Reading, watching, listening, and gaming recommendations from the staff of the American Writers Museum.
We can’t recommend these books, films, shows, plays, albums, and games highly enough! Check back every month for more entertainment recommendations, from classics that we revisit over and over to new favorites. If you’re looking for your next book or movie or show or whatever, you came to the right place.
Many of our September book recommendations are also available on Bookshop.org, which benefits independent bookstores. We also strongly encourage you to support your local bookstore by visiting them in person or ordering online through them directly.
This month at the American Writers Museum! The titles below correspond to upcoming programs, author talks, and events hosted by the AWM. Follow the links to learn more and register to attend, and view all upcoming events here.
The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
The Great Big Book Swap
September 20, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
LEARN MORE HERE
From the publisher: “Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird containing a memento she can’t be without—to a local little community library, she’s devastated. But then the book turns up a week later, back in the library with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation in a copy of Great Expectations to meet her newfound pen pal. A life-changing conversation, written only in the margins of beloved classic books, begins between Erin and her Mystery Man. Following each other through the pages of their favorite novels as the book exchange continues, they both begin to open up, falling into a friendship…and maybe something more.”
Later this month, we are hosting a book exchange at the American Writers Museum as part of our monthly free day! You’ll be able to donate used books while also picking new-to-you books, all at no cost. Plus, you can explore all of our exhibits for free too! You can learn more about the event here. We are not saying that you will have the most romantic meet-cute ever while swapping books with a stranger, but we are also not not saying that. Who knows, if you leave a note in your book, you never know who might write back…
—Matt, Community Engagement Manager
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
OnWord 2026
September 26, 6:00 pm
Learn more about our annual benefit HERE
From the publisher: “A riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives…Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood—and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.”
We are thrilled for Celeste Ng to join us at OnWord 2026, where she will present the Inspiration Award to a teacher that encouraged her to write. Ng will be in attendance, along with her teacher, and will give remarks about her teacher’s influence on her and the importance of education at large. Learn more about our annual benefit, OnWord 2026, and reserve your seats here.
—Linda, Director of Development
Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget by Reyna Grande
September 23, 6:00 pm
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE
From the publisher: “An ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival… Migrant Heart is a powerful testament to Grande’s role as a storyteller and cultural witness. It expands our understanding of life in the United States and the complex people who cross and live within its borders. It is an essential read for the seekers, the dreamers, and anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice.”
I am looking forward to when Grande visits the AWM later this month to discuss her book with Erika L. Sánchez. Both Grande and Sánchez were featured in our special exhibit My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today, and based on that I cannot wait to hear them discuss these themes together. I hope you can make it too! You can get your tickets here, or if you are unable to join in person, you can register for the livestream here.
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
OnWord 2026
September 26, 6:00 pm
Learn more about our annual benefit HERE
From the publisher: “A finalist for the Kirkus Prize, Andrew Carnegie Medal, Aspen Words Literary Prize, and a New York Times bestseller, this majestic, stirring, and widely praised novel from two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward, the story of a family on a journey through rural Mississippi, is a ‘tour de force’ (Oprah Daily) and a timeless work of fiction that is destined to become a classic.”
We are honored to present Jesmyn Ward with The Founder’s Inspiring Writer Award this year at OnWord 2026 for her outstanding contributions to American letters. Ward will be joining us at the event where she will accept the award and discuss her writing with Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me! Learn more about our annual benefit and reserve your seats here.
—Carey, President
New episodes from the AWM Podcast Network! These writers and their works were recently featured or will be featured soon on one of our popular podcast series, either as guests and/or subjects. Follow the links to learn more and listen to each episode, and visit the AWM Podcast Network Hub for more.
Apostles of Change: Latino Radical Politics, Church Occupations, and the Fight to Save the Barrio by Felipe Hinojosa
“AWM Author Talks: Felipe Hinojosa & Lilia Fernández” coming soon
From the publisher: “Unraveling the intertwined histories of Latino radicalism and religion in urban America, this book examines how Latino activists transformed churches into staging grounds for protest against urban renewal and displacement.”
Hinojosa joined us at the 2026 American Writers Festival as part of the program, “Social Change, Faith, and the Making of Latino Chicago,” alongside Lilia Fernández. The two scholars explored the intertwined histories of Latino faith, politics, and community formation in postwar Chicago and beyond. This episode will arrive later this month! In the meantime, check out all our podcasts here.
