AWM Staff Picks: February 2024

Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis

From the publisher: “Wildly successful when it was first published in 1955, Patrick Dennis’ Auntie Mame sold over two million copies and stayed put on the New York Times bestseller list for 112 weeks. Since then, Mame has taken her rightful place in the pantheon of Great and Important People as the world’s most beloved, madcap, devastatingly sophisticated, and glamorous aunt. She is impossible to resist, and this hilarious story of an orphaned ten-year-old boy sent to live with his aunt is as delicious a read in the twenty-first century as it was in the 1950s. Follow the rollicking adventures of this unflappable flapper as seen through the wide eyes of her young, impressionable nephew and discover anew or for the first time why Mame has made the world a more wonderful place.”

—Cristina P., Storyteller

Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer

From the publisher: “New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer reveals the complex web of relationships and scandalous true stories behind Truman Capote’s never-published final novel, Answered Prayers—the dark secrets, tragic glamour, and Capote’s ultimate betrayal of the group of female friends he called his ‘swans.'”

FX’s new hit show Feuds: Capote vs. The Swans, was based on this book. When the book came out in 2021, Leamer joined us online for a discussion of his book, Capote’s legacy, and the impact of the Swans on his life and writing. You can watch that program here, or listen to it here on AWM Author Talks podcast.

—Nate, Digital Content Associate

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

From the publisher: “On the streets of 18th-century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman of unsurpassed skill…But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, during one of her cons, she learns that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. Forced to flee Cairo, Dara and Nahri journey together…to Daevabad, the legendary city of brass. It’s a city steeped in magic and fire, where blood can be as dangerous as any spell; a city where old resentments run deep and the royal court rules with a tenuous grip; a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound—and where her very presence threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries.”

—Allison, Program Director

Everywhere You Don’t Belong by Gabriel Bump

From the publisher: “In this alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel, Gabriel Bump gives us an unforgettable protagonist, Claude McKay Love…As a young black man born on the South Side of Chicago, he is raised by his civil rights-era grandmother, who tries to shape him into a principled actor for change; yet when riots consume his neighborhood, he hesitates to take sides, unwilling to let race define his life. He decides to escape Chicago for another place, to go to college, to find a new identity, to leave the pressure cooker of his hometown behind. But as he discovers, he cannot; there is no safe haven for a young black man in this time and place called America. Percolating with fierceness and originality, attuned to the ironies inherent in our 21st-century landscape, Everywhere You Don’t Belong marks the arrival of a brilliant young talent.”

—Carol, Institutional Giving Manager

Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood by Ed Zwick

From the publisher: “This heartfelt and wry career memoir from the director of Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Legends of the Fall, and Glory, creator of the show thirtysomething, and executive producer of My So-Called Life, gives a dishy, behind-the-scenes look at working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood…Fans with an appreciation for the beautiful mysteries—as well as the unsightly, often comic truths—of crafting film and television won’t want to miss it.”

We were thrilled to host Zwick on February 8 to read from and discuss his new memoir. You can view the full program on our YouTube channel, or check back on February 19 when we release it as an episode of our AWM Author Talks podcast!

—Carey, President

Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori

From the publisher: “NEW JERSEY, 1999. Kimberly is about to turn sixteen and has recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. Suffering from a disease that causes her to age four and a half times faster than her high school peers, surrounded by a dysfunctional family (and possible felony charges), Kimberly is also navigating her first teenage crush. Ever the optimist, Kimberly is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure. 2023 Tony Award winner for Best Musical.”

—Matt, Community Engagement Manager

The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe; with Yohanca Delgado, Eve L. Ewing, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, and Sheree Renée Thomas

From the publisher: “Janelle Monáe and an incredible array of talented collaborators have crafted a collection of tales comprising the bold vision and powerful themes that have made Monáe such a compelling and celebrated storyteller. Dirty Computer introduced a world in which thoughts—as a means of self-conception—could be controlled or erased by a select few. And whether you were human, AI, or other, your life and sentience were dictated by those who’d convinced themselves they had the right to decide your fate. That was until Jane 57821 decided to remember and break free. Expanding from that mythos, these stories fully explore what it’s like to live in such a totalitarian society…and what it takes to get out of it.”

—Nate, Digital Content Associate

The Nix by Nathan Hill

From the publisher: “It’s 2011, and Samuel Andresen-Anderson hasn’t seen his mother, Faye, in decades—not since she abandoned the family when he was a boy. Now she’s reappeared, having committed an absurd crime that electrifies the nightly news and inflames a politically divided country. The media paints Faye as a radical hippie with a sordid past, but as far as Samuel knows, his mother was an ordinary girl who married her high-school sweetheart. Which version of his mother is true? Two facts are certain: she’s facing some serious charges, and she needs Samuel’s help. To save her, Samuel will have to embark on his own journey, uncovering long-buried secrets about the woman he thought he knew, secrets that stretch across generations and have their origin all the way back in Norway, home of the mysterious Nix. As he does so, Samuel will confront not only Faye’s losses but also his own lost love, and will relearn everything he thought he knew about his mother, and himself.”

—Carey, President

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

From the publisher: “When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others’ emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith…and a startling vision of human destiny.”

