15 New Books for May

In Schuyler’s novel, a character named Virginia Samson creates an AI dream man for herself, and when a Chinese tech company wants to build friends for older citizens, she shares her code. But when her own lover begins spying, she is confronted with a terrible choice. The author’s brilliant attention to detail creates a compelling world in which her inventive plot unfolds. Clash Books, May 23

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Holley relates the struggle for Black liberation in the United States through the lens of the Shakur family. Rapper Tupac and his revolutionary godmother, Assata, may be the best-known members, but Holley argues that the Shakurs as a whole were integral to the fight for racial justice and that their influence still reverberates. Mariner Books, May 23

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Amid a personal crisis, Cat, an influencer, acquires a pet snake and promptly loses it, bringing more chaos to her life in Florida, where climate change has already deeply disrupted the ecosystem. Boyle’s latest novel is part dark comedy, part eco-thriller, and, at its heart, a story of survival in the bleakest of circumstances. Liveright Publishing, May 16

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Jordan Vargas and his college roommates made a pact: to throw one another a living funeral as a reminder of life’s value. They’ve reunited at Big Sur over the years, even in the midst of divorce, the loss of parents, and other disruptions. They may, however, be facing the end of this decades-long pact. The Celebrants is deeply moving, built with both heart and humor, and addresses the deepest challenges of life. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, May 30

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Verghese follows his bestselling novel Cutting for Stone with a sweeping tale about three generations of a family in South India. The main character is a girl, married off at the age of 12, who eventually becomes known as Big Ammachi. Among her many woes is a curse she hopes will end: in each generation of her family, at least one person dies by drowning. Grove Press, May 2

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Geologist Alden unearths the dramatic story that took place—and is currently developing—in the soil below Oakland. As plates shift, the surface buckles, creating not only topographical idiosyncrasies but also social and cultural ramifications. Tracing the city’s terrain from prehistory to the present, this book offers an investigation into place, a meditation on how inextricably connected humanity is to the natural world. Heyday, May 2

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Eggers’s “all ages” novel is the story of a group of crafty creatures living in an urban park. Mentored by three ancient bison, a free dog named Johannes and his friends (a raccoon, a seagull, a pelican, and a squirrel) work together to monitor all that happens in their world. As a group of goats and a new building both appear seemingly out of nowhere, everything Johannes thinks he knows is put to the test. With illustrations by Northern California–based Shawn Harris, Eggers’s touching tale of friendship and liberation is suitable for everyone. Knopf Books for Young Readers, May 9

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The author of The Girls returns with a novel about Alex, a sex worker uncertain of her next move and often on the verge of danger. After her older boyfriend tells her to leave his Long Island house, she spends the last week of summer moving from houses to men to parties. She arrives so quietly that she is often unnoticed, but she leaves destruction in her wake. Random House, May 16

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This novel, by the acclaimed actor and bestselling author, is a fictional portrait of American culture since World War II. In 1947, a troubled soldier meets his nephew, and 23 years later, this nephew draws WWII comics about a super-soldier: his uncle. When a successful director stumbles on this comic book, he decides to turn it into another major motion picture masterpiece. Knopf Publishing Group, May 9

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Ng recounts the tragedy of an entire generation of Chinese American men without hope of building a family in the United States. The infamous Exclusion Act left these “orphan bachelors” without wives or children, and some became invested in Ng and her siblings, a circumstance on which she reflects decades later. Grove Press, May 9

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The essays here by California Book Club author Tobar are both reported and intimately personal, crafted from the author’s own experiences and those of many of his students. It offers a critical look at the portrayal of Latino people in pop culture and politics and validates the anger of young Latinos attempting to define themselves in a society plagued by exploitation and harassment. MCD, May 9

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After receiving tragic news, Jim Finley begins to seize the life he was letting slip away. Pothier’s novel tells the story of this lost dad and explores his relationships—especially with his daughter, his son, his son’s girlfriend, and all that is left of a dead Russian saint—as they play out in a San Francisco yet to be overrun by tech. University of Iowa Press, May 15

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This audacious book of poetry sweeps from commentary on race, social justice, and violence to witty takes on common forms of writing: birthday cards, love songs, hip-hop lyrics, and diary entries. Chin is an accomplished poet, and she bends the rules to her advantage. Her gorgeous poems make vivid points about identity, life, death, conflict, and art. W.W. Norton, May 2

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Pochoda’s new novel traces the traumatic pasts and intertwined presents of cellmates Florence “Florida” Baum and Diosmary Sandoval. Once both women are out of prison, Dios hunts down Florida, determined to uncover her dark side in the Arizona heat. But Florida flees, leading to an epic chase through the Southwest and a thrilling reunion. MCD, May 23

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Lazard was a beloved and stalwart librarian in Oakland. In this memoir, she recalls the Bay Area of the 1960s and 1970s, where she grew up. She also explores formative experiences and connections, the nuances of family, and her own curiosity and lust for life. Heyday, May 16

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