On My Radar:

An Unexplained Death: The True Story of a Body at the Belvedere
by Mikita Brottman
Henry Holt and Co.
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

“The poster is new. I notice it right away, taped to a utility pole. Beneath the word ‘Missing,’ printed in a bold, high-impact font, are two sepia-toned photographs of a man dressed in a bow tie and tux.” 

Most people would keep walking. Maybe they’d pay a bit closer attention to the local news that evening. Mikita Brottman spent ten years sifting through the details of the missing man’s life and disappearance, and his purported suicide by jumping from the roof of her own apartment building, the Belvedere. 

As Brottman delves into the murky circumstances surrounding Rey Rivera’s death—which begins to look more and more like a murder—she contemplates the nature of and motives behind suicide, and uncovers a haunting pattern of guests at the Belvedere, when it was still a historic hotel, taking their own lives on the premises. Finally, she fearlessly takes us to the edge of her own morbid curiosity and asks us to consider our own darker impulses and obsessions.

On My Radar:

Congratulations, Who Are You Again? A Memoir
by Harrison Scott Key
Harper Perennial
Trade Paperback

From the publisher's website:

This funny and wise new memoir from Harrison Scott Key, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, will inspire laughter and hope for anyone who’s ever been possessed by a dream of what they want to be when they grow up.

Little-known author Mark Twain once said that the two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why. He's talking about dreams here, the destiny that calls every living soul to some kind of greatness. What Mr. Twain doesn't say is: A dream is also a monster that wants to eat you. Nobody tells you this part of the American Dream — until now. In this new memoir, Congratulations Who Are You Again, readers join Harrison Scott Key on his outrageous journey to becoming a great American writer. 

As a young boy in Mississippi, Harrison possessed many special gifts, such as the ability to read and complete college applications. And yet, throughout young adulthood, he failed at many vocations, until one day, after drinking perhaps too many beers and dusting off his King James Bible, he stumbled across a passage about a lonely pelican, which burst into flame inside him. In a mad blaze of holy illumination, Harrison realized his dream: to set the world afire with the light inside him. He would write a funny book. This was his dream.

With unforgettable wit and tenderness, Congratulations Who Are You Again is Harrison’s instructive tale of pursuing his destiny with relentless and often misguided devotion, transforming his life beyond all comprehension: He becomes a signer of autographs, a doer of interviews, a casher of checks that are "worth more money than my father had ever imagined any of us might see, this side of a drug-related felony."

On this journey, Harrison finds that as he gains the world, he stands on the precipice of losing everything that means the most: his family, his mind, his soul. Hilarious, honest, and absolutely practical, Congratulations Who Are You Again is a no-holds-barred look at the life of every ambitious human creature, whether you want to write books or make music, start a business or start a revolution. This is a book for the dreamers.

On My Radar:

Beastie Boys Book
by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz
Spiegel and Grau (Penguin Random House)
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Formed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip hop superstardom. Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of the band. Adam “ADROCK” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks to budding rappers; their early collaboration with Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin; the debut album that became the first hip hop record ever to hit #1, Licensed to Ill—and the album’s messy fallout as the band broke with Def Jam; their move to Los Angeles and rebirth with the genre-defying masterpiece Paul’s Boutique; their evolution as musicians and social activists over the course of the classic albums Check Your Head, Ill Communication, and Hello Nasty and the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits conceived by the late Adam “MCA” Yauch; and more. For more than thirty years, this band has had an inescapable and indelible influence on popular culture.
 
With a style as distinctive and eclectic as a Beastie Boys album, Beastie Boys Book upends the typical music memoir. Alongside the band narrative you will find rare photos, original illustrations, a cookbook by chef Roy Choi, a graphic novel, a map of Beastie Boys’ New York, mixtape playlists, pieces by guest contributors, and many more surprises.

