Headed out of town on vacation? Don’t forget to bring a good book. These 5 recommendations from Thrillist.com feature some of the best new books and they’re sure to entertain.
The Ballad of Black Tom
By Victor LaValle
Simultaneously a love letter to New York City and a loving critique of H.P. Lovecraft, LaValle’s short novel is a thrilling look at Jazz Age New York and the 1920s racial politics that still influence American life today. It’s also just a good horror novel. The perfect book to devour while hopping on a short plane or train ride this summer.
Barkskins
By Annie Proulx
The acclaimed author of Brokeback Mountain and The Shipping News returns with a historical novel about lumberjacks. Set in the 17th century, the novel follows two poor Frenchmen working their way as “barkskins” in the New World. Proulx also shows readers the descendants of the two characters, giving the novel timely commentary on how ecological destruction can affect future generations.
Infomocracy
By Malka Older
Let’s face it, some of us will be too busy fretting over the 2016 election and impending societal collapse to really enjoy any vacation. If that’s the case with you, consider buying Older’s dystopian debut novel about a future where the electoral process is controlled by a powerful search engine monopoly called Information. Kirkus called it “a frighteningly relevant exploration of how the flow of information…can manipulate public opinion — in particular, how fear and the desperate desire for safety can become such strong factors in swaying the vote.”
High Dive
By Jonathan Lee
Jonathan Lee’s high-stakes and high-octane novel High Dive takes place in 1984 during the attempted IRA assassination of Margaret Thatcher. Lee’s novel manages to be both humorous and humane in its treatment of the players involved.
The Soho Press Book of ‘80s Short Fiction
Edited by Dale Peck
The 1980s weren’t all snap bracelets and pop songs. A new anthology from Soho Press compiles a diverse collection of short stories from the politicized decade of Reagan and the AIDS crisis. The anthology, edited by Dale Peck, features work from luminaries like Raymond Carver, Eileen Myles, Denis Johnson, and Jamaica Kincaid, as well as important ’80s writers who may have faded from memory but whom we shouldn’t forget.
