Whether you read on a tablet, Kindle, or still prefer the smell of a freshly cracked paperback, finding your next book is never easy. You could never read all the new releases each week, so we’re here to help. These are a handful of the new titles we think deserve a space on your eReader or your nightstand.
Stories I Tell Myself: Growing Up with Hunter S. Thompson
Juan F. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson, the literary legend known for his penchant for drug cocktails and breaking the rules, penned many pieces in which he was more than a casual observer. Reading those books is one way to get to know the king of gonzo journalism. Another is Stories I Tell Myself: Growing Up with Hunter S. Thompson. Written by HST’s son, Stories I Tell Myself gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Hunter S. Thompson as a father, what it was like growing up with him around, and just how wild he was. Link
Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist
Sunil Yapa
Every edition of “10 New Books You Should Know” includes one super buzzed-about novel. This time, that novel is Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist. Set among the World Trade Organization protests that went down in Seattle in 1990, the book tells the tale of seven people over the course of one day. It captures the anger and the fear of such a movement like few other books ever have. Besides, any book billed as The Flamethrowers meets Let the Great World Spin is worth your attention. Link
The Movie Book (Big Ideas Simply Explained)
The latest Big Ideas Simply Explained book tackles one of the best subjects yet—movies. Profiling 100 of the best movies ever made, The Movie Book uses clever graphics and simple writing to make you a film buff in 350 pages. Link
Mr. Splitfoot
Samantha Hunt
Broken into dual narratives, Mr. Splitfoot, the latest from Samantha Hunt, is a sort of ghost story infused with a constant stream of unease. The story focuses on Ruth and Nat, a pair of orphans who grew up with other abandoned children, as they meet again many years later. What follows is a haunting, eerie, and oddly fun adventure. Link
What They Didn’t Teach You In Photo School
Demetrius Fordham
There are so many books, online classes, YouTube tutorials, and other ways to learn how to become a pro photographer that it can be paralysis by analysis when choosing one. Let us help. Buy What They Didn’t Teach You In Photo School: The Secrets of the Trade that Will Make You a Success In the Industry. In the book, Demetrius Fordham offers you real life tips that could make the difference between floating in obscurity and actually making some money off your talent. Link
When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain: History’s Unknown Chapters
Giles Milton
Those history textbooks you studied left out a few stories. Luckily, Giles Milton is here to clue you in. In When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain, Milton shares some outrageous, little-known tales about a cook aboard the Titanic, Hitler during his final days, and the man who survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki. History is rarely this entertaining and this interesting. Link
The Census-Taker
China Miéville
China Miéville, the prolific author who’s won numerous awards and penned such classics as The City & The City, The Scar, and more, is back with a quick read for your new year. The Census-Taker is a dreamy little tale for adults, which tells the story of a lonely boy who meets a mysterious stranger. In classic Miéville fashion, the story is highly original, odd, and beautiful at the same time. Link
The Road to Little Dribbling
Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson strikes us as a guy with many interests, who, at the drop of a hat, might decide to write about the rooms of his house or, literally, everything. And you know what? We’d read it all. His latest takes him to Britain, where he travels about “the Bryson Line,” going to places few travelers go. You don’t need to know more than the fact it’s written by Bill Bryson to know it will be enjoyable. Link
The 2001 File: Harry Lange and the Design of the Landmark Science Fiction Film
Christopher Frayling
Fans of sci-fi films with a void on their coffee table would be wise to check out The 2001 File. The book is an ode to Harry Lange’s work on 2001: A Space Odyssey, along with his projects with NASA and IBM. All the artwork is pulled from Lange’s personal collection, and it’s all presented in a way that takes you inside Lange’s visionary thought process. Link
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck
Sarah Knight
You’re stressed. It sucks. We know. And while The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck might not be as helpful as a deep tissue massage, it will help you laugh a little and lighten up a lot. The book is a parody of the über-popular The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and it will ease a few of those worries. Link
