The In-Betweens is a memoir about growing up Black and Jewish in 1980s America. Davon Loeb’s prose is so exquisite that it literally made me hold my breath, re-read the most gorgeous lines, rethink the direction of my own writing.
His book is unforgettable and powerful in scope but built on the most banal blocks. I did not grow up Black and Jewish, but I could relate to so many details common to our generation: baggy jeans, boxes of Kool-Aid, high hair, and excessive hairspray. He uses the everyday to build empathy and change the way you will see the people around you.
The biracial coming-of-age journey of a boy from Black and Jewish families-a "brilliant, devastating book."
The In-Betweens tells the story of a biracial boy becoming a man, all the while trying to find himself, trying to come to terms with his white family, and trying to find his place in American society. A rich narrative in the tradition of Justin Torres's We the Animals and Bryan Washington's Memorial, Davon Loeb's memoir is relevant to the country's current climate and is part of the necessary rewrite of the nation's narrative and identity.
I am often skeptical of extremely popular novels, but this one is definitely worth reading.
Garmus puts an unpredictable, cheeky and yet entirely lovable protagonist on the page with her one-of-a-kind prose. As a TV presenter myself, I found it hilarious that main character Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist, single mom, and feminist, doesn’t actually like being on TV. And since I’m not very talented in the kitchen, I loved her scientific approach to meal making.
Lessons in Chemistry brings the right balance of humanity and surprise, wit, and relatability to make it not only an entertaining read, but one that digs deep into social norms.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: a “formidable, unapologetic and inspiring” (PARADE) scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show in this novel that is “irresistible, satisfying and full of fuel. It reminds you that change takes time and always requires heat” (The New York Times Book Review).
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, GoodReads
"A unique heroine ... you'll find yourself wishing she wasn’t fictional." —Seattle Times…
Jonathan Escoffery’s debut has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize for good reason.
His prose is worth reading merely for its own sake. But the story is invaluable in that he opens up a world that was unknown to me, one of racial ambiguity and prejudice, of the risk-taking and necessities that go along with systemic poverty. He tackles these heavy issues with a strong dose of humor and relatability that made me unable to put the book down.
'Kaleidoscopic, urgent, hilarious, revelatory' MARLON JAMES
'An absolute delight to read' DIANA EVANS
'Superb ... A strong, much needed new voice in our literature' PERCIVAL EVERETT
'A compelling hurricane of a book' ANN PATCHETT
A major debut that follows a Jamaican family in Miami navigating recession, racism and Hurricane Andrew.
1979. Topper and Sanya flee to Miami as political violence consumes their native Kingston. But they soon learn that the welcome in America will be far from warm.
Trelawny, their youngest son, comes of age in a society which regards him with suspicion, greeting him…
Sarah’s hope of becoming a concert pianist was shattered when she bombed an important performance of a Mozart concerto. Now in Munich, she feels like an imposter in her job as a food magazine editor. A chance encounter in a music shop leads to a surprising friendship with an elderly widower with a unique grand piano. When they start meeting to play Mozart’s works for four hands, Sarah unravels the mysteries of his war-time past, uproots a musical secret in her own family—and finds the strength to redirect her own future.
Laced with melodies from Mozart and Schumann to Toto and Nena, The Girl with Twenty Fingers will delight readers, while asking the question: Can music change lives?
My daughter loves this book because Jabari’s little sister Nika wears a different fun costume in each scene.
All three of my children have learned from this book what to do when they’re frustrated: Take a deep breath and try again, just like Jabari, they like to say. And I love this book because it offers strong yet subtle representation along with awesome life lessons!
Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard! But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister. Jabari is making a flying machine in his backyard! "It'll be easy. I don't need any help," he declares. But it doesn't work! Jabari is frustrated. Good thing Dad is there for a pep talk and his little sister, Nika, is there to assist, fairy wings and all. With the endearing father-child dynamic of Jabari Jumps and engaging mixed-media illustrations, Gaia Cornwall's tale shows that…
