Curator Reilly (Curatorial Activism) interrogates contemporary museums’ commitment to social justice in this scholarly work. Drawing from a wide range of examples, Reilly argues that most modern museums are falling far short of their diverse ideals and are dragging their feet on promises to return stolen artifacts. For example, the Benin Bronzes­—metal sculptures created from the 16th century onward in what’s now Nigeria—were looted in 1897 by British forces, and despite repeated calls to return them to Nigeria, remain in some Western museums. Elsewhere, Reilly pushes against the “toxic philanthropy” that allows moneyed entities like the Sackler family and British Petroleum to burnish their reputations by sponsoring museum wings and exhibits, and critiques museums for pursuing unsustainable growth initiatives. She does give due to institutions that seek to honor diverse populations in their art and curation. In particular, she cites the U.K. Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery, which was cocurated by local members of the South Asian diaspora, and the National Museum in Warsaw, which put on a 2010 exhibit of LGBTQ+ art stretching from antiquity to present that—in spite of virulent protest from far-right politicians—attracted more media attention and visitors than any of the museum’s previous exhibits. In critically examining the missteps and progress of museums, Reilly highlights both how far these institutions have come and how much work remains. Specialists will be edified. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

In this evocative account, historian Draycott (Cleopatra’s Daughter) revisits the story of Fulvia, the wife abandoned by Marc Antony in his pursuit of Cleopatra. Fulvia was born in 80 BCE to an upwardly mobile mother who married a wealthy but stuttering senator just long enough to have her. Fulvia’s inheritance allowed her to marry Clodius, a handsome patrician in need of a fortune to fund his political ambitions. The pair “enjoyed each other’s company immensely” (Clodius flouted decorum by allowing his wife to accompany him in public), but tragedy struck when Clodius was killed by a fellow senator during a battle. That harrowing moment led to Fulvia’s political ascendance; rejecting the womanly virtue of “pudicitia,” or restraint, she instead incited a mob to arrest her husband’s killer. Fulvia remarried and lost to battle another wealthy husband before marrying Marc Antony, a union that eventually made her the most powerful woman in Rome—it was she who demanded the head of Cicero, as he had backed her first husband’s murderer. When Marc Antony left her, however, her power drained away; she died “alone” and “unattended” in 40 BCE. Draycott uses the dramatic saga to explore how marriage organized political power and how even politically savvy women were sidelined without the cover of marriage. It makes for a fresh, insightful, and at times spellbindingly romantic chronicle of ancient Rome’s power players. (July)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

In this transformative guide, psychotherapists Hendel (It’s Not Always Depression) and Fraga offer tools to help parents work through their emotions and avoid passing intergenerational trauma onto their children. The main tool they recommend is the “Change Triangle,” a “map of the mind” designed to help people identify inhibitory emotions, core emotions, and the defenses they use to avoid emotions altogether. When experiencing distress, the authors explain, people often use defensive behaviors, like sarcasm or blaming, or experience inhibitory emotions, like anxiety, guilt, and shame. The goal is to become aware of these patterns and connect with the core emotions one is actually feeling, like anger, sadness, fear, disgust, joy, or excitement. This process can help parents avoid reactive “freak outs” that hurt their kids. The authors illuminate how the “Change Triangle” works by sharing patient stories. In one example, a mother who was raised to believe anger was shameful found herself snapping at her kids in frustrating moments. Acknowledging her core anger allowed her to release it in safe ways (journaling, walking, or venting to a friend), and her family life became more peaceful as a result. Offering practical suggestions and enlightening stories, Hendel and Fraga prove to be compassionate teachers for parents in need of healing. This is a game-changer for parents and their children. