April is the peak of the spring publishing season, and this month’s nonfiction books do not disappoint!
Blockbuster author Erik Larson’s latest, The Demon of Unrest, is a saga of hubris, heartbreak, and heroism at the dawn of the Civil War; Hampton Sides’ newest book, The Wide Wide Sea, tells a tale of imperial ambition, first contact, and the fateful final voyage of Captain James Cook; and David Gibbins chronicles A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks through archeological discoveries. Karen Valby tells the forgotten story of The Swans of Harlem, a pioneering group of Black ballerinas and their fifty-year sisterhood.
New York Times columnist Frank Bruni brings a lucid, powerful examination of The Age of Grievance, which has come to define our current culture and politics on both the right and left, while David E. Sanger presents a fast-paced account of the New Cold Wars, brought on by China’s rise, Russia’s invasion, and America’s struggle to defend the west.
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin tells a personal history of the 1960’s in An Unfinished Love Story; Susan Page chronicles the life and times of Barbara Walters in The Rulebreaker; Anthony McCarten takes a look at Gates, Buffett, and the friendship that changed the world in Warren and Bill; and Nicholas Shakespeare paints a fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, Ian Fleming. Rebel Wilson writes a candid, hilarious and inspiring book about her unconventional journey to Hollywood in Rebel Rising. Patric Gagne reveals her struggle to come to terms with being a Sociopath. Lydia Millet explores the pain and joy of being a parent, child, and human at a moment when the richness of the planet’s life is deeply threatened in We Loved It All while Adam Gopnik presents a radical alternative to our culture of relentless striving in All That Happiness Is. Simone Gorrindo tells the story of one woman’s experience of joining a community of army wives after leaving her New York City job in
The Wives while Jane Bertch deliciously share how an American woman had the gall to open a cooking school in Paris in The French Ingredient. Brianna Madia walks the line between independence and isolation when she moves to the Southwest desert with nothing and no one but her four dogs in Never Leave the Dogs Behind, and Nicholson Baker shares a deeply personal account of his journey learning how to paint for the first time, and a meditation on the power of art in times of crisis in Finding a Likeness.
Beloved author Anne Lamott delivers a joyful celebration of love in Somehow while Becca Rothfeld issues a glorious call to throw off restraint and balance in favor of excess, abandon, and disproportion in All Things Are Too Small. Amanda Montell uses a delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our cognitive biases in The Age of Magical Overthinking; Alice Wong shares groundbreaking essays on love, care, and desire in Disability Intimacy; and legendary actress Judi Dench takes readers on an inspiring, moving and brilliant journey through the plays of Shakespeare.
Valerie Bertinelli’s latest, Indulge, collects 100 recipes to nourish the body and the soul while Carissa Stanton debuts with simple recipes for a balanced life with Seriously, So Good. Carleigh Bodrug’s sophomore cookbook, PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking includes 140+ plant-based, zero-waste recipes that are good for you, your wallet, and the planet; Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard vibrantly explore Koreaworld through 75 recipes from both Korea and Koreatowns from around the world; Karla Tatiana Vasquez pays tribute to Salvadoran recipes and the women who preserve them with The Salvisoul Cookbook; and Newt Nguyen invites you to enjoy 75 beginner friendly, hugely satisfying recipes. And benny bianco teaches you everything you need to know about cooking, enjoying life, and throwing the greatest dinner party of all time with Open Wide.
Mary Claire Haver helps women navigate their path through hormonal change with purpose, power, and facts in The New Menopause while Kate O’Donnell uses traditional wisdom, recipes, and remedies for optimal wellness, hormone balance, and living radiantly in Everyday Ayurveda for Women’s Health. Matthew Hussey shows you how to raise your standards, find your person, and live happily (no matter what) in Love Life while Penn and Kim Holderness present a guide to (mostly) thriving with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder in ADHD is Awesome. Good Housekeeping provide a step-by-step action plan to decluttering your home so you can Organize Your Life, and Myquillyn Smith transcends trends to reveal how to decorate for every home, style and budget in House Rules.
Alice Randall takes a journey through country music’s Black past, present and future in My Black Country; Peter Brown and Steven Gaines’s oral history of The Beatles, All You Need is Love, features never-before-seen interviews; and world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming harnesses the arts for health and wellness in Music and Mind.
Holly Trantham goes Beyond Getting By with a financial diet that guides us towards Aundant and intentional living; Scott Galloway’s The Algebra of Wealth helps readers optimize life with a simple formula for financial security; and Jason Tartick answers eight essential financial questions to discuss with your partner in Talk Money to Me.
And don’t forget to check out April’s Peak Picks!
~posted by Frank. All descriptions provided by publishers.
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