—Christopher, Director of Operations

Pink Lemonade by Nick Cagnetti

From the publisher: “Mysterious past! Colorful costume! Altruistic outlook! Zippy motorcycle! And one very overactive imagination! Meet PINK LEMONADE—the new hero on the scene! She dreams of doing big things, but ultimately, she’ll settle for just helping where she can. But when Pink Lemonade accidentally crashes into the set of the next Rex Radical blockbuster, she’ll take an unexpected leap into the spotlight…and will soon find herself confronted by a series of increasingly threatening doppelgängers, extraterrestrial fanboys, and nefarious corporate machinations.”

—Cassidy, Guest Services/Operations Assistant

Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park

From the publisher: “A wild, sweeping novel that imagines an alternate secret history of Korea and the traces it leaves on the present—loaded with assassins and mad poets, RPGs and slasher films, pop bands and the perils of social media…Same Bed Different Dreams weaves together three distinct narrative voices with an archive of mysterious images, and twists reality like a kaleidoscope. Korean history, American pop culture, and our tech-fraught lives come together in this extraordinary and unforgettable novel…a raucously funny feat of imagination and a thrilling meld of history and fiction that pulls readers into another dimension—one in which utopia is possible.”

—Christopher, Director of Operations

Superman: Son of Kal-El, Vol. 2: The Rising by Tom Taylor, illustrated by John Timms

From the publisher: “With Clark Kent off-world battling in the universe, Jonathan Kent has stepped into the role of Superman to defend planet earth. Despite Jonathan facing the most devastating physical attack of his life, he’s ready for change. Along with his new ally Jay Nakamura, Jonathan will continue to stand against the dictator of Gamorra, Henry Bendix, who’s taken Jay’s mother captive. Along the way, Superman will team up with Jackson Hyde/Aqualand to face a creature from the depths of the sea unleashed by Lex Luthor. With every adventure, Jonathan will define what it means to be The Man of Steel.”

—Matt, Community Engagement Manager

Superman: The Harvests of Youth by Sina Grace

From the publisher: “Despite being a superpowered teenager, high school has been pretty normal for Clark Kent; but his idyllic life is wrenched away when the death of a classmate rocks all of Smallville. As he and his friends grieve, the challenges they face become darker, more complex, and deeply insidious. Clark feels completely out of his depth when Smallville’s latest threat proves that it takes more than fists and laser beams to save the day. For the first time in his life, Clark must grapple with life’s biggest questions, and confront his own mortality (or lack thereof) in order to become the hero his beloved town needs.”

—Matt, Community Engagement Manager

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

From the publisher: “Sam and Sadie—two college friends, often in love, but never lovers—become creative partners in a dazzling and intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. It is a love story, but not one you have read before… Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.”

—Maya, Marketing & Creative Associate

Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis by Eric Myers

From the publisher: “Under his pseudonyms of Patrick Dennis and Virginia Rowans, Edward Everett (Pat) Tanner III was the author of sixteen novels—most of them best sellers—including the now-classic Little Me and Auntie Mame. Tanner made millions, became the toast of Manhattan society, and had his works adapted into wildly successful plays, musicals, TV shows, and films. But he also spent every cent he made, worked incognito as a butler to the wealthy, and constructed a persona so elaborate that not even his wife and children ever quite knew the real Pat. Based on extensive interviews with coworkers, friends, and relatives, Uncle Mame is a revealing, intimate portrait of the man who brought camp to the American mainstream and even in his lowest moments personified the glamour and wit he captured on the page.”

—Cristina P., Storyteller

Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches by John Hodgman

From the publisher: “Although his career as a bestselling author and on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart was founded on fake news and invented facts, in 2016 that routine didn’t seem as funny to John Hodgman anymore. Everyone is doing it now. Disarmed of falsehood, he was left only with the awful truth: John Hodgman is an older white male monster with bad facial hair, wandering like a privileged Sasquatch through three wildernesses…Though wildly, Hodgmaniacally funny as usual, it is also a poignant and sincere account of one human facing his forties, those years when men in particular must stop pretending to be the children of bright potential they were and settle into the failing bodies of the wiser, weird dads that they are.”

—Nate, Digital Content Associate

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

From the publisher: “In the world of Warbreaker, each person is born endowed with the power of one Breath—which can be sold and collected by others, then used to Awaken objects and even corpses to do their bidding. A few individuals who die in glory return as gods, with the power of thousands of Breath, but no memory of their mortal lives—and are enthroned in the Court of Gods in Hallandren’s capital. To Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris, the abuse of Breath and the claim of the Returned to be gods are repugnant blasphemy. But with one princess wed to the God King of their nation’s enemies in a bid for peace, the other finds she must rely on Breath-using mercenaries to try to rescue her sister from her monstrous husband.”

—Ari, Assistant Director, Operations & Exhibits

What the Children Told Us: The Untold Story of the Famous “Doll Test” and the Black Psychologists Who Changed the World by Tim Spofford

From the publisher: “Unfolding like a novel, this is the true story of two young Harlem psychologists who developed the famous ‘Doll Test,’ the path-breaking experiment that played a key role in the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling against segregated school systems. For Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark, this was just the opening act in their struggle for justice and racial integration.”

We hosted Spofford earlier this month on February 6 at the AWM and it was a fascinating program. You can watch it in its entirety here on YouTube, or tune into this episode of the AWM Author Talks podcast.

—Carol, Institutional Giving Manager