celebratory spirit, from TikTok star and Next Level Chef runner-up Omi Hopper-- Provided by publisher.
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From viral content creator Davide De Pierro comes an achingly honest novel about heartbreak, memory, loneliness, hope, and learning how to let go of the people we thought would stay forever, for fans of Coco Mellors and David NichollsOn a rainy night in New York City, Dante meets with a friend at their favorite diner. As the city lights glint through the rain-streaked windows, he begins to reminisce about the past loves that shaped him, from the fleeting sparks of youthful passion in the Jersey City housing project of his youth, to the steady love that he wasn't ready to receive, to the lingering ache of the one that got away. As he slowly pieces his heart back together, he navigates through reflections both tender and sorrowful, clinging to cherished memories while seeking to understand the true meaning of love.Sensitive, heartfelt, and lyrical, The Letters I Never Sent is a powerful story of love, longing and the unexpected moments that bring two lovers together.
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The Dog Stars (Movie Tie-In Edition) by Peter HellerSOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE - NATIONAL BESTSELLER - From the author of The River In this end-of-the-world novel more like a rapturous beginning (San Francisco Chronicle), Hig somehow survived the flu pandemic that killed everyone he knows. His gripping story is an ode to friendship between two men...the strong bond between a human and a dog, and a reminder of what is worth living for (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Hig's wife is gone, his friends are dead, and he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, Jasper, and a mercurial, gun-toting misanthrope named Bangley. But when a random transmission beams through the radio of his 1956 Cessna, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life exists outside their tightly controlled perimeter. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return and follows its static-broken trail, only to find something that is both better and worse than anything he could ever hope for. Where to watch: The Dog Stars is playing in theaters on Friday, August 21st (wide) |
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Kitchen Confidential Annotated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony BourdainAnthony Bourdain's wickedly funny-yet inspiring-memoir/expos?e, Kitchen Confidential, provides a gritty and behind-the-scenes look into life behind the kitchen doors. Bourdain's skillful storytelling captivates and shocks readers, stealing their appetite while leaving them begging for more. His passion for his trade shines through as he takes readers on the wild journey that is his culinary career as he goes from dishwasher to executive chef; from the East Village, to Tokyo, Paris, and back to New York again.-- Where to watch: Tony is now playing in theaters (limited); Friday, August 21st (wide) |
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Here the Whole Time by Vitor MartinsWhen Felipe, who is very insecure about his weight, is forced to spend winter break with his long-term crush, Caio, he must face his unresolved issues head-on. Where to watch: Here the Whole Time is on Netflix on Wednesday, August 19th |
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The Last Sunrise by Anna ToddA movie tie-in for the upcoming Prime Video adaptation featuring Eva Longoria, based on Anna Todd's bestselling novel about a sheltered young woman whose summer abroad sparks a life-changing romance and journey of self-discovery. Where to watch: The Last Sunrise is on Prime Video on August 26 |
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Late Fame by Arthur SchnitzlerOne seemingly ordinary evening, Eduard Saxberger arrives home to find the fulfillment of a long-forgotten wish in his sitting room: a visitor has come to tell him that the youth of Vienna have discovered his poetic genius. Saxberger has written nothing for thirty years, yet he now realizes that he is more than merely an Unremarkable Civil Servant after all: he's a Venerable Poet for whom Late Fame is inevitable--if, that is, his new acolytes are to be believed-- Where to watch: Late Fame is now playing limited release in theaters |
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The Whisper Man by Alex North**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** WORKS BEAUTIFULLY... If you like being terrified, The Whisper Man has your name on it. --The New York Times, Editor's Pick SUPERB --Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town. After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank. But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed The Whisper Man, for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night. Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man. And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window... This edition of the book is the deluxe, tall rack mass market paperback. Where to watch: The Whisper Man is on Netflix on Friday, August 28th |
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Anna Pigeon: Track of the Cat (TV Tie-In) by Nevada BarrWinner of the Agatha Award, this is the first gripping novel in the series that inspired the USA Network series ANNA PIGEON Park ranger Anna Pigeon has brought an unyielding love of nature and sense of fair play to the mystery genre. Track of the Cat is the acclaimed novel that first introduced readers to Anna, as a woman looking for peace in the wilderness--and finding murder instead.... Patrolling in remote backcountry, Anna's first job as a national park ranger is marred by violence she thought she had left behind: the brutal death of a fellow ranger. When the cause of death is chalked up to a mountain lion attack, Anna's rage knows no bounds. It's up to her to save the protected cats from the politics and prejudices of the locals--and prove the kill was the work of a species far less rare.... Where to watch: "Anna Pigeon" is on Fridays at 10pm ET/PT on USA Network; Series Premiere on August 7th Based on: The Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr |
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My Brilliant Career by Miles FranklinA young woman's struggle for independence and intellectual pursuits in late 19th Century rural Australia. Release Date: My Brilliant Career is on Thursday, August 13th on Netflix (all episodes of Season 1 will be available)
Based on: MY BRILLIANT CAREER by Miles Franklin |
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The Shards by Bret Easton EllisA story about the end of innocence, and the perilous passage from adolescence into adulthood, set in a vibrantly fictionalized Los Angeles in 1981 as a serial killer begins targeting teenagers throughout the city-- Where to watch: The Shards is on Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT on FX and FX on Hulu; Series Premiere on August 5th (the first two episodes of Season 1 will be available) |
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