Whether you’re shopping for a foodie or a baseball lover, a history buff or someone who just wants to read a juicy memoir, we’ve got the title for you.
NONFICTION
‘Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era’
By Laurence Leamer (G.P. Putnam’s Sons), $28
Truman Capote’s final novel, “Answered Prayers,” was a thinly fictionalized look at a group of wealthy women based on the real-life rich ladies — among them, Lee Radziwill and Gloria Guinness — Capote called his “swans.” When a few chapters were published in Esquire, Capote’s gal pals were incensed, and the book was never published. Leamer gives a fascinating look at the friendship and betrayal, and the great novel that never was.
‘Bourdain:The Definitive Oral Biography’
By Laurie Woolever (Ecco), $29.99
Bourdain’s longtime former assistant interviewed around 100 of the late food great’s friends, family and colleagues to craft this richly rounded portrait. It covers both well-trod aspects of Bourdain’s life, such as his years as a middling chef and his tumultuous relationship with actress Asia Argento, while offering up unknown details, including his love of tanning and the aftermath of his first divorce.
‘Not All Diamonds and Rose: The Inside Story of The Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It’
By Dave Quinn (Andy Cohen Books), $28.99
This exhaustive oral history features dishy interviews with 185 cast and crew members behind the Bravo phenomenon. Fans will delight to read about how it all got started, which fired housewives are angriest with Andy Cohen — and a shocking, never-before-revealed incident that happened when the New Jersey cast went to Punta Cana. No wonder the book sold out after it was first released.
‘Baseball 100’
By Joe Posnanski (Avid Reader Press), $40
Former Sports Illustrated columnist Posnanski looks at the 100 greatest baseball players of all time, from Roberto Clemente to Babe Ruth, in this meaty tome that totals nearly 880 pages. Pulitzer-prize winning commentator George F. Will provides the insightful introduction.
‘Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside’
By Nick Offerman (Dutton), $28
The “Parks and Recreation” star offers an insightful, witty look at his outdoorsy pursuits, which have included hiking with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and writer George Saunders, road-tripping with actress wife Megan Mullally and their dog, and chatting with farmer-philosopher Wendell Berry.
‘The Beatles: Get Back’
By The Beatles (Callaway Arts & Entertainment), $60
This shrink-wrapped beauty begins in 1969 and looks at the Liverpool boys’ last year together and the creation of their final album, “Let It Be.” Editor John Harris draws on over 120 hours of sound recordings to create the feeling of being in the studio with the band. Photographs by Ethan A. Russell and Linda Eastman, who would marry Paul McCartney months later, complete the picture.
‘The Art of Bob Mackie’
By Frank Vlastnik and Laura Ross (Simon & Schuster), $50
Billed as “the first ever comprehensive and authorized” compilation of the American fashion designer’s work, this stunning tome features 1,500 photographs and sketches of his show-stopping designs. Adding to the fun is a foreword by Carol Burnett — whom Mackie designed a curtain-rod dress for her iconic “Went with the Wind” sketch — and an afterword by Mackie muse Cher.
‘To Rescue the Republic: Ulysses S. Grant, the Fragile Union, and the Crisis of 1876’
By Bret Baier with Catherine Whitney (Custom House), $28.99
The Fox News anchor offers up a thoroughly researched account of the Civil War general’s life and work. Baier grippingly portrays the crisis Grant faced at the end of his presidency, when the election produced no clear successor, and the painful compromise that settled it — a historical moment ripe for examination today.
‘Slim Aarons Style’
By Shawn Waldron & Kate Betts (Harry N. Abrams), $85
Slim Aarons described his oeuvre as “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,” and that’s on full display in this transporting collection of the late magazine photographer’s work. There are vibrant, stylish images of debutantes, pool parties, European holidays and the equestrian set, plus a foreword by designer Jonathan Adler.
FICTION
‘Libertie: A Novel’
By Kaitlyn Greenidge (HarperCollins), $26.95
This highly imaginative, acclaimed work of historical fiction tells the story of Libertie, a young, dark-skinned black girl growing up in post-Civil War Brooklyn — and in the shadow of her mother, a pioneering doctor whose skin is light enough to pass. Mom wants her daughter to follow in her footsteps, but Libertie has other ideas. The book is inspired by the real life of Dr. Susan Smith McKinney-Steward, one of the first African-American women in the US to graduate from medical school.
‘The Lincoln Highway’
By Amor Towles (Viking), $30
The author of the bestseller “A Gentleman in Moscow” has crafted another chart-topper. Set in the 1950s, it follows a young man, Emmett Watson, just released from a juvenile work farm in Nebraska after doing time for manslaughter. Watson plans to head West to California, but when he discovers two friends from the farm have escaped, his plans turn on a dime, and the young men hit the road and head to New York City.
