11 New Books for June
This month, we’ve got our eyes on The History of a Difficult Child, Hydra Medusa, and nine other titles by writers on the West.
BIRDS OF POINT REYES, BY KEITH HANSEN
Pairing beautiful illustrations with nuanced observations, Hansen brings California’s coastal birds to life. The author (who also cowrote Birds of the Sierra Nevada: Their Natural History, Status, and Distribution) brings us into the thick of bird life: from a cliff-dwelling peregrine’s heart-pounding hunt to shorebirds poking and prodding the sands along the shoreline. Heyday Books, June 20
THE BRIGHTEST STAR, BY GAIL TSUKIYAMA
Tsukiyama’s latest novel re-creates the life of groundbreaking actor Anna May Wong, beginning with her childhood spent delivering laundry. The first Chinese American woman to gain fame in early Hollywood, Wong charted a unique trajectory: fighting for lead roles, keeping love affairs secret, and financially supporting her family. Harpervia, June 20
CALIFORNIA, A SLAVE STATE, BY JEAN PFAELZER
California may not have been the site of Civil War battles, but according to historian Pfaelzer, the Golden State benefited from slavery. This wide-ranging history encompasses the Spanish conquest of Indigenous peoples and the trafficking of sex workers today, looking underneath the veneer of sunshine to reveal the dark undercurrents that have long powered California’s economy. Yale University Press, June 27
GRAVEYARD OF THE PACIFIC: SHIPWRECK AND SURVIVAL ON AMERICA'S DEADLIEST WATERWAY, BY RANDALL SULLIVAN
The Columbia River Bar—where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon—has the grim distinction of being one of the world’s most dangerous waterways. Countless sailors have lost their lives in its violent waves. Here, adventure journalist Sullivan recounts a kayak trip through the bar, while also exploring the cult of masculinity and its sway over his father, who once sailed the same waters, and himself. Atlantic Monthly Press, June 6
THE HISTORY OF A DIFFICULT CHILD, BY MIHRET SIBHAT
Sibhat’s debut novel is observed through the eyes of a young girl. When Selam Asmelash’s formerly privileged family is shunned after Ethiopia’s socialist revolution, her mother turns to extreme religion to cope. Selam, coming of age, is torn between extremes of wealth, power, politics, and religion. The novel offers a heartfelt look at the development of this “difficult child.” Viking, June 27
HYDRA MEDUSA, BY BRANDON SHIMODA
This gorgeous book of poems and musings dances around the boundaries of life and death. In these pages, Shimoda pulls at the nebulous fibers of history and experience to explore how we move through the world and how our ancestors appear and disappear around and within us. Nightboat, June 27
OPEN THROAT, BY HENRY HOKE
A queer, introspective, and completely charming mountain lion is the protagonist of Hoke’s captivating novel. When a fire forces the big cat, who lives in the Hollywood Hills, from his home and also wipes out the homeless camp he spends his days defending, he has no choice but to descend into the heart of Los Angeles, where he finds a new set of realities. MCD, June 6
THE QUESTIONS THAT MATTER MOST: READING, WRITING, AND THE EXERCISE OF FREEDOM, BY JANE SMILEY
In her first nonfiction book since 2005’s Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel, Pulitzer Prize winner Smiley dives into the landscapes where much of her work is set—and the writing of authors who have redefined the novel. Smiley’s voraciousness as a reader drives the book, which is peppered with insights into Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, Willa Cather, Franz Kafka, and others. Heyday Books, June 6
RISING UP: THE POWER OF NARRATIVE IN PURSUING RACIAL JUSTICE, BY SONALI KOLHATKAR
In Rising Up, journalist Kolhatkar discusses the history of media created by predominantly white Americans, which has led to misrepresentation and racism. But more important, she introduces us to a new generation of POC voices fighting for racial justice, making the argument that to tell stories is to wield power. City Lights, June 27
WHEN THE HIBISCUS FALLS, BY M. EVELINA GALANG
Whether the characters in this collection of short fiction immigrate to Florida or to California, all remain connected to their homeland in the Philippines through the memories of mothers, aunts, and other female relatives. The stories they tell contain a mystic power—one that allows them to live courageously while also remaining conscious of the past. Coffee House Press, June 13
THE WIND KNOWS MY NAME, BY ISABEL ALLENDE
California Book Club author Allende returns with another enchanting saga of family and love spanning decades. In 1930s Austria, a young boy is separated from his relatives and sent to England with only a violin and a set of clothes. Eight decades later, something similar takes place: a young girl finds herself alone in the United States after fleeing El Salvador. Allende blends past and present as she shares the stories of two children searching for home. Ballantine Books, June 6
14 New Books for September
15 New Books for August
New Releases for July
Upcoming Releases: Moderation and Cozy Dystopias
