5 books not to miss: 'Barack Before Obama' photography book, Ijeoma Oluo's 'Mediocre'
In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
1. “Barack Before Obama: Life Before the Presidency,” by David Katz (Ecco, nonfiction, on sale Dec. 1)
What it’s about: An intimate photographic celebration of Barack Obama before he became the 44th president of the United States from the then-Senate hopeful’s photographer and personal aid.
The buzz: “A brilliantly photographed tribute to the rise of the 44th president,” says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.
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2. “Mediocre (The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America),” by Ijeoma Oluo (Seal, nonfiction, on sale Dec. 1)
What it’s about: The author of “So You Want to Talk About Race” confronts how American society revolves around white male power and its preservation – and the consequences of this entitlement on everyone else.
The buzz: “Erudite yet accessible, grounded in careful research as well as Oluo’s personal experiences of racism and misogyny, this is an essential reckoning with race, sex, and power in America,” says a starred review in Publishers Weekly.
3. “Rest and Be Thankful,” by Emma Glass (Bloomsbury, fiction, on sale Dec. 1)
What it’s about: A visceral and dreamlike literary portrait of a burned-out pediatric nurse working night shifts in a neonatal ward.
The buzz: “A heart-wrenching and poetic look at a profession that deserves more literary attention,” says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.
4. “Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother's Letter to Her Son,” by Homeira Qaderi (Harper, nonfiction, on sale Dec. 1)
What it’s about: In this devastating memoir, Qaderi recounts how she escaped an abusive and oppressive Taliban-controlled Afghanistan for the young son she was forced to leave behind.
The buzz: “An unvarnished, memorable portrayal of a mother’s grief and love,” says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.
5. “The Blade Between,” by Sam J. Miller (Ecco, fiction, on sale Dec. 1)
What it’s about: Gay photographer Ronan Szepessy leaves Manhattan and returns to Hudson, New York, to care for his ailing father and finds his now-thriving hometown threatened by real-estate developers – and more mysterious forces.
The buzz: "Thriller fans will welcome Miller as a fresh new voice,” says Publishers Weekly.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New books: ‘Barack Before Obama,’ Ijeoma Oluo’s ‘Mediocre’