Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is #4 on the New York Times Business Best Sellers list for April.
Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of THE GRIEVING BRAIN (HarperOne) was featured in Time magazine’s “Taylor Swift Is Embracing the 5 Stages of Grief. Should You?”
Dr. Hasan Merali, author of SLEEP WELL, TAKE RISKS, SQUISH THE PEAS (HCI) appeared on BBC Radio 4’s “Woman’s Hour” to discuss the ways we can channel our inner toddler to live a happier life.
Wired published “They Experimented on Themselves in Secret. What They Discovered Helped Win a War," an excerpt from Rachel Lance's CHAMBER DIVERS (Dutton).
Smithsonian Magazine published "To Help the Allied War Effort, These Scientists Got Drunk on Nitrogen," an excerpt from Rachel Lance's CHAMBER DIVERS (Dutton).
Shannon Sander's debut story collection COMPANY was named the winner of the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction at the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes: “The prose is magnificent, mature and breathtakingly precise, and the collection resounds with a sensitivity and wisdom rarely seen in a debut."
The Children's Book Council included Charles R. Smith Jr.'s MAJOR TAYLOR: WORLD CYCLING CHAMPION on their 2024 3rd–5th Grade Teacher and Librarian Favorites.
Dr. Neal Barnard's THE POWER FOODS DIET appeared on the Publisher's Weekly hardcover nonfiction bestseller list.
Rachel Lance appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air to discuss her second book, CHAMBER DIVERS: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever (Dutton), with Terry Gross.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed Sheryl Kaskowitz’s A CHANCE TO HARMONIZE (Pegasus), saying: “The first full-length study of one of the New Deal’s most ambitious cultural initiatives…. A Chance to Harmonize, as well as giving a picaresque account of a remarkable archival project, offers a corrective to the male-dominated narratives of the folk-song field.”
Sarah Cypher's debut novel THE SKIN AND ITS GIRL is on the longlist for the 2024 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novels.
Sarah Cypher's debut novel THE SKIN AND ITS GIRL was longlisted for the 2023 Virginia Commonwealth University Cabell First Novelist Award.
Sarah Cypher's debut novel THE SKIN AND ITS GIRL was selected as a 2024 Stonewall Barbara Gittings Literature Honor Award winner.
"[Frank] offers a realistic yet sensitive portrait of a child who’s often a little out of step with the rest of the world but who’s undeniably perceptive and thoughtful—and who’s lucky enough to have a sympathetic adult who sees that. Many neurodivergent readers will recognize themselves in Max... A deeply satisfying tale of a square peg who finds a way to triumph."
Genevieve Plunkett's debut novel IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL was named a finalist for the Vermont Book Award.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed Wayne Kalayjian's SAVING MICHELANGELO'S DOME: "This is Mr. Kalayjian’s first book, but he is a natural writer, and his authority on matters of engineering lends clarity to a difficult topic."
"De la Rosa’s sequel to Ana María and the Fox (2023) will delight fans of that book... The well-written story has a rich combination of suspense and complex character development, not to mention a red-hot scene when the two are trapped underneath a desk together, but what will stick with readers is the dramatic and moving ending... A satisfying sequel in a great historical romance series."
Christian Science Monitor included Nancy Nichols's memoir WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL on their list of "the 10 best new books of March 2024": "Nichols offers a spirited exploration of the effects of the automobile on American women. She documents the ways driving has both expanded women’s freedoms and, citing midcentury isolation in the suburbs, limited their opportunities."
Nancy Nichols's memoir WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL was reviewed by The New York Post: "In her new, highly readable part memoir, part car history, Nichols makes clear that the woman driver and her experience behind the wheel is no laughing matter."
Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) debuted at #2 on the New York Times' Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous bestseller list.
Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is an Indie Bestseller at #10, for the week ending March 10, 2024.
Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is a USA Today bestseller, debuting at #46.
Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is a Washington Post hardcover nonfiction bestseller, debuting at #10.
Nancy A. Nichols's WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL (Pegasus Books) was reviewed in The New York Times Book Review: “[A] fascinating, funny, enraging and often very moving book…For all its hard-edged machinery, gender warring and auto-business shenanigans, the emotional engine of this book is Nichols’s own poignant story.”
The New Yorker has selected Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House) as one of The Best Books We Read This Week, saying: "This chronicle of our planet’s 'silvery sister' begins with the explosive interaction, four and a half billion years ago, that split the moon from the Earth, and eventually encompasses the climatic chaos that is likely to ensue when it ultimately escapes our gravitational pull.”
Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) has been named to the longlist for the 34th Annual Reading the West Book Awards in the category of Memoir & Biography. Public voting on the shortlists will be from May 1 to 31.
Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) is a Southwest Book of the Year. The committee calls it “an intimate biography” and “a fine Western adventure tale.”
Leila Philip’s BEAVERLAND (Twelve) appeared at #12 on the New York Times paperback nonfiction list.
Critics and editors at the New York Times recommend Rebecca Boyle's OUR MOON (Random House). "The moon may seem the least mysterious of our celestial neighbors, but Boyle gracefully argues that our development as a species and a planet is inextricably linked to its presence.”
"Verdict: Okungbowa offers readers an amazing, character-driven story set in a vivid, dystopian world."
USA Today’s Best-selling Booklist features Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House), debuting at #96.
“As NASA prepares to return humans to the moon, Cusick reminds readers of America’s often-forgotten first astronauts: chimpanzees. Her riveting and reverent account, packed with fascinating details and archival photos, traces the role these astrochimps played in the Space Race.”
In Women Behind the Wheel, journalist Nichols provides a women’s history of the automobile.