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
The Book of Red Flags: Dating Signs They Aren’t It by Jenny Gorelick
Listen to “AWM Author Talks: Jenny Gorelick” here
From the publisher: “For singles striving to mingle, The Book of Red Flags is a beacon on the modern dating darkness, detailing all the hilarious signs they aren’t it. Peppered with brutal honesty, real situations, and the author’s trademark humorous touch, The Book of Red Flags will resonate with anyone who has played the dating game with frustrating results.
Gorelick also attended the 2026 American Writers Festival to discuss this book with fellow comedian Ton Johnson. Two comedians on the stage talking about modern dating? Sign me up. It is a funny yet informative discussion, full of jokes but also insights into craft and what makes things funny. Give it a listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Boston in 50 Maps by Andy Woodruff
“AWM Author Talks: Writing Maps” coming soon
From the publisher: “Andy Woodruff’s newly created, original maps investigate all facets of Boston’s past and present. In unraveling the many complex layers that comprise the ‘real’ Boston, some explorations are expected: sports championships, universities, and pothole complaints. Others, such as the former cow paths that predated downtown streets, are decidedly more hidden. Entertaining and informative in equal parts, Boston in 50 Maps brings The Hub’s history, urban plans, and lore to life.”
Woodruff was a panelist on the “Writing Maps” program at the 2026 American Writers Festival, alongside cartographer Stentor Danielson and map curator David Weimer. This fascinating episode about storytelling with maps will come out later this month!
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago by Lilia Fernández
“AWM Author Talks: Felipe Hinojosa & Lilia Fernández” coming soon
From the publisher: “The first history to examine the migration and settlement of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in postwar Chicago. Lilia Fernández reveals how the two populations arrived in Chicago in the midst of tremendous social and economic change and, in spite of declining industrial employment and massive urban renewal projects, managed to carve out a geographic and racial place in one of America’s great cities.”
As mentioned, Fernández, alongside Felipe Hinojosa, discussed their work during the “Social Change, Faith, and the Making of Latino Chicago” program at the 2026 American Writers Festival. The two scholars explored the intertwined histories of Latino faith, politics, and community formation in postwar Chicago and beyond. This episode will arrive later this month! In the meantime, check out all our podcasts here.
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Pittsburgh in 50 Maps by Stentor Danielson
“AWM Author Talks: Writing Maps” coming soon
From the publisher: “Whether you call it the Steel City, the City of Bridges, City of Champions, Hell with the Lid Off, or even the Paris of Appalachia, Pittsburgh’s distinctive character is undeniable. Pittsburgh in 50 Maps considers the boundaries of the city’s 90 distinct neighborhoods (plus Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), the legacy of the steel industry, and how immigration continues to shape the city. You’ll also find the areas with the highest concentrations of bike lanes, supermarkets, tree cover, and fiberglass dinosaurs. Each colorful map offers a new perspective on one of America’s most consistently surprising cities and the people who live here.
Danielson was a panelist on the “Writing Maps” program at the 2026 American Writers Festival, alongside cartographer Andy Woodruff and map curator David Weimer. This fascinating episode about storytelling with maps will come out later this month!
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
A South Side Girl’s Guide to Love & Sex: Poems by Mayda del Valle
“AWM Author Talks: Mayda del Valle & Eve L. Ewing” coming soon
From the publisher: “As a child of Puerto Rican migrants on Chicago’s Southside, Mayda del Valle’s poetry utilizes part Spanish and English, part hip-hop and salsa, part Nas and Sonia Sanchez, part Shakespeare and John Leguizamo. It is inherited history as well as traditions remixed and invented.”
Mayda del Valle, the current Poet Laureate of Chicago, was also at the 2026 American Writers Festival as part of the “Poetry as Storytelling” program with Eve L. Ewing. It was a fascinating discussion with two of Chicago’s leading poets, and it comes out later this month on the AWM Author Talks podcast!
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
1919: Poems by Eve L. Ewing
“AWM Author Talks: Mayda del Valle & Eve L. Ewing” coming soon
From the publisher: “The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots comprising the nation’s Red Summer, has shaped the last century but is not widely discussed. In 1919, award-winning poet Eve L. Ewing explores the story of this event—which lasted eight days and resulted in thirty-eight deaths and almost 500 injuries—through poems recounting the stories of everyday people trying to survive and thrive in the city. Ewing uses speculative and Afrofuturist lenses to recast history, and illuminates the thin line between the past and the present.
As stated above, Ewing was part of the “Poetry as Storytelling” program with Mayda del Valle at the 2026 American Writers Festival. This conversation will be released later this month!
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
The full list of AWM Staff Picks! Here is what we’ve been into recently. Let us know what writing has captivated you in the comments!
