March books bring endless exploration of imagination

A veritable panoply for lucky readers this month. Ranging from nonfiction to a futuristic end-of-the-world novel with mystery, crime and coming-of-age tales included. As always, I love hearing from you about what you are reading and what you find to read in these columns.

 

NONFICTION

 

“Rikers: An Oral History” by Graham Reuben and Rayman Blau. The shocking details of that deplorable institution, Rikers Island. You see it every time you fly into LaGuardia. This is excellent as an audiobook. The depravity and corruption of the guards, the inmates and the way New York has abandoned all pretext of justice is astonishing.

 

“The Status Revolution” by Chuck Thompson. How the idea of what imparts status has changed. Why many no longer seek out logos. Because IYKYK and if you don’t then, well… For example, the $625 Loro Piana cashmere baseball caps on the HBO drama “Succession.”

 

FICTION

 

“Everybody Knows” by Jordan Harper. A deeply disturbing expose of the PR machine that “corrects” the mistakes of the celebrity world. The nasty details behind the publicists in the money-making industry of Hollywood.

 

“The Survivalists” by Kashana Cauley. This author is a former writer for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” so she gets in some good zings in this story of a Black female lawyer in New York City and her coffee-entrepreneur boyfriend.

 

“Sam” by Allegra Goodman. Love this author. Her book “The Cookbook Collector” was wonderful. She is one of the best writers today and she does not disappoint in this bildungsroman set in Massachusetts.

 

“Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” by Benjamin Stevenson. “Knives Out/The Glass Onion” goes to a ski resort in Australia. A wonderfully written murder mystery of a family reunion to welcome a son back from prison. Excellent as an audiobook only if you are

experienced with following plotlines.

 

“Age of Vice” by Deepti Kapoor. Sort of like “The Godfather” set in India. Compelling reading with fast moving action, slowed a bit toward the end, but a great read. Corruption, money, drugs, and family.

 

“Margot” by Wendell Stevensen. A woman who studies science in the 1960s at Radcliffe. She grapples with sexism and the sexual revolution all at once. Excellent for book clubs with an intriguing ending that is guaranteed to spark discussion.

 

“This Other Eden” by Paul Harding. The novel is based on a historic mixed-race community in Maine that is perhaps the first one in the U.S. Not without its problems, but Harding’s writing is lyrical and lovely to read. Harding won the Pulitzer for his previous work. The audiobook version is gloriously read by Edoardo Ballerini.

 

“Maame” by Jessica George. A young woman in London is trying to find her own identity and happiness after being restricted by family constraints for her entire life. Deals with some difficult topics of family, workplace, relationships and depression. We really never know what others are grappling with. 

 

“Cold People” by Tom Rob Smith. Timely futuristic novel of the world being taken over by an alien force who banishes civilization to Antarctica. How the population manages and how some do not, is fascinating even if you have to hold your skepticism. I am not a sci-fi fan, but this one was actually quite good.

 

“Stone Cold Fox” by Rachel Koller Fox. This is a great read! I am certain it will be a streaming series. A well-plotted story of a con artist who wants to settle down. Can she separate herself from her past? And her scheming mother? Lends itself well to an audiobook also.

 

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