People picked their best reads of January, and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s SO FETCH (Dey Street) is #3. They call it “a behind-the-scenes romp."
“Journalist Nichols offers a unique and captivating history of women and the automobile. Combing through decades of carmakers’ advertisements and marketing strategies, Nichols finds that not long after its invention in the 1880s, the automobile became 'our most gendered technology'…Nichols interweaves meticulous and intriguing research into engineering and advertising history with poignant reflections on how automobiles have played an outsize role in her own family: an uncle killed in a car accident, an alcoholic father who was a used car salesman, time spent driving herself and her son for cancer treatment…[T]his perceptive study will compel readers to reevaluate their own relationship with cars.”
The New Yorker selected Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) as one of its Best Books of 2023.
ALA Booklist selected Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) as it’s Top of the List in Nonfiction for 2023.
"Before Mercury Seven astronauts began their explorations, NASA recruited and trained six chimpanzees to compete with Sputnik, which Cusick perceptively depicts in this fascinating work...By touching on subjects of animal rights and experimentation, as well as gender equity within Homo sapiens society, Cusick breathes life into a seldom heard story and reminds readers that while 'we cannot undo the past... we can create a new future.'"
Vulture has named Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) the #1 comedy book of 2023: "Anchorman is one of the last great broad, blockbuster comedies, densely packed with over-the-top characters, jokes, catchphrases, and set pieces. It’s great to see it get the full, exhaustive, appreciative analysis and oral history, a treatment afforded to all iconic culture. Saul Austerlitz was the perfect author for the job.”
Town & Country has selected Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s SO FETCH (Dey Street) as a Must-Read Book of Winter 2024, saying: “Anyone who has seen the film understands why it’s a cult classic, but So Fetch goes deeper behind the scenes, using interviews with the cast and crew to explore how Fey spun a self-help book for parents of teenagers into an iconic masterpiece whose memes, mores, and lexicons still dominate the culture. And we’re in good hands with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, a seasoned pro.”
The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) as #7 of the Top 23 Productivity Books of 2023. “A revelatory book…"
The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) as #11 of the Top 50 Psychology Books of 2023.
The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Vanessa Patrick’s THE POWER OF SAYING NO (Sourcebooks) as #11 of the Top 23 Productivity Books of 2023.
The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Vanessa Patrick’s THE POWER OF SAYING NO (Sourcebooks) as #14 of the Top 50 Psychology Books of 2023. "She introduces the groundbreaking concept of 'empowered refusal' and reveals surprising secrets about the power of the word no."
Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon (WW Norton) has won the National Outdoor Book Award for History/Biography. The awards committee says: "In this brilliantly told story you are given a seat in the boat along with Clover and Jotter for a bit of canyon botany—and the ride of your life."
Kirkus Reviews named Liana De la Rosa's ANA MARÍA AND THE FOX as a Best Romance Novel of 2023.
“Usually relegated to brief mentions in histories of the space race, the NASA program’s chimps take center stage here as Cusick draws on a mix of interviews and archival sources to present a vividly portrayed, meticulously researched picture of their strenuous training and experiences...All hail these pioneering primates!”
Publishers Weekly places COMPANY on its list of the top 20 "Best Fiction Books of 2023." They say: "Sanders’s revelatory debut collection offers a warts-and-all portrait of a Black extended family, set mainly in Washington, D.C., with stories retold and expanded upon from various family members’ perspectives. Each character feels deeply human as they navigate what it means to be 'company' at one another’s homes and parties, and whether to expect a warm embrace or cold scrutiny."
"Company shows the frayed edges of friendship and family, and Sanders extracts comedy from the formidable situations that erupt in people’s lives — divorce, financial struggle, aging, death and childlessness. . . This book is for anyone bludgeoned by gnawing remarks from family members or friends. We all find ourselves in bad company on occasion, but the stakes are higher when those experiences happen with those we consider kin."
"One of the great pleasures of Company— and there are many — is how some stories double back to retell an event or re-establish a family member from a different vantage point, deepening our understanding of, and investment in, the Collinses. . . Company is a deftly woven tapestry that scrupulously depicts familial ties and estrangement, richly told with a nuance that allows each character dignity and grace."
Melisssa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (Norton) has been longlisted for the 2024 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The shortlist will be announced on November 14.
Vulture places Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) on its list of "Best Comedy Books of 2023 (So Far)." They say: "It’s great to see [Anchorman] get the full, exhaustive, appreciative analysis and oral history, a treatment afforded to all iconic culture. Saul Austerlitz was the perfect author for the job.”
The New York Times Book Review selected Keith Houston's EMPIRE OF THE SUM: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator (Norton) as an Editors’ Choice book.
“Enthralling… A dark, bloody, trope-defying tale on the terrors of corruption and bigotry, and the daring hope that comes with friendship and found family… Like a punk, queer grown-up version of Stranger Things."
“Urgent storytelling... delivering a riveting, relevant tale of terror, one that places emphasis on showing the power of found family and queer friendship… Oni Press' Let Me Out appears to be one of the most exciting releases left on the calendar for the year, arriving just in time for the scary season.”
FRIZZY has been nominated for a 2023 Harvey Award for Best Children's or Young Adult Book.
Matthew McConaughey's JUST BECAUSE debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Publishers Weekly gave a starred review to Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House) and said: “An excellent exploration of how the moon has shaped life on Earth…. Boyle’s dexterous blend of science and cultural history is elevated by her spry prose. This illuminates.”
School Library Journal has named Debbie Tung’s EVERYTHING IS OK (Andrews McMeel) as one of “15 Visual Books to Help Students Grapple with Big Feelings.”