Angry Candy by Harlan Ellison
From the publisher: “Winner of the World Fantasy Award for best short story collection, this volume by one of the most acclaimed authors of the twentieth century takes an intense look at how the specter of death haunts everyday life. Seventeen astonishing tales include the Hugo Award–winning novelette ‘Paladin of the Lost Hour’ and ‘Soft Monkey,’ winner of the 1988 Edgar Allan Poe Award for short story fiction.”
—Cassidy, Guest Services Manager
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
I came across this article and thought it was really interesting, especially in connection with American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture. I know neither George Harrison nor Paramahansa Yogananda is American, but I thought it was interesting to see how much influence Autobiography of a Yogi has had on American culture. The article talks about how the book was a favorite of Elvis Presley, who took it on tour, and how Steve Jobs was also deeply influenced by it and reread it throughout his life.
—Karie, Director of Marketing
Coyote vs. Acme screenplay by Samy Burch
From Rotten Tomatoes: “After decades of being blown to bits by bombs, demolished by dynamite, mangled by magnets, battered by boulders, trampled by trains, tricked by tunnels, sprung by springs, steamrolled by steamrollers, maligned by misfires, bedeviled by bungees, rattled by rockets, backstabbed by bat suits, rocked by rocket skates, upended by unicycles, quaked by quake pills, rubberized by rogue bands, and hurled headlong off every cliff in the Southwest, Wile E. Coyote (Genius) finally fights back. Teaming up with billboard accident lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), he takes on slick corporate counsel Buddy Crane (John Cena) and ACME, Inc., the profit-obsessed conglomerate behind every one of the Coyote’s chaotic catastrophes.”
—Matt, Community Engagement Manager
Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
From the publisher: “Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages. But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.
This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him. But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.”
—Allison, Director of Programs
The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman
From the publisher: “Galva—Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill—has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind. The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted—not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.”
—Allison, Director of Programs
Day by Michael Cunningham
From a review by playwright Tony Kushner: “Along with George Eliot, Michael Cunningham belongs in that rare group of novelists who hold the world close, with apparently infinite respect, compassion, and tenderness, all while describing the world and its inhabitants unsparingly. Day is a portrait of the life of a family, preceding, during, and immediately after the pandemic, rendered in fragments, almost as if assembling forensic evidence, not of a crime but of quiet tragedies and quiet, heroic endurance. There’s deep recognition here, bordering on revelation.”
—Carol, Assistant Director of Development
Friends of the Museum by Heather McGowan
From the publisher: “Coworkers at a legendary but troubled New York City museum struggle with issues large and small over the course of one extraordinary day in this whip-smart novel that is ‘satirical and incisive…like nothing you’ve ready before’ (Town & Country)… Wise, surprising, and darkly funny, Friends of the Museum is a kaleidoscopic ‘marvel’ (Mona Awad, author of Bunny) that surges along to the unstoppable tick of the clock, leaving you on the edge of your seat until the final second.”
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Gay Mormon Dad by Chad Anderson, art by Remy Burke
From the publisher: “All his life, Chad Anderson was told he was broken. He believed with all his heart that being a good Mormon would make him straight, because that is what he was told. Chad followed the prescribed road map: mission, marriage, and children. But it didn’t make him happy, and it didn’t make him straight. For Chad, coming out meant losing everything and starting again. Gay Mormon Dad is the story of one man learning to love himself in a complicated world. This inspiring autobiography unfolds in two parts, ‘Then’ and ‘Now,’ woven together in a way that will hit you right in the heart. Vibrantly illustrated by artist Remy Burke, this moving graphic novel sheds light on the dangers of spiritual abuse and illuminates the path to healing.”
—Matt, Community Engagement Manager
Horse Girls by Jenny Rachel Weiner
From the publisher: “Twelve-year-old Ashleigh rules the Lady Jean Ladies South Florida’s most exclusive horse club. News that her family’s stables are being sold and their horses killed for meat throws the Ladies into crisis in this dark comedy of middle school deception and lies. Horse Girls is a play about pre-teens: their obsessions their insecurities their desperate need to find a place in the world.”
—Matt, Community Engagement Manager
Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers
From Pitchfork: “For her third solo album, Phoebe Bridgers expands and contracts, capturing experiences that are strange, solitary, and hers alone. It is the quietest, most cohesive record in her discography.”
—Maya, Marketing & Creative Associate
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
From the publisher: “A time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley…By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future. An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world.”