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Novelist Thomas (Man Gone Down) makes his nonfiction debut with a haunting and poetic profile of the men in his family. In an effort to untangle his identity as “a hard man” prone to depression, anger, and intolerance, Thomas considers his own life in relationship to that of his distant father, Dave; his older brother, David; and his two sons, Alex and Miles. He drifts from memories of Red Sox fandom and racist microaggressions while growing up Black in the Boston suburbs to reflections on his own parenting style, admitting that his hubristic obsession with language and aesthetics—inherited from his father—have made him “at best a brooding malcontent” who “may have made for an interesting dinner guest,” but was “a lousy father.” David emerges as a particularly fascinating figure, a charismatic “combination of the Jello Pudding Bill Cosby and Satan,” who floats in and out of Thomas’s life, struggling with addiction and sometimes stealing from his younger brother after his cons and faulty business ideas go awry. Gradually, Thomas’s memories and reflections accumulate into a poignant and potent mosaic, chronicling his attempts to overcome family dysfunction and fumble his way toward stability. It’s a stirring achievement. Agent: Maria Massie, Massie & McQuilkin Literary. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Seidl (Finding Rest), founder of the Veritas Creative, a digital media consulting firm, brings his religious convictions to bear on this resonant account of recovering from alcoholism. He opens with his rock-bottom moment of getting drunk on a 2023 trip with his wife and lying about it, then rewinds to trace how his drinking developed as a coping mechanism for chronic overwhelm and the lingering effects of childhood trauma. Rather than seek treatment at Alcoholics Anonymous—partly because of its idea that one is always an alcoholic—he underwent a process of “messy sanctification” that helped him draw closer to Christ while becoming more aware of his sins. The steps involved include relying on prayer for guidance; discovering his divinely given passions, skills, and calling; sharing his sins in community settings; and obeying God’s wishes. Despite a few awkward attempts to bolster his points with scripture (“Are you drinking in a way that brings God glory?” he asks ironically at one point), Seidl’s candid and powerful storytelling buttresses his trenchant critiques of a church culture that trafficks in binary views of religious salvation while ignoring believers who continue to struggle with addiction after finding God. Those seeking a faith-based path through alcoholism will find it here. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Philosopher Edmonds (Wittgenstein’s Poker) offers an insightful assessment of the Shallow Pond thought experiment and the effective altruism movement it influenced. Proposed in 1972 by moral philosopher Peter Singer, the experiment posits that not rescuing a drowning child in a shallow pond for fear of ruining one’s expensive shoes is equivalent to not sacrificing the relatively modest resources required to save the lives of those who are geographically distant. In Singer’s view, the parallel indicts much of the affluent West, which “walks by” the struggles of the developing world daily. Edmonds traces the thought experiment’s influence on the effective altruism movement founded in the 2000s by Tony Ord and Will MacAskill, which aims to quantify the extent to which philanthropic organizations have an impact and spawned such entities as Give What You Can, which encourages people to pledge 10% of their earnings to charity. Edmonds also analyzes the movement’s weaknesses, including its reliance on thought experiments (which describe “bizarre” situations that scramble one’s natural “moral intuition”); its links to utilitarianism; and its promise of outsize influence to a “few mega-rich individuals” and alignment with the “interests of the Silicon Valley investor community.” To cover so much ground, Edmonds sacrifices deeper exploration of some philosophical points that could use more unpacking; still, his analyses provide fascinating commentary on the ironies of a world in which extreme wealth coexists with poverty, famine, and preventable death. This is sure to spark debate. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Grammy-winning producer Ronson debuts with a mesmerizing memoir about his Manhattan DJ roots. As child, Ronson nurtured his love of music by spending time in the home studio of his stepfather, Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. He developed a love for nightlife as a teenager in New York City, learning quickly that “night meant good times, so long as it was full of loud music and people.” Here, Ronson recalls cutting his teeth in various Manhattan clubs before and during college, writing rapturously of (often drug-fueled) gigs and highlighting key connections he made along the way, including with his NYU classmate Ben Velez, who introduced Ronson to a cabal of rare vinyl collectors, and club promoter “Big Frank” Walston, who helped the author brand himself and regaled him with stories of Debbie Harry and other downtown legends. Ronson’s account sometimes gets lost in nitty-gritty details of DJing, which will fly over the casual reader’s head, and pop fans might wish it touched on his work with Amy Winehouse or Lady Gaga, but the focus on music as a community-building force ultimately proves poignant. This wondrous snapshot of a bygone New York will make readers want to get out on the dance floor. Agents: David Kuhn and Nate Muscato, Aevitas Creative Management. