Recommended Reading: The Death of Vivek Oji, by Akwaeke Emezi
In The Death of Vivek Oji, a mesmerizing work of fiction set in southern Nigeria and told in crystalline prose, Akwaeke Emezi subverts the traditional crime/mystery genre and weaves a triumphant tale about love.
Recommended Reading: Plague Years by Ross A. Slotten
Dr. Ross A. Slotten distills stories, lessons, and hardships from his long career in Plague Years: A Doctor’s Journey Through the AIDS Crisis.
Recommended Reading: The Man Who Ate Too Much by John Birdsall
This wonderful biography is a feast for the senses, enveloping the reader in sights, sounds, and especially the smells of food. In the process, we learn so much about the Oregon-born James Beard—his talents, eccentricities, and foibles.
Recommended Reading: Figure It Out by Wayne Koestenbaum
A meditative experiment in homing in and letting go, Figure It Out is a scenic nonfiction stroll that seems aimless in gait yet always lands in an art/pop/humanist destination—each one a majestic, impressionistic backdrop.
Recommended Reading: The Deviant’s War by Eric Cervini
In 1957, Frank Kameny, a New York native, World War II veteran, and Harvard-educated astronomer, was fired from the Defense Department because of his homosexuality. The Deviant’s War is the story of how Kameny fought back ...
Recommended Reading: Neotenica by Joon Oluchi Lee
This series of short, linked vignettes by Rhode Island author Joon Oluchi Lee takes place in the San Francisco Bay area, reflecting the multicultural hues of the city.
Recommended Reading: Memorial by Bryan Washington
Houston author Bryan Washington (whose debut, Lot, was a finalist for last year’s Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction) has fashioned an intricate and heartfelt tale from the relationship between a Japanese American chef named Mike and Benson, a Black daycare teacher.
Recommended Reading: Fiebre Tropical by Juli Delgado Lopera
Juli Delgado Lopera reaches deep to expertly voice, in a heady blend of Spanish and English, the story of fifteen-year-old Francisca, a recent Colombian transplant now living in Miami with her mother and grandmother.