15 New Books for August
This month, we’ve got our eyes on Feasts on the Farm, Regaining Unconsciousness, Automatic Noodle, and 12 other titles by writers on the West.
SOME FINAL BEAUTY AND OTHER STORIES, BY LISA ALVAREZ
In this story collection, Alvarez spotlights Chicanx characters who represent the spirit of empowerment present within marginalized communities. Spanning California and Nevada, the book introduces us to a Spanish Civil War veteran, a Latino mayor, and others confronting loss, love, and resistance—each story steeped in Hispanic culture. Alvarez delivers a funny and moving trove of stories that celebrate lives full of purpose and hope. University of Nevada Press, August 5
WE SHOULD ALL BE BIRDS, BY BRIAN BUCKBEE WITH CAROL ANN FITZGERALD
While navigating the challenges of a mysterious chronic illness and the heartbreak of a meaningful relationship, Buckbee discovers an injured pigeon and names him Two-Step. We Should All Be Birds is the story of how that small, unexpected connection with Two-Step helped reshape Buckbee’s outlook on life—and pushed him to create a bird-rescue center. What follows is a journey through grief, memory, and healing. Tin House Books, August 5
FEASTS ON THE FARM: OVER 60 SEASONAL RECIPES AND STORIES OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING FROM TOMALES FARMSTEAD CREAMERY, BY TAMARA JO HICKS AND JESSICA LYNN MACLEOD
In the hills north of San Francisco, Hicks owns a sheep and goat farm with her family, where they sustainably raise animals and make cheese. In this cookbook, the family shares some of their favorite recipes and secrets of eating fresh and farm-raised food, from Dungeness crab to maple goat butter to, of course, cheese boards. Full of creativity and farmers’ market finds, this book makes a great gift for California chefs looking to add to their collection of local cookbooks. Chronicle Books, August 5
LAST NIGHT IN SAN FRANCISCO: TECH’S LOST PROMISE AND THE KILLING OF BOB LEE, BY SCOTT ALAN LUCAS
In 2023, San Francisco was shocked by the murder of Bob Lee, which first seemed to be a random killing but was later deemed an act of jealousy and revenge in the world of tech tycoons. The death of the CashApp founder divulged a dark world of sex and parties fueled by founder money, and a grudge taken too far. What’s more, Lucas investigates the world’s quick reaction to blame San Francisco for Lee’s death and what the death reveals about an industry that revels in its lack of guardrails. Steerforth, August 5
REGAINING UNCONSCIOUSNESS: POEMS, BY HARRYETTE MULLEN
Mullen wants readers to wake up: Humanity is failing, and we’re somehow sleeping through it. Mullen’s collection dives into themes of capitalism, racism, climate disasters, AI, and passivity, imagining the end of days if we continue on the path we’ve long tread. But the book somehow still finds lightness and wit, beckoning readers to come in and read awhile. The future is dark, but we’ve made it this far. Graywolf Press, August 5
AUTOMATIC NOODLE, BY ANNALEE NEWITZ
In a postwar San Francisco, the city is struggling to recover, and a group of once-deactivated robots power back on. They wake up in an abandoned ghost kitchen and decide to fall back on their skills: making noodles. As their robot-run noodle shop gains attention—and controversy—they’re forced to reckon with a world that doesn’t quite accept them. To survive, they’ll need to rely on the community they’ve been feeding. Tordotcom, August 5
INDIAN COUNTRY, BY SHOBHA RAO
In Indian Country, Rao tells the story of Janavi and Sagar—two strangers brought together by an arranged marriage. After Janavi is pushed into the union by her sister’s betrayal and Sagar accepts a job in Montana to escape his family’s disapproval, the two find themselves far from home, navigating a fragile new life. With her third book, Rao explores the lingering effects of colonialism and westward expansion and the ways those forces still shape lives today. Crown, August 5
COMING UP SHORT: A MEMOIR OF MY AMERICA, BY ROBERT B. REICH
Reich shares his years in Washington, D.C., where he served under multiple administrations and played an influential role in American politics. He also revisits the years leading up to this political career and the pivotal moments that shaped his worldview, from the loss of a friend during the civil rights movement to the Berkeley Free Speech Movement. The author doesn’t just cover the past—he also turns his gaze forward, offering a hopeful vision for how we can rebuild a sense of community and renew the promise of American democracy. Knopf, August 5
