A Touching, Thoughtful Boarding School Memoir is One of January's Must-Read Books
A Touching, Thoughtful Boarding School Memoir is One of January's Must-Read Books
This month, dive into a memoir about life at boarding school, immerse yourself in the history of one of Hollywood's greatest directors, tear into one of the year's most anticipated novels, investigate the life of one of journalism's most recognizable names, or read some of the lesser-known works of one of America's most famous writers.
Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School
amazon.com
Before she became an admissions officer working with some of the country's most prestigious prep schools, Kendra James was a student at one of them—indeed, she was the first Black legacy student at the Taft School when she attended. James's memoir is a thoughtful story about coming-of-age and finding your place in the world; she's a funny, observant writer with a powerful, unforgettable story to tell.
Fiona and Jane
amazon.com
Jean Chen Ho's debut collection of short stories connect together to tell the tales of two childhood best friends who grow up together in Los Angeles and how they fit into (or stick out of) each others' lives in the years to come.
Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century
Atria Books
amazon.com
In this innovative biography of the legendary comedian and filmmaker Buster Keaton, Dana Stevens goes beyond simply telling his life story—however fascinating it might be—to put Keaton, his work, his troubles, and his triumphs in contexts that help situate him in the world in which he lived and give readers a bigger picture of how staggering his influence has been and how far-reaching it continues to be.
To Paradise: A Novel
amazon.com
Told in three parts—the first taking place in a version of the American 1890s, the second in 1993 Manhattan, and the third in a future nearly 70 years from today—this new novel from the author of A Little Life beautifully grapples with questions of family, loyalty, love, and belonging. It's a thoughtful, imaginative, and elegantly constructed tale that ponders big questions with equally large doses of style and heart.
Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom
Henry Holt and Co.
amazon.com
The work of reporter Carl Bernstein is already the stuff of legend, but in this engrossing new memoir, the writer who made his name uncovering the Watergate scandal (and countless Washington secrets since) recounts the beginnings of his life in newspapers, recalling a bygone era of American media and exposing the building blocks of an iconic career.
A Dream Life
amazon.com
Despite weighing in at only 136 pages, this novella from Claire Messud (The Emperor's Children, The Burning Girl) packs a serious wallop in its depiction of a 1970s American family that leaves New York City for Australia and is forced to discover new ways to maneuver friendship, class, and fear in an unknown place.
You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays
amazon.com
This collection of articles, essays, and criticism spanning more than three decades gives readers a new opportunity to appreciate the work of Zora Neale Hurston. With an introduction from editors Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Genevieve West, the compendium includes Hurston's takes on issues that still haunt us today as well as time capsules, like her coverage of a 1952 murder trial.
Around Italy - Not Your Typical Guidebook
Generic
amazon.com
Guidebooks about Italy are a dime a dozen, but editions made specifically for young adult readers are harder to come by. That’s why the teenage siblings Laurentia and Federico Arengi Bentivoglio conceived Around Italy—Not Your Typical Guidebook for their peers. Working with the illustrator Ondine Lecomte, their slim, whimsical volume is not a check-list of tourist traps or selfie hot spots, but a personal road map to their Italy. Take it from someone who’s read her share of travelogues, T&C contributor Alejandra Cicognani: “This is no ordinary book but something more touching: a love letter to the culture, history and romance of Italy.”
Our picks for the eight standout new releases of the month.