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.
Tacopedia
Deborah Holtz, Juan Carlos Mena, and René Redzepi
It would be easy enough to laugh Tacopedia off as a book that will sit on tables at Urban Outfitters for the next few months. Then you see the forward is by René Redzepi, the renowned chef of Noma fame, and your tone changes. This is, in fact, a legit guide to everything tacos. Included are recipes, street photography around Mexico, graphics, stories, and much more. $15
The Girl in the Spider’s Web
David Lagercrantz
Well, this should be interesting. Picking up where the late Stieg Larsson left off, David Lagercrantz continues the tales of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. The latest in the Millenium Series finds the seasoned journalist once again turning to the crafty and mysterious Salander for assistance in a matter that will no doubt include some next level hacking. Lagercrantz certainly has some big shoes to fill. $17
Thug Kitchen Party Grub: For Social Motherf*ckers
The follow-up to Thug Kitchen, the cookbook for guys who want to eat like they give a f*ck, is filled with recipes for the host with a penchant for four-letter words. Like the previous book, it’s an enjoyable read that actually packs legit recipes. $18
Street Poison: The Biography of Iceberg Slim
Justin Gifford
After decades as a pimp that were highlighted by several jail stints, Iceberg Slim turned to writing, and he would go on to produce his seminal work, Pimp, in 1967. For anyone who’s read the tale of the streets, consider Justin Gifford’s look at the man behind it. It’s as gritty and real as you might expect. $15
A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories
Lucia Berlin
Not as many people know Lucia Berlin as should. That may change with the publication of A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories. The gifted short story writer, best known for her work that appeared in The Atlantic and other magazines, is finally getting the book she deserves. Berlin has a way of taking everyday tales and successfully infusing them whatever emotion she desires. This is overdue. $15
The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: The Life and Times of Jacob Fugger
Greg Steinmetz
John D. Rockefeller would have been in awe of Jacob Fugger. Fugger was a Renaissance banker who pursued wealth like no other. In fact, at one point in time, he amounted close to 2% of Europe’s GDP. This book tells the tale of the richest man who ever lived. Suck it, Gates. $16
The Architecture of the Shot: Crafting the Perfect Shot from the Bottom Up
Paul Knorr
These are not the shots you knocked back during happy hour of your senior year in college. These are smarter, more well thought out. Taking an architects approach to designing some next level shots, Paul Knorr will amp up your home bar game. It will give you the blueprints to impress your next round of guests. $12
Fortune Smiles: Stories
Adam Johnson
The latest from the author of The Orphan Master’s Son, a book that won Adam Johnson a Pulitzer, is a collection of six long stories highlighted by “Nirvana,” the story that earned him a Sunday Times prize. Johnson is brilliant at crafting a voice, and this book is even greater proof than his award-winning novel from 2012. $16
The Comic Book Story of Beer
Jonathan Hennessey, Mike Smith, and Aaron McConnell
Even something as wonderful as beer can be tiring to read about. If you want to know the history behind your favorite sudsy beverage without getting bored with long, detail-rich paragraphs, consider The Comic Book Story of Beer. The graphic novel charts beer’s tale, which dates back to 7,000 BC. $14
Barefoot to Avalon
David Payne
A memoir doesn’t work if the person writing it hasn’t had to face a few demons. It’s the same as a novel without the protagonist encountering a single real problem. Well, David Payne has dealt with his fair share. In Barefoot to Avalon, the author talks about his brother’s death, his addiction to alcohol, and the numerous problems that run in his family. It’s honest, brutal, and everything a great memoir should be. $15
