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The Chairs Are Where The People Go by Misha Glouberman with Sheila Heti. This book is part philosophy, part self-help, part business, but without any of the bullshit you probably associate with those categories. Heti worked with Glouberman to write down his thoughts on cities, education, art, love, charades, and other important things, in short, smart chapters that cohere closer and closer as the book goes on. Full of sharp insights and never boring. Next time you find your brain needing a jumpstart, this is the book to dive into. (Stephanie) Note: If you're a member of the WORD To Your Mailbox paperbacks program, you'll want to wait on buying this one.
The Curfew by Jesse Ball. You should read this novel partly because it will make you think, and partly because it is surprising, but mostly because it's brilliant. Ball has created an intense portrait of a family being torn apart by war without giving any details other than those of the characters themselves--the war, their city, their country, all are unspecified, making the book a universal cry against political violence. But William and Molly, father and daughter, are achingly familiar, and their story will catch you and hold you captive.The Curfew is a short, precise, and haunting masterpiece. (Jenn)
Flip Flop Fly Ball: An Infographic Baseball Adventure by Craig Robinson. The most entertaining baseball book you'll ever see--yes, see, not read--even though it was written by an Englishman living in Germany who hadn't even been to a baseball game until his mid-thirties. Robinson's brilliant baseball-themed infographics inject fun into the otherwise boring pastime of baseball statistics while adding an unconventional take on its history. Graphs that chart the years each major league team broke the color barrier and MLB payrolls sit alongside pie charts that show the percentage of players who wear high socks or A-Rod's salary measured in a stack of pennies to a simple map of the U.S. showing the american town furthest from a major league team (Turner, Montana). Here's an example pertaining to the Cleveland Indians. It's a book you'll instantly enjoy and keep going back to. A must for even a casual fan of baseball. Or great design. (Vinnie)
The Patterns of Paper Monsters by Emma Rathbone. One of the most unusual and startling voices I've read recently. The narrator, Jacob, is a teenage boy who is angry and violent, and whose anger and violence have just landed him in a juvenile detention center. He unexpectedly starts to fall in love with a girl in another part of the center around the same time that he meets David, a boy whose capacity for violence scares even Jacob, and suddenly he finds that he needs to make a choices he's never considered before. Sounds depressing--and it is, a little--but it also resonates with the unique optimism that only a confused teenager can have. And if you like it, we're discussing it in our book group on Saturday, August 6, at noon . (Stephanie)
   
I Am A Tyrannosaurus by Anna Grossnickle Hines. We all know a child who thinks he or she is a dinosaur. Actually, we all know some adults who feel that way too. This vibrant picture book is perfect for them, whether their dinosaur of choice is a tyrannosaurus, pteranodon, or a brachiosaurus. (Adrian)
Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It: And Other Kitchen Projects by Karen Solomon. Our top five most-coveted items from recipes in this book: Salted Margarita Cream Pops, Pineapple Mint Soda, Carrot Almond Jam, Miso Pickles, Cakes In A Jar. Pick up a copy to figure out your own!
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. Manhattan, 1938: two twenty-something girls on their own meet a young man of means, and their lives are changed. I'm a sucker for old NYC nostalgia anyway, but this book had me hooked. The characters are vibrant and alive, and the descriptions of NY are poetic. I loved every minute of it. (Christine)
Granta 115: The F Word. Don't take this pretty-in-pink issue lightly--it'll knock you over. A journal full of short stories and essays exploring the meaning of feminism might sound dry to you, but you'd be so wrong. From funny to haunting, with two particularly powerful contributions from Helen Simpson and Clarisa d'Arcimoles, you'll want to revisit them over and over again. (Jenn)
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