—Nate, Content & Exhibits Manager
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico
I found this short 1950s book charming. Mrs. Harris (‘arris if you drop your h’s) is a London char (cleaning lady for us Americans) who decides she must have a Dior dress. The equal parts naive yet wise Mrs. Harris gets into many an unexpected situation and makes friends as she works to achieve her goal. I would hazard to say that Mrs. Harris is on a form of the classic hero’s journey, and her experiences were more important to her development as a character than achieving the goal. Great descriptions of the late 1950s Dior fashion and Paris. The first in a four-book series.
—Cristina, Development & Membership Associate
Never A City So Real: A Walk in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz
This book may be the best travel guide about Chicago ever written. But you won’t read about Navy Pier, the Bean, or the Sears Tower. Instead, you’ll read about people. Kotlowitz excels at writing about a city through its people. Like Ed Sadlowski, a labor activist affectionately known as “Oil Can Eddie”; Millie and Brenda who lived in Rockwell Gardens and love to gossip at their favorite lunch hangs like Mac Arthur’s; and artist Robert Guinan, who found inspiration from the patrons of Rite Liquors in Wicker Park. The Southeast side steel mills and public housing high-rises may no longer be, but Kotlowitz also captures the enduring legacies of Manny’s Deli, the Bud Billiken Parade, and the criminal courthouse on 26th Street. This short collection of essays, while over twenty years old, immortalizes the city as it truly is: “a stew of contradictions” full of “messy vitalities.”
—Andrew, Institutional Giving Manager
Probable Caws by Donna Andrews
From the publisher: “Meg has finally found time to get some blacksmithing done when a call from her dad interrupts her. Their friend Ragnar Ragnarsen has agreed to shelter nearly fifty horses for Hoof and Hearth, an equine rescue organization that has lost access to the farm. The owner of the farm recently died without leaving a will, and while his older son Abel would be happy to let the horses stay, younger brother George wants to sell to a developer, and is suspected of sending a thug to harm the horses.
That night, they discover that the thug has been murdered. Unfortunately George is alibied, but his horse-loving brother Abel is not. Neither are the hot-tempered founder of Hoof and Hearth or the passionately protective ex-jockey who serves as its stablemaster. Meg juggles helping keep the horses safe and doing what she can to help the chief solve the thug’s murder…”
—Annie, Administrative Associate
Social Animals by Camille Perri
I have to admit- I initially judged a book by its cover here. To be fair, this cover is fantastic. It displays a painting of a grumpy-but-adorable dog which resembles my sassy Shih Tzu, Ruby, a beloved companion from age 6 to 18. Personal connection aside, I can confirm that the novel is as wonderful as the design that drew me to it. I love dogs, and I love reading stories about complicated intrapersonal relationships. Having both in one was a slam dunk for me. This book is a perfect summer-to-fall transition read, as it balances engaging mystery with heartfelt friendships.
—Sydney, Systems Operations Coordinator
Ted Lasso developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly
My boyfriend introduced me to Ted Lasso, knowing my love for TV comedies and welcoming the bonus possibility that I’d learn a little more about the Premier League. I went in with decent expectations as a Jason Sudeikis fan, but the show’s writing blew me away. I’m a sucker for a balance of humor and serious topics, and Ted Lasso splices in topics like grief and mental health with surprisingly sharp precision. Though Ted’s Midwestern charm and relentless optimism sell him as a protagonist, the show’s greater power lies beneath the surface. Candid dialogue, masterful editing, and unique characters sold me as a fan for life, both of Ted Lasso and the fictional AFC Richmond football team.
—Sydney, Systems Operations Coordinator
Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham
From the publisher: “What if humans discovered the secret to prolonged life? Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two biochemists investigating a rare lichen, separately discover that it has a remarkable property: It slows the aging process almost to a halt. Francis, realizing the horrifying implications of an ever-youthful wealthy elite, decides to keep his findings a secret. But the younger and more daring Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo and free women from the career-versus-children binary—in short, a chance to remake the world.”
—Cristina, Development & Membership Associate
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
Because he is frequently praised as a master of the short story, especially among creative writing professors, I have dipped my toe into Raymond Carver’s catalog before. This summer, I read his collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love front to back in nearly one sitting. Carver’s stories are synonymous with unflinching realism, rooted in a recognizable sense of American life. Even 50 years after its original publication, there is a (sometimes eerie) universality to the very human interactions in What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. The true art of Carver’s voice lies not in what he says, but in what he skillfully implies despite (or maybe in cooperation with) ambiguous endings. He trusts the reader to excavate hard truths from a gritty surface, inviting both rewarding critical thinking and the shock of occasionally dark discoveries.
—Sydney, Systems Operations Coordinator
Visit our Reading Recommendations page for more book lists.