UNP staff members are always reading new books, both within our list and outside of what we publish. Here are some of our personal favorite books we’ve savored this summer.
August Staff Reading List
Tayari Jones
“Superb—the writing was excellent and the plot moved you along. What drew me to it were the phenomenal reviews it got. I had downloaded it a few months ago and forgotten about it until I was stuck on a plane for 2 ½ hours on a Philadelphia runway last weekend and remembered I had it on my phone.” —Donna Shear
My Life at Grey Gardens: 13 Months and Beyond
Lois Wright
“I borrowed this book from Amy. I’m reading it in hopes of discovering a new perspective on the two eccentric Edies living on the Grey Gardens property during the 1970s. The author’s time spent at Grey Gardens coincides with the filming of the famous documentary on the same subject, entitled ‘Grey Gardens.’ I find the saga and history of these woman and their living situation fascinating, so this book should be quite enjoyable.” —Lacey Losh
Kings of Broken Things: A Novel
Theodore Wheeler
“I don’t usually read historical fiction but this was a wonderful look into Omaha during the Omaha Race Riot of 1919. One of the characters is Tom Dennison—and Wheeler used one of our backlist Bison Books to research the infamous political boss for his novel.” —Rosemary Sekora
The Best Cook In the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table
Rick Bragg
“It was recommended to me by Alison. It’s full of Southern recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Maybe I’ll make poke salad for our next office food day!” —Erica Corwin
The Dinosaur Lords, Book 3
Victor Milan
“The series is set in a standard fantasy setting except dinosaurs are real. The story follows several different characters, from an unwilling hero who can’t seem to die, a knight and his order who serve beauty, to an imperial princess whose younger sister was just kidnapped by a rival power. I am enjoying the story and, to be honest, my inner ten-year-old did a happy dance when I came across these books.” —Rob Buchanan
Riley Sager
“Based on the premise of ‘two truths and a lie,’ this psychological thriller follows Emma as she returns to summer camp twenty years after three of her cabin mates disappeared in the middle of the night. The premise is intriguing, and Emma’s internal conflicts give the story needed complexity. Recommended reading while the weather still feels like summer.” —Heather Stauffer
The Lady Sherlock Series, Book 2
Sherry Thomas
“Summer reading means mysteries, and this is the second in The Lady Sherlock series. Holmes’s case in question is a continuation of the case from the first title in the series, which I read months ago and have already forgotten… It’s a great book, but read the series in quick succession if you’re prone to forgetting the details.” —Bridget Barry
The Valley of Amazement: A Novel
Amy Tan
“For a good chunk of the summer I read this novel by Amy Tan. It was given to me as a gift, for which I am very grateful. It’s about the relationship of three generations of women (mothers and daughters). It’s a real page-turner but I took my sweet time to make it last as long as possible. This strategy had its downside because the story moves forward and backward in time, and was a challenge to track, but I managed. I was sad to finish it last weekend but the good news is that there are plenty of other novels by Amy Tan books, as well as a recent memoir.” —Tish Fobben
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