Sponsored by Workman Publishing.
In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. Her commitment to speaking truth to power and her ability to shape the national conversation have made her one of the most fascinating political figures of our times. The new book AOC: Fighter, Phenom, Changemaker recounts how a 28-year-old Latinx democratic socialist and bartender from the Bronx ousted a ten-term Congressman against all odds and the remarkable life story that got her there. AOC is a celebration of the congresswoman, examining who she is, what she stands for, and the movement that she’s building.
Happy Tuesday, readers! It’s the last November week of the decade! Which sounds wild, when you say it out loud. Forgive me for mentioning the end of the decade so much these last few weeks, but it’s an enormous passage of time that I still can’t wrap my mind around!
What I can wrap my mind around is books! I have a few of today’s great reads for you to check out below. And you can hear about great releases from 2019 that make wonderful gifts on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Tirzah and I discussed American Spy, Cats Are a Liquid, Gideon the Ninth, and more!
And now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite gameshow: AHHHHHH MY TBR! Here are today’s contestants:
Tiny Love: The Complete Stories of Larry Brown by Larry Brown
Brown was a highly regarded Southern writer, who taught himself the craft. His collections garnered him a lot of praise, including the Mississippi’s Governor’s Award For Excellence in the Arts, and he is considered an influence on many of today’s writers. This is the first complete collection of all his stories, including his few genre works, since his death in 2004. If you like authors such as Donald Ray Pollock, Harry Crews, William Gay, or Daniel Woodrell, you’ll love Larry Brown.
Backlist bump: Big Bad Love by Larry Brown
Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
There are very few people on the planet who haven’t heard of Fleabag, the outstanding Emmy award-winning series, which originated as a one-woman play. This is the original script, with commentary by Waller-Bridge. The Fleabag phenomenon is huge, and this makes a great gift for the Fleabag lover in your life. Deluxe editions come with the Hot Priest.*
*No, they do not.
Backlist bump: Fleabag: The Special Edition by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
… And Other Disasters by Malka Older
Older, best known for her amazing Centenal Cycle trilogy, has released a collection of short fiction and poetry about the future. She discusses otherness, identity, and compassion in possible future existence. In Older’s imagination midwives form a community on a new planet; a young scientist visits a dying Earth (I love a ruined Earth story!); a robot is built to experience empathy; and more.
Backlist bump: Infomocracy: Book One of the Centenal Cycle by Malka Older
See you next week!
xx,
Liberty