Hammocks, fireflies, and the 10 best books of June
Kick off the summer reading season with books that offer fresh perspectives, windows on the world, personal reflections, and deep dives into history.
1.听The Personal Librarian听by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
This inspirational novel pays tribute to the woman who helped J.P. Morgan shape his rare books collection, which became the Pierpont Morgan Library.听Belle da Costa Greene鈥檚 successful career was a rare feat for a woman in the early 20th century, but what makes it even more extraordinary 鈥� and such rich material for historical fiction 鈥� is the secret she harbored throughout her long career: She hailed from a Black family that had chosen to pass as white.听
Why We Wrote This
As fresh as a summer breeze, this month鈥檚 picks invite readers into the lives of people seeking truth and compassion, fighting injustice, and finding themselves. Biographies of two historical figures offer deeply nuanced and complex characterizations, which lend insight.
2.听The Other Black Girl听by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Nella Rogers, a publishing assistant, finds herself the only Black person in her office. So she鈥檚 ecstatic when another Black woman is hired. But something about her is a little off, and it may cost Nella everything to figure out why. Zakiya Dalila Harris鈥� debut novel effortlessly melds together suspense and comedy and transforms an age-old cultural tale into something new.听
3.听The Secret Keeper of Jaipur听by Alka Joshi
Alka Joshi鈥檚 captivating sequel to 鈥淭he Henna Artist鈥� exposes corruption and black market dealings in 1969 India. Lakshmi, the herbalist of the first book, sends her prot茅g茅, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur palace, while taking his new love, a young widow, under her wing in Shimla. When the royal cinema in Jaipur collapses on opening night, Malik sets out to uncover the graft. The novel affirms that seeking truth is a wholly worthwhile endeavor.
4.听Lorna Mott Comes Home听by Diane Johnson
Diane Johnson returns with another lively transatlantic comedy of manners that takes on an elusive subject: happiness. After 20 years of marriage to a former curator at the Mus茅e d鈥橭rsay, 60-something Lorna Mott tires of her husband鈥檚 philandering and returns to San Francisco to pick up her career as an art lecturer. She finds the Bay Area much changed and her grown children from her first marriage all struggling financially. Once again, Johnson plays the family dynamics and comparisons between French and American culture to warm comic effect.听听
5.听Somebody鈥檚 Daughter听by Ashley C. Ford
Ashley C. Ford鈥檚 father was in prison throughout most of her childhood, and her memoir focuses on the twin pains of his absence and of her difficult mother鈥檚 presence. Through exceptionally vivid memories and deep empathy, Ford brings readers through her experiences growing up as a Black woman in the Midwest. From vulnerable child to independent adult, she shows the value of compassion for ourselves as well as others.
6.听The Reason for the Darkness of the Night听by John Tresch
In this excellent biography of Edgar Allan Poe, John Tresch is less interested in the scandals of Poe鈥檚 life than in his role in the scientific milieu. The author of classic horror and detective stories eventually formulated theories about the origins of the universe and the nature of God. The book鈥檚 telltale heart is that Poe鈥檚 writings 鈥減lace him at the center of the maelstrom of American science in the first half of the 19th century.鈥�
7.听America on Fire听by Elizabeth Hinton
Elizabeth Hinton argues persuasively that urban protests are better thought of as political acts of rebellion by Black Americans against an unjust society. Hinton chronicles how law enforcement efforts to pacify U.S. cities in the last half-century wound up spawning more unrest.
8.听How the Word Is Passed听by Clint Smith
In his debut work of nonfiction, Clint Smith embarks on a very personal tour of some key flashpoints in the history of American racism, from Louisiana鈥檚 Angola prison to Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 Monticello, which is now a bustling tourist attraction. The result is a reckoning both brilliant and unnerving.听
9.听Americanon听by Jess McHugh
This delightful book argues that enduring bestsellers, including The Old Farmer鈥檚 Almanac and 鈥淗ow to Win Friends and Influence People,鈥� have contributed to a unified national identity as much as revered founding documents like the Constitution.
10.听Meade at Gettysburg听by Kent Masterson Brown
Ever since he allowed Gen. Robert E. Lee鈥檚 army to retreat back to the Confederacy after the Battle of Gettysburg, Union Gen. George Gordon Meade has been a much-debated Civil War figure. In this meticulously researched new book, a Civil War expert presents a refreshingly complex view of the matter 鈥� and rises to Meade鈥檚 defense.听
