The pandemic might have slowed down publishing a bit last year, but we are rewarded this year with a bounty of books that will keep us reading happily all year long. Here are some of our favorites that we have added to our shelves.
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Big hair, don’t care: 1980s Books for your reading pleasure
PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME NOW: THE DURAN DURAN STORY
STEPHEN DAVIS
Hachette
An accomplished rock biographer, Stephen Davis has written books about Guns N’ Roses, Stevie Nicks, and Aerosmith, among others.
Duran Duran is arguably one of the biggest musical acts to come out of the 1980s. This biography chronicles the band’s epic rise from the British music scene to become headliners at Live Aid with fans throughout the world. With over 100 million albums sold to date—not to mention a new album and tour forthcoming—one can only imagine what it was like to ride the wave of their success. But now you don’t have to. Davis’ new book has exclusive interviews and never-before-seen pictures that will delight long-time fans and create new ones as well.
BRAT: AN ‘80s STORY
ANDREW MCCARTHY
Grand Central
Andrew McCarthy is also an award-winning travel journalist.
Coming of age in the 1980s was hard enough. For Andrew McCarthy, it was even harder because he did it on screen. A key member of Hollywood’s illustrious young “Brat Pack,” he made his mark as a stellar actor and teen heartthrob. This memoir takes readers back to that magical yet turbulent time in his life and gives us a glimpse of the man behind the scenes.
Office Dramas that will make you appreciate working from home
THE OTHER BLACK GIRL
ZAKIYA DALILA HARRIS
Atria Books
This fierce debut is billed as a mashup between “Get Out” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Nella Rogers is a 26-year-old editorial assistant who is Wagner Books’ only Black employee. That is, until Hazel is hired and takes the cubicle next to hers. At first, Nella is thrilled to have an ally against the microaggressions of their ignorant coworkers. But as Hazel sees her star ascend in the office, Nella is alone again. Then the notes come. LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It’s unimaginable the threat is coming from Hazel—or is it? Nella will have to act to save her career and perhaps even herself.
IMPOSTER SYNDROME
KATHY WANG
Custom House
This book begs the question: Is this what the American Dream is all about?
Julia Lerner is a leading Silicon Valley exec. She was recruited by a Russian intelligence agency early on in her computer career and has been feeding data to them ever since—but now they want more. Alice Lu is a Chinese American who is just starting out in her career at Julia’s company. Alice discovers a privacy breach on one of the company servers and realizes that Julia is likely to blame. Realizing she’s been discovered, Julia begins to wonder how much of her career she owes to the Russians and how much she can credit to her own skills and determination. This novel is both a satire of Silicon Valley politics and a riveting tale of foreign espionage.
Memoirs to warm your heart and make you LOL
LILYVILLE: MOTHER, DAUGHTER, AND OTHER ROLES I’VE PLAYED
TOVAH FELDSUH
Tovah Feldshuh is known for roles on the stage and screen, including the title role in “Golda’s Balcony,” Broadway’s longest-running one-woman show.
HachetteIf you’re missing Broadway, Tovah Feldshuh’s memoir will feel like a warm embrace. The acclaimed actress takes readers along for an often bumpy ride through her life, from her Tony-nominated turn in “Yentl” to her life off stage as a daughter, mother, and woman. You’ll see what it was like for her to perform before countless audiences, as well as her struggle to play her biggest role without the help of a script—the daughter of Lily Feldshuh.
SWING: A MEMOIR OF DOING IT ALL
ASHLEIGH RENARD
MW Books
Ashleigh’s hilarious advice on social runs the gamut from how to keep monogamy hot to how to get your kids to help out more around the house.
What happens when a do-it-all mom of three tries to save her marriage by going to a swinger’s club? She becomes the “world’s worst attempted swinger” and writes a memoir about it, of course. If you haven’t already met Ashleigh Renard on social media—she’s got over 2.5 million likes on TikTok alone—then you must pick up this book and get to know her. Like,really know her. Ashleigh dishes the dirt on how she pulled herself out of the downward spiral of her quest for perfection and how she successfully, “rehabbed a shabby marriage.”
Indie Author Spotlight
Finding Beauty and Hope in the world
Denise Cesare gets choked up easily when she talks about her students. A speech pathologist from Staten Island, NY, she knows all too well how the pandemic has affected young people. Her book, “Moments in Motion with Love,” was inspired by her students and her desire to guide them through the stress they felt during the long months of the pandemic. Filled with inspiring words and accented by gorgeous watercolor images, the book helps children and their parents push past life’s stresses to find happiness and beauty in the world around us.
Then again, finding silver linings is Denise’s specialty. Fifteen years ago, she was in a car accident that caused her to lose her voice. With therapy and an abundance of faith and determination, Denise made a full recovery. Her experience enabled her to live in the present and recognize the healing power of love. She hopes parents and children see the book as a celebration of life even in these difficult times.
To say that Denise has a big heart is an understatement. When the book first came back from the publisher, her initial reaction was that her name was too large on the front cover. “It’s not about me,” she insists, “it’s about the children.” The mother of a college student, Denise knows the importance of protecting our children. “If we don’t secure their mental health and their social health,” she says, “then where’s our future?”
A Hollywood Page-turner
TONI COLLETTE TO DIRECT ADAPTATION OF LILY KING’S BESTSELLER
A double celebration is in order! Lily King’s wonderful novel, “Writers and Lovers,” is getting the Hollywood treatment, giving Oscar-nominee Toni Collette the opportunity to make her directorial debut.
King’s book tells the story of Casey, a 31-year-old woman struggling in the wake of both her mother’s untimely death and a failed romantic relationship. While her friends have given up on their creative pursuits for more “practical” lives, Casey works on her novel, but she is losing hope. When she develops feelings for two men who are as different as night and day, Casey finds she must make some difficult decisions if she ever wants to take the next step forward in her life as a woman and a writer.
Collette will be adapting the screenplay with Nick Payne of “The Crown” fame, but there’s no word yet on casting.
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