14 New May Books
Here are works on and of the West, including The Hill, Destiny Express, and Deep Time in the Mono Lake Basin, that we’re excited to see published this month.
THE HILL, BY HARRIET CLARK
Every Sunday, Suzanna Klein visits her mother in jail—her mother is a revolutionary who drove the getaway car after a bank robbery with a group of leftists left someone dead. During the rest of the week, Suzanna is shaped by her Communist grandmother and her friends—women who believe the world is unfair and teach Suzanna to survive it anyway. Clark’s novel took two decades to write; the result is a profound—and surprisingly funny—coming-of-age story about mother-daughter bonds, incarceration, and inherited ideals. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, May 5
A THIRD COMMONNESS: ESSAYS ON POETRY, POETICS, AND THE NATURAL WORLD, BY ROBERT HASS
Former United States poet laureate and recent California Book Club author Hass explores the landscapes of American poetry in this excellent and accessible collection of essays. He remembers Barry Lopez and delves into Gary Snyder and The Practice of the Wild; American eco-poetry; Galway Kinnell’s novel, Black Light; and the work of poet and psychologist Tomas Tranströmer. A Third Commonness is full of wonder, tempting readers to find their way back into the world, whether through the forest or on the page. Copper Canyon Press, May 5
THE OUTER COUNTRY, BY DAVIN MALASARN
In this migration story told across generations, a family chooses between two sisters. The younger of them, Siripon, is sent to Los Angeles from Phet Buri, Thailand, leaving the other, Manda, lost in jealousy. Years later, when Siripon has a baby, Ben, Manda moves to Los Angeles to help. As Manda watches Ben grow, she becomes convinced that her nephew is possessed by a dead girl, prompting her to arrange a traumatizing Buddhist exorcism. Over the years, Ben must navigate his own queerness in the midst of scars and difficult family relationships. One World, May 5
HERE FOR ALL THE REASONS: WHY WE WATCH THE BACHELOR, EDITED BY ILANA MASAD AND STEVIE K. SEIBERT DESJARLAIS
Alta Journal contributor Masad and University of Nebraska Omaha assistant professor Desjarlais have edited a collection of essays partly aimed at answering the question, Why does everyone love the Bachelor franchise? Featuring work by Carolyn Huynh, Samantha Allen, Sarah Gerard, and more, Here for All the Reasons is also a critical look at what gets dismissed as trashy and forgettable; it makes the case that the reality-TV show is actually a rich text that says a great deal about social and political culture. Turner, May 5
TRAIL WORK: RESTORING THE PATHS AND STORIES OF AMERICA’S PUBLIC LANDS, BY DILLON OSLEGER
Osleger spotlights the West Coast in this work of nonfiction. He treks from California’s Central Coast all the way to Washington and unearths hidden and forgotten trails along the way. But he doesn’t stop there—Osleger also digs into why these trails were forgotten and what their erasure says about the nation’s past and future. Trail Work is an educational and exhaustive read for anyone who wants to understand the history of our public lands. Heyday Books, May 12
DISTANT WATER, BY BETH PIATOTE
Piatote has long devoted her research to recovering and restoring endangered Indigenous languages, and this poetry collection continues that mission. In these poems, she spotlights Nez Percé—the language of the Nimiipuu people, historically rooted across Idaho, Washington, and Oregon—and illuminates the language’s remarkable capacity to capture the natural world and the full range of human emotion. The work is a beautiful meditation on the power of Nez Percé. Milkweed Editions, May 12
MIGHTY REAL: A HISTORY OF LGBTQ MUSIC, 1969–2000, BY BARRY WALTERS
Walters’s storied career as a music writer has included stints at the Village Voice, Spin, Rolling Stone, and the San Francisco Examiner. His work in New York and San Francisco exposed him to some of the best queer music talent of the 20th century, from David Bowie to Grace Jones. Mighty Real examines the biggest and boldest acts of the genre, many of which set the stage for LGBTQ artists to thrive today. Viking, May 12
I WOULD DIE IF I WERE YOU: NOTES ON ART AND TRUTH-TELLING, BY EMILY RAPP BLACK
Black knows pain, grief, and fear. In her latest book, the author considers a comment she’s received many times in the wake of her young son’s death: “I would die if I were you.” In truth, Black writes, experiences of awful grief are one of our most human realities. Through a reflection on writing, community, empathy, and art, she offers a road map for how to create amid loss and how to support those who are aching. Counterpoint, May 19
DEEP TIME IN THE MONO LAKE BASIN: NATURE AND HISTORY OVER THE LAST 10,000 YEARS, BY ROBERT B. MARKS
Marks homes in on the history of the Mono Lake Basin, at the base of the Sierra Nevada, beginning with the Indigenous people who have long called the region home and the Euro-American settlers who pushed their way in. Carrying the story into the present, the author describes the sale of water and land rights to Los Angeles and the ongoing efforts to preserve the basin. Deep Time is a focused look at how both human decisions and nature can shape a singular ecosystem. University of California Press, May 19
DESTINY EXPRESS, BY HOWARD A. RODMAN
Destiny Express, originally published in 1990, is being reissued by two Los Angeles–based presses. Novelist and screenwriter Rodman blends fiction with real people and real stakes, transporting readers to 1930s Berlin, where married filmmakers Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou face an impossible choice: continue making art under the Nazi regime or flee, as many of their peers have done. Boldly imagined, full of glamour and peril, this expressionist novel considers what people sacrifice when history leaves them no good options. Rare Bird Books and Unnamed Books, May 19
A PERFECT HAND, BY AYELET WALDMAN
In 19th-century England, lady’s maid Alice Lockey is content with a life of working for Lady Jemima Alderwick and avoiding marriage. But a visit from a valet named Charlie abruptly changes her point of view, opening her up to a kind of wonder and excitement that she’s never experienced before. As the cause of women’s suffrage first hits London, Alice hatches a plot to make her lady fall for his lord—perhaps she and Charlie can be together at last. But as Alice gains political consciousness, she must reconsider what she really wants. Knopf, May 19
MARILYN AND HER BOOKS: THE LITERARY LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE, BY GAIL CROWTHER
Just in time for what would have been the icon’s 100th birthday, this deep dive explores Marilyn Monroe’s expansive literary life. Crowther catalogs Monroe’s personal book collection and traces her encounters with the likes of Dylan Thomas, Christopher Isherwood, and more. Though she never finished high school, Monroe was a relentless self-educator who consumed books until her death. This is a fabulous look at a famed icon and the rich literary life she cultivated beyond the spotlight. Gallery Books, May 26
GRILL TIME! WHY YOU SHOULD BE GRILLING FOR BETTER, HEALTHIER, EASIER, AND MORE DELICIOUS MEALS: A COOKBOOK, BY NOAH GALUTEN
As a busy father of two, Galuten turned to his grill to make the daily task of feeding a family a little less time-consuming, and now he’s sharing everything he’s learned. Ranging from bacon cheeseburgers to grilled-veggie burritos, the book has a recipe for everyone, meat eaters and vegans alike. With detailed explainers on grill mechanics and technique tips tailored to every grill type, this is a must-read for all backyard cooks. Knopf, May 26
SAY NEPHEW: ON BOYHOOD, UNCLEHOOD, AND QUEER MENTORSHIP, BY STEVEN PFAU
When he was young, one of the most important people in author Pfau’s life was his gay uncle, Bruce. Bruce was not only family, but also Pfau’s first model of a queer adult, a role he would grow into himself. In chronicling their relationship, Pfau reflects on the myth of the gay uncle. He asks what the community gains from these relationships and what queer nephews owe their mentors in return. Catapult, May 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 associate 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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