‘Apples Never Fall’
By Liane Moriarty (Henry Holt and Co.), $28.99
The bestselling author of “Big Little Lies” and “Nine Perfect Strangers” delivers yet more family drama loaded with secrets. This time around, a family matriarch goes missing, leaving her four adult children to question what they thought was their parents’ happy marriage. No surprise, the TV rights have already been snapped up.
‘Beautiful World, Where Are You: A Novel’
By Sally Rooney (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), $28
Rooney, a 30-year-old Irish author, is the literary It girl of the moment, and her latest doesn’t disappoint. Like her two previous novels, the focus here is on educated, troubled young people who spend most of their time talking, reading and having sex. It’s at once compulsively readable and thought-provoking.
‘Silverview: A Novel’
By John Le Carre (Viking), $28
The publishing world mourned when le Carre died last December at age 89. Before he passed away, the British espionage writer finished his 26th book and gave the OK for it to be published posthumously. It’s a classic le Carre tale of a bookseller trying to live a quiet life in a small seaside community, until a Polish emigre and a spy chief come to town.
‘State of Terror’
By Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (Simon & Schuster), $30
The former Secretary of State has cowritten a compelling race-against-the-clock thriller about a Secretary of State who must outwit terrorists hellbent on nuking major cities around the world. While it’s a work of fiction, the Secretary of State just happens to be a woman in late middle age and various world leaders in the book amusingly resemble real-life heads of state.
‘Harlem Shuffle’
By Colson Whitehead (Doubleday), $28.95
The Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author of “The Underground Railroad” returns with another acclaimed bestseller. Set in 1960s Harlem, it tells the story of a furniture-dealing family man struggling to make ends meet while walking the line between an honest living and a life of crime.
‘Tokyo Ever After: A Novel’
By Emiko Jean (Flatiron Books), $15.99
This bestselling, Reese Witherspoon-endorsed YA book is all about Izumi “Izzy” Tanaka, a Japanese-American girl being raised by a single mother in a mostly white Northern California town. When Izzy goes to Japan to find the father she never knew, she learns he’s actually the Crown Prince of Japan — and she finds herself caught between two drastically different worlds.
COOKBOOKS
‘Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora’
By Bryant Terry (4 Color Books), $40
Terry — an activist, author, and James Beard Award winner — has put together a visually stunning book sure to educate and inspire. Recipes include Rum Raisin Plantains Foster by “Son of a Southern Chef” Lazarus Lynch and Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins by Harlem restaurateur Alexander Smalls.
‘Foodheim: A Culinary Adventure’
By Eric Wareheim (Ten Speed Press), $35
Best known for being half of the comedy duo Tim & Eric and his regular role on “Master of None,” Wareheim is also a serious food-lover. His cookbook is more irreverent than more traditional kitchen texts — chapter titles include “Circle Foods” and “Grandma Foods” — but recipes for dishes like pan pizza and a Negroni are still thoughtfully conceived.
‘Roberta’s: Still Cookin’’
By Carlo Mirarchi and Brandon Hoy (Rizzoli), $40
As any pizza lover worth their pepperoni knows, Bushwick’s Roberta’s isn’t just “still cookin’”: It’s expanded to multiple locations, has frozen pies in grocery stores, and is as much a brand as it is a restaurant. No surprise then, this glossy, heavily photographed book is suitable for coffee tables as well as kitchen counters. If you’re looking to make Roberta’s famed fare yourself, co-owners Mirarchi and Hoy share a range of recipes for everything from bottarga butter to their famous Bee String pizza.
‘Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (And Love My Microwave)’
By David Chang and Priya Krishna (Clarkson Potter), $35
Chang is best known as the mastermind and chef behind the Momofuku restaurant empire, but with a young family home, he writes that he’s been doing a lot of cooking in his own kitchen of late. This new book ditches chef-y precision and instead advises readers to cook from intuition (as opposed to recipes), stop peeling everything and embrace the convenience of the microwave.
‘Italian American: Red Sauce Classics and New Essentials’
By Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, with Jamie Feldmar (Clarkson Potter), $35
Husband-and-wife duo Rito and Tacinelli share recipes from their Michelin-starred West Village charmer Don Angie and beyond. The recipe for the restaurant’s famous Pinwheel Lasagna is here, but there are also plenty of uniquely delicious, totally doable dishes you won’t find on the regular menu, like orechiette with chickpeas, turmeric and dandelion greens.
‘Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner’
By Antoni Porowski (Mariner Books), $30
The “Queer Eye” star has a soulful gaze on the cover of his second cookbook and shares good-looking dishes (as well as more pictures where he looks good) within. The manageable recipes are organized by different types of suppers — be it hearty salads or carb-coma pastas.
‘Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide’
By Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras (Workman Publishing Company), $42.50
The travel and magazine company Atlas Obscura has made a name for itself by highlighting unique experiences and places around the world. Co-founder Thuras partnered with writer Wong on this book devoted to global culinary adventures, from the volcanic eggs of the Solomon Islands to an immersive bison ranch in Wyoming.