On My Radar:

I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff
by Abbi Jacobson
Grand Central Publishing
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

When Abbi Jacobson announced to friends and acquaintances that she planned to drive across the country alone, she was met with lots of questions and opinions: Why wasn’t she going with friends? Wouldn’t it be incredibly lonely? The North route is better! Was it safe for a woman? The Southern route is the way to go! You should bring mace! And a common one… why? But Abbi had always found comfort in solitude, and needed space to step back and hit the reset button. As she spent time in each city and town on her way to Los Angeles, she mulled over the big questions– What do I really want? What is the worst possible scenario in which I could run into my ex? How has the decision to wear my shirts tucked in been pivotal in my adulthood? In this collection of anecdotes, observations and reflections–all told in the sharp, wildly funny, and relatable voice that has endeared Abbi to critics and fans alike–readers will feel like they’re in the passenger seat on a fun and, ultimately, inspiring journey. With some original illustrations by the author.

In My TBR Stack:

Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day
by Clemency Burton-Hill
Harper Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Classical music has a reputation for being stuffy, boring, and largely inaccessible, but Burton-Hill is here to change that. An award-winning writer, broadcaster and musician, with a deep love of the art form she wants everyone to feel welcome at the classical party, and her desire to share her passion for its diverse wonders inspired this unique, enlightening, and expertly curated treasury. As she says, “The only requirements for enjoying classical music are open ears and an open mind.” 

Year of Wonder introduces readers to one piece of music each day of the year, artfully selected from across genres, time periods, and composers. Burton-Hill offers short introductions to contextualize each piece, and makes the music come alive in modern and playful ways. From Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Puccini to George Gershwin, Clara Schumann, Philip Glass, Duke Ellington, and many remarkable yet often-overlooked voices, Burton-Hill takes us on a dazzling journey through our most treasured musical landscape. 

Thoughtfully curated and masterfully researched, Year of Wonderis a book of classical music for everyone. Whether you’re a newcomer or an aficionado, Burton-Hill’s celebration will inspire, nourish, and enrich your life in unexpected ways.

On My Radar:

Freak Kingdom: Hunter S. Thompson's Manic Ten-Year Crusade Against American Fascism
by Timothy Denevi
Public Affairs Books
Hardcover

If you've never heard of Hunter S. Thompson, sit your ass down and get caught up now.  If you like your journalism relentless yet a little bit crazy, HST is for you.

Author Timothy Denevi is an assistant professor at George Mason University and lives with his here.
family near Washington, D.C.  His website is

Here's an excerpt of Freak Kingdom hosted by salon.com


From the publisher's website (one of my favorite publishers):

Hunter S. Thompson is often misremembered as a wise-cracking, drug-addled cartoon character. This book reclaims him for what he truly was: a fearless opponent of corruption and fascism, one who sacrificed his future well-being to fight against it, rewriting the rules of journalism and political satire in the process. This skillfully told and dramatic story shows how Thompson saw the danger of Richard Nixon early and embarked on a life-defining campaign to stop it. In his fevered effort to expose institutional injustice, Thompson pushed himself far beyond his natural limits, sustained by drugs, mania, and little else. For ten years, he cast aside his old ambitions, troubled his family, and likely hastened his own decline, along the way producing some of the best political writing in our history.

This timely biography recalls a period of anger and derangement in American politics, and one writer with the guts to tell the truth.

BookSpin:

I REALLY DIDN'T THINK THIS THROUGH: Tales From My So-Called Adult Life

by Beth Evans

William Morrow

Trade Paperback

Sometimes we judge books by their covers, and sometimes it’s the title that grabs us.  For Beth Evans’ I REALLY DIDN’T THINK THIS THROUGH - Tales From My So-Called Adult Life, it was the latter for me.

Who amongst us has not found ourselves in a place where we have thought those same words?

Beth Evans is an Instagram illustrator and comic artist in Chicago with over a quarter of a million followers in all her social media combined.

Here is a review by @zachary_houle from the website fityourself.club.

You can find an interview with Beth Evans here, from the website smashpages.net.

