• The Hub

    News, Notes, Talk

    12 new books for the long weekend.

    Katie Yee

    June 30, 2020, 9:00am

    Somehow Fourth of July weekend is upon us. While you might not be spending it the way you usually do (big family barbecue, a day at the beach, crammed in the crowds trying to watch the Macy’s show), we do have a dozen brand-new books to pass the time. Honestly, it may be the best Fourth of July yet.

    *

    of color

    Jaswinder Bolina, Of Color
    (McSweeney’s)

    Of Color explores the experience of being of color, being an immigrant, being American, and being human with an admirable fluency, entrusting us with an honest conversation that we all should be having with each other.”
    –Ploughshares

     

    self care

    Leigh Stein, Self Care
    (Penguin)

    “Stein’s sharp writing separates her from the pack in this exquisite, Machiavellian morality tale about the ethics of looking out for oneself.”
    –Publishers Weekly

     

    blue ticket

    Sophie Mackintosh, Blue Ticket
    (Doubleday)

    “Sophie Mackintosh lays bare many of the fears and realities that face any society’s women as they contemplate when their choices begin, and where they might end.”
    –The Boston Globe

     

    Gene Wolfe, Interlibrary Loan

    Gene Wolfe, Interlibrary Loan
    (Tor Books)

    “It’s an enigmatic final note from sci-fi’s most enigmatic author.”
    –The Wall Street Journal

     

    nine shiny objects

    Brian Castleberry, Nine Shiny Objects
    (Custom House)

    “Impressive… Memorable characters inhabit a surprising, engaging story of American idealism and its dark opposite.”
    –Kirkus

     

    Sex and vanity_kevin kwan

    Kevin Kwan, Sex and Vanity
    (Doubleday)

    “Kwan, author of the insanely popular Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, again manages to enchant … Kwan manages to take a few swipes against snobbery and racism.”
    –Kirkus

     

    Mexican Gothic_Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic
    (Del Rey)

    “Moreno-Garcia works in a tradition in which chills and thrills tap into elemental cultural fears — runaway science, carnal passion. But to these she adds a more politically inflected horror, both ancient and timely.”
    –The Los Angeles Times

     

    Vivian Nixon and Daryl Atkinson (ed.), What We Know
    (New Press)

    “Uniformly well-written and cogently argued, these essays cast a harsh light on the prison system and the obstacles millions of Americans face in getting their lives back on track.”
    –Publishers Weekly

     

    Rigged_David Shimer

    David Shimer, Rigged
    (Knopf)

    “This incisive treatise lays bare the monumental task of countering foreign interference in the 2020 election.”
    –Publishers Weekly

     

    Eric A. Posner, The Demagogue’s Playbook
    (All Points Books)

    “An almost novel-like stroll through American history…An insightful analysis into what went wrong with the Founders’ dream.”
    –Kirkus

     

    Michael Shellenberger, Apocalypse Never
    (Harper)

    “Shellenberger’s prediction of a healthier future adds balance to the literature.”
    –Kirkus

     

    a most wicked conspiracy_paul starobin

    Paul Starobin, A Most Wicked Conspiracy
    (PublicAffairs)

    “Mr. Starobin’s story is the typical Gilded Age plot of a political boss and a robber baron jointly pulling the strings of various politicians hungry for their financial support … Into this narrative Mr. Starobin skillfully weaves the political evolution of Alaska.”
    –The Wall Street Journal

  • Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member: Because Books Matter

    For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience, exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag. Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

    x