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Lee’s third Peach Blossom romance (after The Relationship Mechanic) offers up a cozy story about finding queer love in a small town. Bookworm Zoey moves to Peach Blossom, Ga., to take a job at the local library. Her desire to make friends inspires her to start a book club—which also provides a convenient excuse to get to know her library patron crush, Dani. A busy single mother and a nurse, Dani similarly loves literature and eagerly accepts Zoey’s invitation, sparking a slow-burning connection. There aren’t any clever conceits, plot twists, or even particularly high stakes, just a thorough exploration of the way these two characters interact. Their easy chemistry and obvious connection is a delight to discover and there’s also lots to love in the supporting cast. Dani’s charming multigenerational household feels realistic and lovingly drawn, and the light domestic drama on the edges of the main conflict adds needed depth to the central relationship. Readers seeking thrills should look elsewhere, but those open to a lower-key vibe will find this to be as sweet and comforting as a hug. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

Rio (If We Were Villains) captures the joy and danger of rock ’n’ roll in her raucous latest. Photographer Suzanne, 41, is adrift in Florida, having left her straightlaced and possessive husband, Rob. Her car, a 1968 Ford Ranchero that belonged to her recently deceased father, Gil, is on its last legs. Despite her years apart from Gil, a Cuban immigrant and rock band frontman, he loomed large in her imagination: “the world felt deadly empty now that he was gone.” Suzanne is not just grieving her dad, but a childhood of innocence lost too early. Flashbacks to 1989 reveal Suzanne as an independent 10-year-old, waiting for her rockstar father to return home from tour. When her mom remarries and leaves for her honeymoon, she gets a dream come true: life on the road with Gil & the Kills for a summer. On tour, she witnesses an act of violence that she’s still trying to understand as an adult. In the present day, Suzanne gets help with the Ranchero from 20-something bohemian couple Simon and Phoebe, in return for towing their Airstream trailer. As Suzanne hits the road with Simon and Phoebe, the pair helps her move on from Rob and reckon with the truth of what happened three decades earlier. Rio keeps the reader guessing—and turning the pages—while shining a light on Suzanne’s emotional scars. This electrifies. Agent: Arielle Datz, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink

In this comprehensive debut biography, Portland State University theater professor Pollack-Pelzner pulls back the curtain on songwriter, filmmaker, and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s star-studded career. The author traces Miranda’s musical roots to his childhood in Upper Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood, where he took piano lessons (though he “didn’t like to practice”) and was influenced by such Broadway musicals as Rent. Miranda began writing musicals in high school and started working on what would become In the Heights in college. Alongside director Tommy Kail, Miranda began producing the show in the basement of Manhattan’s Drama Book Shop, playing the role of the narrator, Usnavi; the show opened off-Broadway in 2005 and went on to win several Tony awards. Pollack-Pelzner also recaps the origins of Miranda’s most famous project, Hamilton, which was inspired by Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. When Miranda read it, he drew parallels to “a hip-hop narrative,” since Hamilton “wrote his way into feuds” and was “gunned down in his prime.” The play took shape with the help of musical director Alex Lacamoire, opened in 2015 on Broadway, and became a cultural phenomenon. Drawing on extensive conversations with Miranda’s friends, collaborators, and peers, the author depicts his subject as less a “born genius” than an artist driven by an “insatiable” need to create, “limitless curiosity,” and a “childlike” desire to entertain (“I think a part of my brain is always just trying to make the best school play,” Miranda once said). This affectionate portrait brings the house down. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 08/15/2025 | Details & Permalink