Staff Picks

My friends and I used to joke that the ultimate cocktail party would have invited the Apollo 11 mission crew. "So, Neil, you've been to the moon. What's that like?" Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the next best thing? Bernd Brunner's Moon is an hypnotic history of Earth's only natural satellite from the earliest gazers to the scientific discoveries made possible by moonlight, and it will probably make you a sought-after guest at cocktail parties.

 

(Brette)

I found myself utterly absorbed in Bonnie Nadzam’s prose and honesty. This is more than your modern-day Lolita. Lamb made me think about my place as a woman in this world, and how the men in my life influence my heart. David Lamb might not be the greatest man in the world, but he is the most painfully human character that I have encountered in a long, long time. You might find yourself sympathizing with him--even empathizing.

 

(Krystal)

Meditations is a trove of golden nuggets of introspective wisdom, philosophical in the purest sense. An eloquent stoic, Aurelius kept it together while his empire sustained a flood, a famine, and two wars. He is probably the original bearded hipster, but since Meditations is almost 1,850 years old, he totally pulls it off.

 

(Brette)

Cartoonist/artist MariNaomi has created a chronological account of every boy and girl she’s ever kissed, including her elementary school years. Her stark black and white drawings and succinct dialogue make for a moving, funny read, and it made me want to go back and make a list of my own.

 

(Eleanor)

The art of travel is, at its barest of bones, a challenge. There’s something comforting in the fact that, at 54 and already a Pulitzer Prize winner, John Steinbeck didn’t consider himself too accomplished to embark on a road trip across America accompanied only by his French poodle, Charley. What results are eloquent, poetic, sincere, and oftentimes hilarious thoughts on travel, country, and companionship.

 

(Geo)

To a lot of casual observers my age, musically, the eighties seem like a kitschy neon wasteland - one decade-long Rick Roll. This book, however, is an argument for the eighties, a seminal document of the American underground just "left of the dial," a nostalgic artifact of punk ethos and DIY authenticity (Can there even be an underground now? Are there still dials?). From the acid-fueled freak-outs of the Butthole Surfers to Beat Happening's pie-baking parties, Azerrad covers a lot of ground and once you've dived in it's difficult to put the book down.

 

(Matt)

Ever say to yourself, "Gee, I love Walden but I wish it were funnier." Well, you're in luck. I hold a firm believe that Bill Bryson is currently the funniest person alive. His travel books make you actually laugh, possibly garnering you strange stares on the subway, but it is absolutely worth it. Not only is A Walk in the Woods funny and enjoyable in typical Bryson fashion, but it's perhaps his most thoughtful and, dare I say, philosophical book.

 

(Geo)

Every time I go on a long plane ride, I wish I hadn't yet read this book. It's the perfect big, fat novel to get lost in for hours or days. Clarke creates an incredibly rich world, set in the era of Jane Austen but peopled with the Fair Folk of English mythology, with gorgeously strange set pieces of enchantment and a breathlessly compelling story. Driving this action are the nebbish scientist Mr. Norrell and his rakish protege Jonathan Strange, who find themselves pressed into service to fight Napoleon and enduring unexpected crises in their private lives. Delicious reading for long flights or cozy winter evenings.

 

(Jessica)

It's not easy being a tomboy in an Orthodox Jewish community -- but then, is it ever? Eleven-year-old Mirka just wants to wield swords and fight dragons, but her challenges seem to be limited to learning to knit and dealing with the loss of her mother -- until the world of Jewish folktales starts to overlap with real life. A warm, funny, and universal story of family and the classic hero's quest, this graphic novel also offers a look inside a unique way of life, and the revelation that magic is almost always found in unexpected places.

 

(Jessica)

A high-stakes collection of autobiographical poems about the author, combined with the re-imagined/remembered history of America's prodigal child and cultural thief, L-vis (Elvis). L-vis is a collage of Eminem, Vanilla Ice, of course Elvis Presley, any & all complicated, naive white protagonists who have used and misused black culture. Watch as L-vis & the author explore and stumble through the impossible nature of the skin & soul. An ancient and messy story. These are brave American racemusic poems.

 

(Angel)

With the vocabulary of Nabokov and the rhyming skills of Shakespeare, Vikram Seth tells a tale of a young Californian couple during the early eighties - in 590 stanzas of rhyming tetrameter. It is insane, and unlike anything you have ever read or will ever read again.

(Eleanor)

This may be the best book in the store. The first time I finished reading it, I just sat quietly & shook my head over & over. Toni Morrison! Who else illuminates the stories of everyday working class black folks as being some of the most powerful & enchanting stories of all, like you? It is a ringing accomplishment to make me feel like I both know everybody in the book yet am simultaneously amazed & nearly disbelieving of the magic & wisdom living in & surrounding them. Hello Sula Peace, I know you! Nel, you remind me of my sister! Eva! BoyBoy! Shadrock, you are like so many folks shuffling eternally through Brooklyn. How did you all fit in one book? How did you all fit in my heart? Please stay forever! Thanks!

(Angel)