EXTINCTION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, BY MARIAH RIGG
Rigg’s debut story collection takes us to modern Hawai‘i—a place still reeling from the impacts of colonization and dealing with environmental loss. These stories touch on love, heartbreak, and everything in between, all set against the backdrop of the Hawaiian Islands. Characters range from a man reckoning with how American weapons research has affected his life to a pregnant woman poaching flowers. Extinction Capital of the World is part love letter to Hawai‘i and part look at the people who call it home. Ecco, August 5
LOVED ONE, BY AISHA MUHARRAR
In this coming-of-age story, we meet Julia, a woman grieving the recent death of her first love, Gabe, as she travels from Los Angeles to London to retrieve his belongings. She encounters Elizabeth, the last woman he was involved with, who refuses to part with his most prized possession: his guitar. Caught in a standoff, both women hold their positions as well as their own secrets. In Loved One, Muharrar crafts an emotional mystery woven with love, memory, and loss. Viking, August 12
WHERE ARE YOU REALLY FROM: STORIES, BY ELAINE HSIEH CHOU
Chou’s highly anticipated new book is split into six stories and a novella, each revealing something new about placehood and relationships. In the stories, a “mail order bride” becomes literal; a young woman finds her doppelgänger while “finding herself”; an artistic affair blurs lines of morality. Literary fiction fans know Chou from her debut novel, Disorientation; Where Are You Really From promises to return her to the spotlight. Penguin Press, August 19
DEADWOOD: GOLD, GUNS, AND GREED IN THE AMERICAN WEST, BY PETER COZZENS
For three years in the 1870s, a mining town in South Dakota hosted an outlaw population away from the limits of the United States. Prostitution, gambling, and robberies abounded. Then, one day, the whole thing burned down, leaving a legacy of the American West that became mythic. Cozzens’s new book examines the truth and fiction of the town of Deadwood, which was simultaneously crime-ridden and surprisingly accepting. Today, what remains are the stories and the casino billboards. Knopf, August 19
THE CRUEL DAWN, BY RACHEL HOWZELL HALL
Alta Journal contributor Hall is on a book-writing spree, and her latest release is the second in her Vallendor series. She brings readers into a mythical fantasy world of royalty and romance among gods, where her protagonist, Kaivara Megidrail, has been vanquished to exile. Torn between love and loyalty, Kaivara must either save the land or pursue the blacksmith who haunts her. Entangled: Red Tower Books, August 19
MICHAEL SCHWAB: CREATING THE HERO, BY MICHAEL SCHWAB
Alta’s very own contributing illustrator has a captivating new book out. This large-format volume is a 50-year retrospective of Schwab’s graphic art and design. It features over 200 color plates, along with sketches and Polaroid photos that offer a rare look inside his creative process. From portraits to poster work, it’s a stunning window into Schwab’s world—simple, striking, and unmistakably his. Graphis Inc., August 26
DESTROY THIS HOUSE: A MEMOIR, BY AMANDA UHLE
Growing up, Uhle was caught between a mother who was a hoarder and a father who was a schemer, both rocking the stability of all of their lives with contradictions and quick decisions. Uhle recalls shifting from rich to poor at the drop of a hat and being rushed through 10 homes in five states. Her memoir describes her embrace of her independence, which eventually allowed her to slip from her parents’ grasp and into her own life in California. Uhle is now the publisher and executive director of McSweeney’s. S&S/Summit Books, August 26
Jessica Blough is a freelance writer. A former associate editor at Alta Journal, Blough is a graduate of Tufts University where she was editor in chief of the Tufts Daily.
Elizabeth Casillas is an assistant editor at Alta Journal. A graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, she has previously written for the Poly Post and Enspire Magazine.
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