If you’re interested in the twitter feed of the author, here’s a link. Her Instagram, if you’re into that sort of thing is here.

Here is the book info on I REALLY DIDN’T THINK THIS THROUGH from the publisher’s website:

Did you ever wish your best friend—the person you would trust with your innermost secrets, the person whose wisdom and comfort you seek in times of stress or self-doubt—could draw?

Like Mindy Kaling meets Hyperbole and a Half, I Really Didn’t Think This Through gets at the heart of what makes life both so challenging and so joyful—figuring out how to be a person in the world. Armed with her beloved illustrations, popular Instagram artist Beth Evans tackles a range of issues—from whimsical musings to deeply personal struggles—in this imaginative anti-guide to being your own person.This book is a compendium of Beth’s collected wisdom and stories, interwoven with her tremendously popular and loveable illustrations. The book is a wonderful mix of fun (playful meditations on the band Rush and international pen-pals) and thoughtful (Beth delves into her personal history with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression while commiserating on topics like dating and credit card shame) all with a simple candor that anyone from a teen to their grandparent can relate to. Through all of her experiences, Beth manages to extract valuable lessons, and the book is replete with friendly advice about caring for yourself, getting help no matter what your problems are, and embracing what makes you happy. Beth is a compelling storyteller, her drawings picking up where her words leave off, creating an approachable and immersive experience for the reader. Beth’s work feels like a hug from your best friend. And like a best friend, she’s here to say “You got this!”

-30-

In My TBR Stack:

The Comedown
by Rebekah Frumkin
Henry Holt
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

A blistering dark comedy, Rebekah Frumkin's The Comedown is a romp across America, from the Kent State shootings to protest marches in Chicago to the Florida Everglades, that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time. 

Scrappy, street smart drug dealer Reggie Marshall has never liked the simpering addict Leland Bloom-Mittwoch, which doesn’t stop Leland from looking up to Reggie with puppy-esque devotion. But when a drug deal goes dramatically, tragically wrong and a suitcase (which may or may not contain a quarter of a million dollars) disappears, the two men and their families become hopelessly entangled. It’s a mistake that sets in motion a series of events that are odd, captivating, suspenseful, and ultimately inevitable. 

Both incendiary and earnest, The Comedown steadfastly catalogs the tangled messes the characters make of their lives, never losing sight of the beauty and power of each family member’s capacity for love, be it for money, drugs, or each other.

On My Radar:

Forever Nerdy: Living My Dorky Dreams and Staying Metal
by Brian Posehn
DaCapo Press

Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Brian Posehn is a successful and instantly recognizable comedian, actor, and writer. He also happens to be a giant nerd. That’s partly because he’s been obsessed with such things as Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and heavy metal since he was a child; the other part is because he fills out every bit of his 6’7” frame. Brian’s always felt awkward and like a perpetual outsider, but he found his way through the difficulties of growing up by escaping into the worlds of Star Wars, D&D, comics, and by rocking his face off. He was a nerd long before it was cool (and that didn’t help his situation much), but his passions proved time and again to be the safe haven he needed to persevere and thrive in a world in which he was far from comfortable.

Brian, now balls deep in middle age with a wife, child, and thriving career, still feels like an outsider and is as big a nerd as ever. But that’s okay, because in his five decades of nerdom he’s discovered that the key to happiness is not growing up. You can be a nerd forever and find success that way because, somehow along the way, the nerds won.

Forever Nerdy is a celebration of growing up nerdy and different. This isn’t Brian’s life story, just some bizarre and hilarious stories from his life, along with a captivating look back at nearly fifty years of nerd culture. Being a nerd hasn’t always been easy, but somehow this self-hating nerd who suffered from depression was able to land his dream job, get the girl, and learn to fit in. Kind of. See how he did it while managing to remain forever nerdy.

In My TBR Stack:

Brother John: A Monk, a Pilgrim, and the Purpose of Life
by August Turak
Clovercroft Publishing
Hardcover

From the book publicity:

Recipient of the prestigious Templeton Prize, Brother John is the true story of a meaningful encounter between the author going through a mid-life crisis, and an umbrella-wielding Trappist monk. 

