Fiction
Inland
by Téa Obreht
The award-winning, best-selling author of The Tiger’s Wife returns with a mythical, mystical tale of the American West at the end of the 19th century.
(Random House)
The Topeka School
by Ben Lerner
Adam’s parents work at a psychiatric clinic in the Midwest in this exploration of how we deal with the past and the challenges of preparing kids for the future.
(Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux)
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood
Finally, the long-anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, set 15 years after the events of that masterpiece.
(Nan A. Talese)
The Water Dancer
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
In the first novel by the award-winning nonfiction author, Hiram fights to escape the bondage of the South even as he resolves to return to save the family he left behind.
(One World)
The Whisper Man
by Michael Parker
A creepy, very well-written thriller about a serial killer from the past who may have returned to prey on a small town.
(Celadon Books)
Nonfiction
The Body
by Bill Bryson
With his signature wit and humor, Bill Bryson has explored many places and ideas — and in best-selling fashion. Now he turns his attention toward the human body itself.
(Doubleday)
The Outlaw Ocean
by Ian Urbina
With no clear authority, anyone can do anything on the ocean because no one is watching. Urbana goes deep in reporting on pirates and smugglers, stowaways and thieves.
(Knopf)
The Meritocracy Trap
by Daniel Markovits
We are told we live in a meritocracy, but the author argues that it’s a sham that only contributes to inequality.
(Penguin)
All the Powers of Earth
by Sidney Blumenthal
The academic and high-level political operative describes Lincoln’s famous debates with Stephen Douglas and the rise to the presidency.
(Simon & Schuster)
Dreams of El Dorado
by H.W. Brands
Balanced, authoritative, and masterfully told, this book sets a new standard for histories of the American West.
(Basic Books)
Featured image: Shutterstock.com
This article is featured in the September/October 2019 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now
