Wesley Lowery’s ‘American Whitelash,’ Brandon Wolf’s ‘A Place for Us’: 5 new books this week
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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 must-read book recommendations, check out the 20 books we are most excited about this summer, including Elliot Page's memoir "Pageboy" and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead's new novel "Crook Manifesto"; our favorite books of 2022 that received perfect four-star reviews; and the juiciest recent celebrity memoirs from Matthew Perry, Tom Felton, William Shatner, Jennette McCurdy and more.
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‘A Place for Us’
By Brandon Wolf (Little A, nonfiction, out Saturday)
What it’s about: An LGBTQ+ activist and survivor of the Pulse shooting – the 2016 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that resulted in 49 deaths – offers a powerful memoir of resilience in the face of adversity and the purpose he found following the tragedy.
The buzz: “his heartfelt book will appeal not only to LGBTQ+ readers, but to anyone committed to the fight for social justice for any marginalized community,” says Kirkus Reviews.
More: My best friends were murdered at Pulse nightclub. I survived to fight for them.
‘American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress’
By Wesley Lowery (Mariner, nonfiction)
What it’s about: The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist confronts the rise of white supremacy in the U.S. since Barack Obama was elected president in 2008 and places it within the wider context of American history.
The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “a masterful blend of narrative history and empathetic reporting.”
"American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress" at Amazon for $27
"American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress" at Bookshop.org for $28
‘Little Monsters’
By Adrienne Brodeur (Avid Reader Press, fiction)
What it’s about: From the author of the 2019 memoir “Wild Game” comes a novel set on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where the Gardner family – grown siblings Ken and Abby and their brilliant but tortured father Adam – grapples with its trauma.
The buzz: A starred Publishers Weekly review calls it a “shimmering novel” and says “Brodeur distinguishes herself as a novelist of the first rank.”
‘Save What's Left’
By Elizabeth Castellano (Anchor, fiction)
What it’s about: When Kathleen’s husband declares himself unhappy and leaves after 30 years of marriage, she moves to Whitbey, a small beach town, to find her own peace – and instead ends up at war with her neighbors over the Sugar Cube, the monstrous holiday home being built next door.
The buzz: “This witty send-up is a winner,” says Publishers Weekly.
‘Will They or Won't They’
By Ava Wilder (Dell, fiction)
What it’s about: The author of “How to Fake It in Hollywood” returns with a new enemies-to-lovers romance. Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love onscreen in their hit TV show. Off-screen, they can’t stand each other since their secret fling fizzled. But the show’s final season forces them to get closer than ever.
The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “a sexy, page-turning romance made for the silver screen.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wesley Lowery's 'American Whitelash' and more must-read new books
