Operation Mincemeatby Ben Macintyre
A gripping account of an unlikely and outrageous WWII espionage plot.
Uncountable books have been written about World War II, but seemingly there are still many amazing little-told stories from that war, and Operation Mincemeat is one of them. The body of a homeless Welshman was dressed as Captain William Martin, and his clothes and wallet were stuffed with little scraps that filled out his fake life—ticket stubs, love letters, and most important, false plans about the upcoming invasion of Sicily. His body was dumped near Spain with the hopes that German intelligence would find it and move their troops accordingly. They did. German forces were built up in Greece and Sardinia, which proved disastrous for the Nazis. In Ben Macintyre’s telling of the story, The Guardian says, “there is enough pathos and tragedy to remind you that you're reading real life-or-death stuff, influencing the outcome of the entire war, rather than enjoying a rollicking novel, rollicking though the book often is.”
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Losing My Coolby Thomas Chatterton Williams
In this poignant memoir, one young man recalls trading the thug life for the literary one.
In 2007, The Washington Post published Thomas Chatteron Williams' op-ed "Yes, Blame Hip-Hop," to much controversy. Now, in his debut book, Williams expounds upon the central theme he presented in that article, that of the unfulfilling and destructive hip-hop life. Williams chronicles his intellectual coming-of-age and his transition from a BET-inspired life of bling and babes to the eye-opening world of academia. Losing My Cool is an engaging and honest exploration of one man's self-discovery, as well as the powerful relationship between a father and son. Williams hopes his work will "provoke readers black, white, old and young to question, critique, and ultimately reject more of the nonsense and conformity that surrounds us all."
My Name Is Mary Sutterby Robin Oliveira
A mesmerizing Civil War tale of a woman overcoming the odds to become a doctor.
Robin Oliveira's skillful debut follows the willful, indomitable Mary Sutter, a young midwife living in upstate New York in the late-1800s. After medical schools reject her because she is a woman, Mary leaves for the nation's capital, intent on realizing her dreams of becoming a full-fledged surgeon. Two surgeons take Mary under their wing and despite family obligations, Oliveira's passionate heroine decides to pursue the medical profession—no matter the obstacles. Historical fiction fans shouldn't miss what Booklist calls a "graceful, assured portrayal of a courageous woman" and "an impressive historical epic."
The Friends of Eddie Coyleby George V. Higgins
A seminal crime novel turns 40-years-old.
Forty years after the 1970 publication of one of the most important crime novels ever written, The Friends of Eddie Coyle has been re-released, having lost none of its bite in the intervening decades. The first of the nearly 30 novels written by George V. Higgins, the crackling dialogue in Coyle has served has inspiration for the likes of Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet. As career criminal Coyle considers which of his criminal contacts to rat out to the district attorney in exchange for his own freedom, Higgins unfolds a story described by The Los Angeles Times as “Weighed and calibrated like the barrel of a pistol.”
Citizen Youby Jonathan Tisch
Changing the world is easier than you think, says a leading philanthropist.
With public faith in banks and big businesses at an all-time low, Jonathan Tisch has released a perfectly timed how-to guide for what he calls “Active Citizenship,” the kind of hands-on participation that allows any citizen to affect the change they want to see without waiting for the middleman. The advice in Citizen You comes straight from the source—Tisch is the chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and one of the most active American philanthropists working today. Tisch’s tenets for Active Citizenship, paired with countless examples of change in action, “will inspire countless readers to take action and dramatically change the world,” says Teach for American founder Wendy Kopp.
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