This magical encounter on Christmas Eve eventually leads the author, and us all, to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life. Uplifting, deeply moving, and set in the magnificent Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey, Brother John is dramatically brought to life by over twenty full color paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist. Brother John's inspirational message takes place at Christmastime, and its inspirational message and rich illustrations are sure to bring the reader back again and again throughout the year.

On My Radar:

Blowing the Bloody Doors Off and Other Lessons in Life
by Michael Caine
Hachette Books
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

One of our best-loved actors Michael Caine has starred in a huge range of films from the classic movies Alfie, Zulu, and The Italian Job (the inspiration for the book title) to the Hollywood blockbusting Dark Knight trilogy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Cider House Rules. Caine has excelled in every kind of role–with a skill that’s made it look easy. 

He knows what success takes–he’s made it to the pinnacle of his profession from humble origins. But as he says, “Small parts can lead to big things. And if you keep doing things right, the stars will align when you least expect it.” Now in his 85th year–and more beloved than ever–he wants to share everything he’s learned.

With brilliant new insight into his life and work and showcasing his wonderful gift for storytelling, Blowing the Bloody Doors Off is Caine at his wise and entertaining best.

In My TBR Stack:

Just Kids - Illustrated Edition (available 10/23/18)
by Patti Smith
Ecco
Hardcover

From the publisher's website:

Patti’s Smith’s exquisite prose is generously illustrated in this full-color edition of her classic coming-of-age memoir, Just Kids. New York locations vividly come to life where, as young artists, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe met and fell in love: a first apartment in Brooklyn, Times Square with John and Yoko’s iconic billboard, Max’s Kansas City, or the gritty fire escape of the Hotel Chelsea. The extraordinary people who passed through their lives are also pictured: Sam Shepard, Harry Smith, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg. Along with never-before-published photographs, drawings, and ephemera, this edition captures a moment in New York when everything was possible. And when two kids seized their destinies as artists and soul mates in this inspired story of love and friendship.

In My TBR Stack:

A Dad's Fun Guide to Raising Happy Daughters: Imagination Activities Against Body-Snatching  Zombie Naysayers and Other Foes of Happiness
by John Griffith
Trade Paperback

From the author's website:

A Dad’s Fun Guide to Raising Happy Daughters is a collection of a father’s stories and love letters to his greatest teachers, his three daughters. Inspired by the joyful twinkle in their eyes and their unwavering passion for living life to the fullest, this dad found himself pondering a pivotal question, “Why would any living creature want to continue living, if the longer one lives the less happy one is?”

Using zombies, time travel, Benjamin Franklin, science fiction, physics, Michelangelo and other fascinating topics, this book teaches the secret to expanding our happiness as we grow older. These are not your typical “daddy daughter” lessons, but they can be.

“Jam-packed with life lessons that are gift wrapped in fun, this is a handbook for happy daughters. Its stories and activities share hidden messages on the power of thoughts, gratitude for miracles, and belief in imagination: Powerful stuff!”

SUE KLEFSTAD
Professional Indexer /Littérateur

“Griffith floods the mind with the keys that explain life’s mysterious lessons, reinforcing the idea that happiness is a choice. These lessons will ignite the mind, body and spirit in your child, encouraging them to live life to its fullest potential.”

RACHEL JENSONTeacher, 8th Grade English Language and Arts

“John Griffith is a paragon of fatherhood. He is a model of excellence when it comes to raising three daughters as a single dad. His book, “Dear Daughter… Love Dad; Seven Keys to Happiness I Learned From You” is amazing. It helped me better understand the love, sacrifice and wisdom necessary to raise children in this new millennium."

RALPH ZURANSKI
Former reporter for the San Diego newspaper “Coronado Eagle Journal,” and founder of the  “In Search of Heroes” initiative.