UPFRONT/READ
Books to Give and Get
Inspiring, entertaining and fascinating recent releases for every interest
Sports/Travel
Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments
by Joe Posnanski
The sportswriter highlights stories of exhilarating feats including Babe Ruth surpassing Lou Gehrig to set the home run record in 1927 and Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956.
100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Cycling Experiences
by Roff Smith
Both casual and ardent cyclists will find inspiration in a roundup of biking destinations worldwide, with gorgeous photos as well as advice on where to stay and things to do along the way.
Fiction
The Exchange
by John Grisham
This sequel to Grisham’s blockbuster The Firm returns to the story of Mitch and Abby McDeere, reconnecting with them 15 years after they revealed the crimes of a Memphis law firm.
The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries
edited by Michael Sims
An anthology of lesser-known stories from the 19th century, when murder tales began to feature detectives deciphering clues—and fingering criminals.
North Woods
by Daniel Mason
Mason’s wonderful novel centers on a house in western Massachusetts and its various inhabitants—some haunted (literally) by their predecessors—from the precolonial era to modern times.
History
Becoming Ella Fitzgerald
by Judith Tick
Music historian Tick takes readers on a fascinating dive into the life of the legendary jazz singer.
Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland
by Scott Shane
Shane tells the remarkable story of abolitionist Thomas Smallwood, a Black man who escaped slavery and helped hundreds of others through the Underground Railroad (a term he coined).
The Core of an Onion: Peeling the Rarest Common Food
by Mark Kurlansky
Enjoy this quirky treatment of a microtopic from the best-selling author of, among others, Cod, Paper and Milk! This book explores the onion and how it has shaped global cuisine through the centuries, with recipes.
Other
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas!
by Alastair Heim
For the grandchildren, this sequel is illustrated by Aristides Ruiz in the style of the beloved original, and it finds the reformed Grinch returning to Whoville one year after his dramatic theft of the villagers’ Christmas, hoping to create the most fantastic celebration of all. —Christina Ianzito
COOKBOOKS
Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the Twenty-One Countries of Latin America by Sandra A. Gutierrez
Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert
The Unofficial Ted Lasso Cookbook: From Biscuits to BBQ, 50 Recipes Inspired by TV’s Most Lovable Football Team by Aki Berry and Meg Chano
→ For more reviews, author interviews and book talk, go to aarp.org/books.