Matthew Perry talks addiction in memoir, Bob Dylan's 'Philosophy of Modern Song': 5 new books

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.

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 William Shatner, Constance Wu, Jennette McCurdy, 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.

‘The Philosophy of Modern Song’

By Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster, nonfiction)

What it's about: In his first book of new writing since winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016, Dylan offers his singular insight into popular music in more than 60 essays focusing on songs by other artists, breaking down their composition.

The buzz: Of course Dylan would make a killer audiobook. All-star narrators joining Dylan include actors Jeff Bridges, Oscar Isaac, Rita Moreno, Helen Mirren and Renée Zellweger.

‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’

By Matthew Perry (Flatiron, nonfiction)

What it's about: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.” So begins the bracing new memoir from the “Friends” star, who played Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom. He takes fans of the show behind the scenes and opens up about his struggle with addiction and a life-threatening health scare.

The buzz: In a sneak peak of the audiobook posted to Instagram, Perry reads, "’Friends’ was huge, and I couldn’t jeopardize that as I loved my co-actors, I loved the scripts, I loved everything about the show. But I was also struggling with my addictions, which only added to my sense of shame. I had a secret, and no one could know.”

'Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem'

By Laurie Notaro (Little A, nonfiction)

What it's about: The fearless and funny author of “The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club” faces her greatest challenge yet: middle age. Though her hair is gray and she’s getting junk mail from mortuaries, with every passing day she grows a little less afraid.

The buzz: "Unplugged, refreshingly off the hook, and consistently entertaining," says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

'Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story'

By Bono (Knopf, nonfiction)

What it's about: The lead singer of iconic Irish rock band U2 pens a memoir in songs, taking readers from his youth in Dublin to worldwide fame and his activism fighting AIDS and poverty through 40 chapters named after U2 songs.

The buzz: Kirkus Reviews calls it "a no-brainer for U2’s legions of fans."

'The Acrobat'

By Edward Delaney (Turtle Point Press, fiction)

What it's about: Delaney pens a fictional biography of sorts of actor Cary Grant, the vaudevillian born Archibald Leach, who in this dramatization goes on an LSD-fueled journey of self-discovery.

The buzz: A starred review for Kirkus Reviews calls it "a beautifully imagined, sympathetic portrait of a flawed icon."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Perry, Bob Dylan, Bono: The new books we're reading this week