UNP staff members 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.

“I recently finished The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby by Michael Blanding, an exposé of the family behind the notoriously religious craft store chain. I was interested because I already knew that Hobby Lobby denies their employees insurance coverage for contraception and has turned money towards supporting fundamentalist Christian organizations, but I was unfamiliar with the extensive looted and forged biblical antiquities they were acquiring for their Museum of the Bible. It was a really interesting look at how the Green family have used their business to fund and further their religious agenda.” -Taylor Martin

“I recently finished Pew by Catherine Lacey. It follows a person of unknown origin, gender, age, and race, finding shelter in a church one night. In the morning, they’re taken in by a local family who nicknames them ‘Pew.’ Everyone in the town is desperate to identify and label Pew, who does not answer any of their questions, leading to much frustration and confrontation. Meanwhile, the whole town is on edge leading up to a mysterious festival. It’s a fascinating look at our inclination as humans to label and categorize others and ourselves, and what it would be like if a person completely opted out from these labels. It also exposes the limits of neighborly friendliness and religious charity, as those who take in Pew and claim to want to help are still desperate to violate Pew’s privacy in order to categorize them. I thought it was a brilliant concept, and the writing is great, so I’ll definitely be reading more from Catherine Lacey!” -Madison Wigley

“This August I am reading Wild Sea: A History of the Southern Ocean by Joy McCann. It is an engaging chronicle of one seriously cold—and wild—ocean. This book is pushing me to see all the land that the Southern Ocean touches—Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa—in a new light as well as ponder the dual strength and fragility of our blue planet. The book was originally published in Australia by UNSW Press and is available in the United States from University of Chicago Press.” -Clare Jones

“I’ve been reading Oliver Pötzsch’s Hangman’s Daughter series, which focuses on the 17th-century (mis)adventures of hangman Jakob Kuisl and his daughter, Magdalena. I’m now up to book 5, The Werewolf of Bamberg. In this one, Jakob and his daughter travel to Bamberg in Bavaria on vacation (and where his brother serves as executioner) but soon find themselves caught up in the mystery of people’s body parts being discovered in trash piles around town. Rumor spreads that it’s the work of a werewolf, so Jakob finds himself fighting medieval superstitions as well as actual enemies. One of the interesting aspects of the series is the author’s family background of being the descendants of official executioners/torturers, which must have made for interesting Christmas card reading down through the centuries.” -Clark Whitehorn

“After experiencing some major FOMO from so many other people I know having read this book, I finally finished reading Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel Yesteryear, which follows Natalie Heller Mills, a ‘tradwife’ social media influencer, who wakes up one day in a strange version of reality, where her home and family are familiar, but something is off. I’ve been having fun discussing the book and am looking forward to the adaptation, starring Anne Hathaway, once it comes out.” -Sarah Kee

“I’m reading Marion by Leah Rowan, a contemporary reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho film. This debut novel takes the plot of the movie and turns it on its head, making the victim the killer and the killer, well, killed. The famous shower scene (if you know, you know) builds up and evolves into an entirely new but familiar story, a perfect read for the upcoming spooky season!” -Taylor Gilreath

“I recently finished The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon. It reminds a of another favorite, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both books are told through the perspective of a machine (in Small Appliances it’s the robot vacuum). There’s a hierarchy of smart appliances in the house, but the reader eventually gets pulled into the lives of the human family they serve. It’s dystopian, heartwarming, and also heartbreaking. I loved the audiobook!” -Lacey Losh

“I just finished The Favorites by Layne Fargo which tells the story of childhood sweethearts who run away from home to become Olympic ice skaters. When I was little, I wanted to be Nancy Kerrigan when I grew up, so I was so excited to read this book. While the telling of the story is unique because it is partially told through interviews ten years following the pairs’ final skate, it opened my eyes to the behind-the-scenes sabotage, revenge, and heartbreak of the sport. It made me really sad to see how the cost of fame and the ultimate goal of winning ruined their relationship both on and off the ice.” -Emily Casillas