Fiction
The Master’s Muse, by Verley O’Connor. A fictionalized account of the life of famous ballerina Tanaquil Le Clercq, principal dancer of the New York City Ballet and wife of George Balanchine.
Hard Country, by Michael McGarrity. A sprawling epic about the hardships and victories of life on the American Southwest frontier from 1875-1918.
They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?, by Christopher Buckley. In his latest novel of bull’s-eye satire, Buckley skewers our adversarial yet symbiotic relationship with China. Booklist
Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel. The Man Booker Prize-winner turns her attention to Henry VIII and his ill-fated wife, Anne Boleyn.
Birds of Paradise, by Diana Abu-Jaber. The inner workings of a family on the brink of collapse in Miami Beach.
Self Help (Mostly)
Difficult Mothers, by Terri Apter. Ever wonder why your mother drives you nuts? Psychologist Apter has answers.
Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids, by Bryan Caplan. The subtitle: “Why being a great parent is less work and more fun than you think.” Discuss.
This Is How, by Augusten Burroughs. Because most folks aspire to lives just like the one the author of “Running With Scissors” enjoys. Read up to cure your “shyness, fatness, spinsterhood, lushery” and more.
Memoir and Reflection
The Voluntourist, by Kenn Budd. The author traveled the world volunteering: Teaching English in Latin America, caring for children with HIV in Africa, and building walls in the West Bank.
Live Free or Die, by Lizz Winstead. The co-creator of “The Daily Show” stretches her political-satire wings with a series of insightful personal essays.
Most Talkative, by Andy Cohen. The Bravo impresario behind “Real Housewives” and “Top Chef” spills secrets about his celebrity-packed life experience.
History
Guest of Honor, by Deborah Davis. What happened when Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington to dinner at the White House?
Freedom’s Forge, by Arthur Herman. The military gets all the credit for winning World War II; Herman wants American Business to get some props, too.
Nonfiction
Birdseye, by Mark Kurlansky. Popular food-writer Kurlansky delves into the unexpectedly interesting life of frozen-food magnate Clarence Birdseye.
Moving the Mountain, by Imam Feisal. The man behind the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” offers a vision for a modern, moderate place for Islam in America.
