Michael Schaub

Thriller author Brad Meltzer and documentary producer Josh Mensch offer an intriguing look at a true-life, foiled plan that, had it succeeded, may have killed the American dream before it even began.

Author George Howe Colt's choice to delve into the lives of the players and coaches in his new book, as well as the turbulent year itself, makes his writing about the actual game pay off beautifully.

Linguist Gaston Dorren's book is endlessly interesting — and you don't have to have any linguistic training to enjoy it: He has a talent for clearly explaining even the most difficult concepts.

This second posthumous anthology of stories by Lucia Berlin is full of deeply felt stories about lives on the fringe, alternately comic and tragic, bound together by Berlin's love for her characters.

Gorey, whose art formed the basis of Mystery! and who was the mind behind The Gashlycrumb Tinies, is undeniably one of the most influential American writers and illustrators of the last century.

The singer-songwriter tells the story of how a kid from a Midwestern, working-class family became an idol to country-punk and alternative rock fans — and the obstacles and celebrations along the way.

Them doesn't read like a campaign book — there's no humble-bragging about accomplishments. Sasse instead focuses on building relationships, but doesn't go deep enough or propose tangible solutions.

Casey Gerald survived a rough childhood before finding his way to success — and he's written a stunningly original memoir exposing a life much more compelling than those of many of his counterparts.

Katya Apekina's debut novel follows a pair of sisters sent to live with their estranged father in New York, challenging the bonds between parents and siblings.

American Prison is the remarkable story of a journalist who spent four months working as a corrections officer — and a horrifying exposé of how prisoners are treated by a profiting corporation.

By engaging with our country's past — and present — in an intellectually honest way, Jill Lepore has created a book that truly does encapsulate the American story in all its pain and triumph.

For three years in the 1980s, sports fans could enjoy football in the Spring. Master storyteller Jeff Pearlman describes the league's wild games, wilder players, and owners — including Donald Trump.

Stephen Markley's novel follows four friends, each with their own baggage, who return to their home town on the same night, but for different reasons — leading to an explosive moment of violence.

Antonia Felix's new biography is a flattering portrait of a senator — no doubt by a strong supporter — whom many see as a contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.

Matthew Cutter's entertaining new biography of "Uncle Bob" tells the story of the all-American-boy-turned-alternative-rock-god and the influence he and his band Guided by Voices had on modern rock.

JM Holmes asks a lot of questions in his debut story collection, a shockingly powerful, gorgeously written book about four African American friends growing up and growing apart.

Ling Ma's shocking and ferocious new novel mashes up a zombie apocalypse story with the everyday tribulations of office life — you may run from zombies but you'll never escape middle management.

Brazilian author Beatriz Bracher's new novel — her first to be published in English — follows a professor who, years later, is still haunted by his arrest and torture during Brazil's dictatorship.

Simon Rich's new collection welcomes readers to his sweet but twisted world, with laugh-out-loud stories about everything from a competitively ascetic monk to a baby writer born in tweed and glasses.

In her new book, former New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani suggests that truth should be added to the list of casualties of the Trump administration.