‘Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple’
By Dorie Greenspan (Mariner Books), $35
A five-time James Beard Award winner, Greenspan is as sweet as the delicious treats she makes, and her latest release always deserves a spot under the tree. This is her 14th book, and it focuses on simple techniques for achieving complex flavors, with recipes such as miso maple loaf and lemon meringue layer cake.
MEMOIRS
‘The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family’
By Ron Howard and Clint Howard (William Morrow), $28.99
“Who would have thought Ron Howard could be exciting?” comedian Steve Martin quips in his blurb for this coming-of-age-in-show biz tale. But Martin and others concede that this is a delightful, touching read filled with interesting, refreshingly wholesome anecdotes about a miraculously functional family.
‘Going There’
By Katie Couric (Little, Brown and Company), $30
America’s sweetheart tells all in one of the year’s most-talked about memoirs. Couric drops truth bombs about her struggle with an eating disorder. Matt Lauer’s sexual misconduct scandal, Larry King aggressively pursuing her and what she really thinks of Martha Stewart.
‘Stronger: Courage, Hope, and Humor in My Life with John McCain’
By Cindy McCain (Crown Forum), $28
The wife of the late senator sheds light on the legend with this moving memoir. Cindy opens up about her 38-year-marriage to John, raising four children while he served six terms in the Senate, and her battle with opioid addiction. “I’m hoping that by talking about it, and writing about it and coming out of it — I’ve survived all this stuff in a way — that it might be helpful to people and people might get something from it that might help them in their own lives,” Cindy has said.
‘All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business’
By Mel Brooks (Ballantine Books), $29.99
At age 95, the EGOT winner has published his first memoir. Brooks writes of growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the 1920s, his father’s death when he was just two years old and his time in the military — as well as his 40-year marriage to Anne Bancroft and unique creative partnership with Rob Reiner. “I hope fans of comedy will get a kick out of the stories behind my work, and really enjoy taking this remarkable ride with me,” Brooks has said.
‘Taste: My Life Through Food’
By Stanley Tucci (Gallery Books), $28
The actor’s CNN culinary show “Searching for Italy” was a delightful hit, but in his memoir, he reveals how he almost lost his ability to enjoy food. Tucci tells of his battle with oral cancer a few years back — including being on a feeding tube for half a year — and how the chemotherapy and radiation he had to undergo made everything he ate taste like wet cardboard for months.
‘Will’
By Will Smith (Penguin Press), $30
As one might expect, the rapper-turned-sitcom star-turned-serious film actor has written an autobiography that’s both inspiring and carefully revealing. Smith writes of being born and raised in West Philadelphia (of course), his complicated relationship with his abusive father, his rise to fame and his always intriguing marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith. Inspirational bits — “Living is the journey from not knowing to knowing. From not understanding to understanding. From confusion to clarity” — are peppered throughout the personal stories.
‘The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music’
By Dave Grohl (Dey Street Books), $29.99
In his No. 1 New York Times Bestseller, the acclaimed musician writes of the rock star life and says that it’s “all that it’s cracked up to be and more.” He reflects on his time in Nirvana and Kurt Cobain’s tragic death, and the subsequent formation of the Foo Fighters, along with encounters with a range of notables, from Joan Jett to Madeleine Albright. Known for his good cheer in spite of it all, Grohl doesn’t dig deep or dish dirt, but it’s still a fun ride.
‘All In: An Autobiography’
By Billie Jean King (Knopf), $30
Before there was Naomi or Serena, there was Billie Jean, fiercely fighting sexism and personal demons with a racquet in hand, while also winning a whopping 39 grand slam titles. Here, she recounts everything from organizing other female players to fight for more equal pay to trouncing chauvinist player Bobby Riggs in the “battle of the sexes”; going public about having had an abortion in the face of scrutiny and coming out as gay in midlife. It’s a much needed refresher course on the life of a groundbreaking icon.
‘Yearbook’
By Seth Rogen (Crown), $28
Rogen, the actor/producer/writer known for “Superbad,” “Knocked Up,” and “Pineapple Express,” has written a small book that’s more a collection of essays and anecdotes than a full-blown memoir. With the sort of schlubby charm he’s known for, Rogen touches on a range of topics, including his grandparents, karate lessons, Jewish summer camp, bar mitzvahs and doing too much acid at Burning Man.
‘Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11’
By Joseph Pfeifer (Portfolio), $27
Pfeifer, who has the distinction of being the first FDNY Chief at the World Trade Center, offers up a stoic, heartbreaking, detailed account of the tragic day and its aftermath. He recalls locking eyes with his younger brother, a fellow firefighter, for the last time, as the younger man went up the stairs of the north tower and recounts months of rescue and cleanup efforts and overwhelming grief.
