Seven new books to check out this summer
Gilded Age glitz, Martian madness, JFK, Earhart, arson and more
Figured I’d consolidate these next two months into a single post, so fyi you won’t be getting one of these in August. Summer’s usually slower in terms of big nonfiction titles. And yet there’s some really good-looking narrative history hitting shelves. From Old New York to 1970s New York, from Hyannis Port to London, from feathered forensics to Mars mania to the annals of aviation, your stack of beach-reading is about to get a little taller…
From the publisher: “The groundbreaking story of the BBC’s first Black woman broadcaster—finally brought to light. Una Marson was unstoppable—a poet whose words lit up hearts, a broadcaster who made history in 1941 as the first Black woman on the BBC, and an activist who fought fiercely for racial and gender equality. She brought Caribbean culture to the global stage, challenged prejudice head-on, and dared to imagine a better world. … CALLING UNA MARSON restores this trailblazing woman to her rightful place in history.” (Akan Books, July 1)
From the publisher: “More than the story of a presidency, this is an intimate study of a man whose public triumphs were shaped—and at times overshadowed—by the complex realities of his private life, from his legendary family to his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.” Kirkus: “Other biographers … delve more deeply into politics, but Taraborrelli nonetheless has written a commendable history. An excellent biography of the 35th president.” (St. Martin’s Press, July 15)
From the publisher: “THE AVIATOR AND THE SHOWMAN unveils the untold story of Amelia’s decade-long marriage to George Putnam, offering an intimate exploration of their relationship and the pivotal role it played in her enduring legacy.” Publishers Weekly (starred): “The author’s appealingly flawed Earhart is high-minded and courageous but also overconfident and careless; Putnam, meanwhile, is a narcissistic and manipulative con man who once staged his own kidnapping for publicity. This nuanced reprisal of Earhart’s life certainly tarnishes her reputation, but thereby makes her saga all the more captivating.” (Viking, July 15)
From the publisher: “The fascinating and remarkable true story of the world’s first forensic ornithologist—Roxie Laybourne, who broke down barriers for women, solved murders, and investigated deadly airplane crashes with nothing more than a microscope and a few fragments of feathers.” NPR: “A timely story about the benefits of government-funded science, the invisibility of public safety’s most important workers, and a fascinating—and peculiar—ecosystem: one woman, and lots and lots of birds.” (Avid Reader Press, July 22)
From the publisher: “Marion Graves Anthon Fish, known by the nicknames ‘Mamie’ and ‘The Fun-Maker,’ threw the most epic parties in American history. This Gilded Age icon brought it all: lavish decor; A-list invitees; booze; pranks; and large animal guest stars.” Publishers Weekly: “A jaunty biography of the wealthy Gilded Age matron known as ‘The Fun-Maker.’ … A breezy, easy look at a colorful Gilded Age impresario.” (Grand Central, August 5)
From the publisher: “The explosive account of the arson wave that hit the Bronx and other American cities in the 1970s―and its legacy today.” Publishers Weekly (starred): “An outstanding exposé of the predatory capitalist machinations behind the ‘Bronx is burning’ saga.” (W.W. Norton, August 19)
From the publisher: “In the early 1900s, many Americans actually believed we had discovered intelligent life on Mars, as best-selling science writer David Baron chronicles in THE MARTIANS, his truly bizarre tale of a nation swept up in Mars mania.” Kirkus: “Entertaining account of the Mars madness that saturated popular culture at the turn of the 20th century. … Baron has evident good fun looking into the origins of an ongoing craze.” (Liveright, August 26)