Cormac McCarthy's 'The Passenger,' Jemele Hill memoir 'Uphill': 5 books not to miss

Barbara VanDenburgh, USA TODAY
·2 min read

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases. All books are on sale Tuesday unless otherwise noted.

For more new must-read book recommendations, check out our fall books guide of the 20 most exciting books of the season; our favorite books of 2022 so far; fall's most swoon-worthy rom-coms, including Jasmine Guillory's "Drunk on Love" and Elena Armas' "The American Roommate Experiment"; and the juiciest celebrity memoirs released this year from Jennette McCurdy, Kenny Loggins, Christine Quinn, Jennifer Grey and more. 

To see what everyone else is reading, check out the USA TODAY Best-Selling Books list for this week's bestsellers.

Geena Davis memoir: She was 'dying from shame' after Bill Murray screamed at her on film set

"The Passenger," by Cormac McCarthy.
"The Passenger," by Cormac McCarthy.

‘The Passenger’

By Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, fiction)

What it's about: McCarthy's first book since his 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winning post-apocalyptic novel "The Road" tells the story of a haunted salvage diver pining for his lost sister.

What it's about: "Enigmatic, elegant, extraordinary: a welcome return after a too-long absence," says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

'Ted Kennedy: A Life'

By John A. Farrell (Penguin Press, nonfiction)

What it's about: The Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian and biographer pens a thorough new biography of one of America's most notable political figures and significant senators.

The buzz: A starred review calls it "an exemplary study of a life of public service with more than its share of tragedies and controversies."

‘Inciting Joy’ 

By Ross Gay (Algonquin, nonfiction)

What it's about: The award-winning poet considers joy – how we incite it, how we can expand it and most importantly, how we experience it by caring for others – in this timely collection that defies divisiveness.

The buzz: "This resonant, vivid meditation shouldn’t be missed," says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

'Uphill: A Memoir'

By Jemele Hill (Holt, nonfiction)

What it's about: Atlantic journalist and former ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor writes about breaking her family's cycle of intergenerational trauma to become a respected public figure unafraid to speak her mind.

The buzz: Publishers Weekly calls it "a powerful portrait of ambition, faith, and fearlessness."

'Con Pollo': How pet chickens inspired Jimmy Fallon, Jennifer Lopez to teach kids Spanish

'Into the Riverlands'

By Nghi Vo (Tordotcom, fiction)

What it's about: The Singing Hills Cycle series continues with wandering cleric Chih traveling to the riverlands to record stories of the near-immortal martial artists who haunt them.

The buzz: A starred review from Publishers Weekly calls it "spellbinding" and "a pitch-perfect series installment."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cormac McCarthy's 'The Passenger,' Jemele Hill memoir: 5 new books