What are you reading this month? OKCMB contributors Heather White, Lacey Hamilton, and Jenny Potter share recommendations of their favorite recent reads. Each book title links to the Metro Library catalog so you can check them out for yourself!
Non- Fiction
1. Mama Tried: Dispatches from the Seamy Underbelly of Modern Parenting by Emily Flake
The first time I read this book, I laughed so hard I cried. I reread it once every six months or so. Emily Flake provides a refreshingly relatable, and darkly humorous, perspective on motherhood. She’s on my wish-list of top five authors to have a drink with. This book also makes a great gift for new parents.
-Heather
2. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is truly a science communicator. I’m a layperson with no background knowledge in astrophysics whatsoever, and yet I came away from this book with a basic understanding of the universe and some of its awesome features. My jaw dropped in shock too many times to count!
-Jenny
3. Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm
This book was suggested to me by parents in an autism group. Anyone who knows a child with autism should read it. It’s a short book that’s loaded with applicable and relatable information.
-Lacey
4. The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity by Esther Perel
I’ve been recommending this book to everyone I know. Esther Perel goes beyond infidelity and discusses the enormous expectations we place on marriage and relationships. She approaches the subject of infidelity with empathy and looks at both sides. Perel is one of my very favorite authors and thinkers.
-Heather
5. Bottom of the Harbor by Joseph Mitchell
My favorite read of 2017 was this collection of journalistic stories by Joseph Mitchell, who is far and away the greatest all-time writer for the New Yorker. Mitchell truly captured the essence of the New York City waterfront in simple language. A perfect read for every New Yorker or New-Yorker-wannabe!
-Jenny
Fiction
6. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
I adored this children’s/YA book about a small band of outcasts that unite against a bully and teach us that there is no such thing as coincidences.
-Jenny
7. Heather The Totality by Matthew Weiner
Wait until everyone in your house has headed off to bed, then stay up late with this engrossing thriller by the creator of Mad Men. I couldn’t put this book down, and it’s short enough to finish in one or two sittings.
-Heather
8. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
I am a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. This book is a post-apocalyptic anti-superhero story. You aren’t going to learn anything new when reading it. But it’s a fun and highly entertaining read.
-Lacey
9. My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Farris
I loved everything about this graphic novel, from the illustration style, to the overlapping storylines, to the strong characters, to the murder-mystery seen from the eyes of child detective. If you’ve never read a graphic novel, this is a fantastic place to start. Volume 2 comes out this August.
-Heather
10. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book was passed on to me after a friend finished it. It is a fictional tale following an author writing the biography of iconic old Hollywood actress. This isn’t my typical type of book pick, but I ended up enjoying reading it far more than I thought I would.
-Lacey
Thanks for the great list!! Always looking for new authors and book ideas and this is such a varied group of books. thanks!