UNP Staff member are always reading new books, both within our list and outside of what we publish. Here are some of the titles where our noses have been buried.
June Staff Reading List
Zadie Smith
“So far, it’s a master class in novel writing. I’m a big fan of White Teeth, but this definitely shows Smith at the height of her powers. Highly recommend.” —Elizabeth Zaleski
Pam Jenoff
“This riveting historical novel tells the story of a network of female secret agents who were deployed into France during WWII, never to be seen again. Told from three different women’s perspectives, this book was hard to put down. Although a bit dark in places, the novel really reiterated the strength of these women and the sacrifices they made for their country.” —Emily Wendell
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 10th Anniversary Edition
Stephen King
“This is one of the last of the books from what I’d pick as King’s most essential era that I haven’t read yet. I’m a little more than half way through and while there are few surprises for fans of his work, it’s fascinating to see what he values in prose. His description of the relationship between writer and reader as one of telepathy has stuck with me for weeks since I read it.” —Jackson Adams
The Face of a Naked Lady: An Omaha Family Mystery
Michael Rips
“So many quirky characters that are a part of Omaha history come to life as the author tries to track down the mysterious woman who appears in his father’s paintings. I’m not going to forget the weirdness of this book anytime soon.” —Erica Corwin
Noah Hawley
“This was a recommendation from my sister. A private plane crashes into the ocean, and a man swims all night with a four-year-old to safety. The novel moves between personal stories of the passengers and the aftermath of the crash, leading up to an equally dramatic conclusion. Well-paced, the book muses on life, loss, corporate media, definitions of heroism, and the lasting consequences of the choices we make.” —Heather Stauffer
The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays
Esmé Weijun Wang
“I’ve been having trouble sticking with a book since I graduated—it’s so freeing not to be required to read anything! But I think I finally found the book to get me out of my slump. It’s a collection of essays, one of which I read in a recent issue of the Sewanee Review. I was immediately taken with Wang’s voice, which is frank, lyric, and often very funny. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the collection and getting started on my summer reading list.” —Madeline Moore
Desiree Cooper
“Cooper was the plenary speaker at this year’s AUP Meeting in Detroit. She kindly gave away copies of her book, a collection of flash fiction revolving around motherhood and the love, anxiety, and pain that role entails. Cooper’s writing is clean and devastating. I devoured it.” —Anna Weir
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