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Hand-Drying in America: And Other Stories

When Women Were Birds

Jacob’s Folly

We Live in Water

Double Feature

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Hand-Drying in America: And Other Stories

By Ben Katchor

MacArthur Fellow Ben Katchor is a cartoonist and cult favorite who charts the follies and perils of urban living. Imagine a forest of artificial trees for hay fever sufferers and high-visibility construction vests for lonely people who want to be noticed.

When Women Were Birds

By Terry Tempest Williams

A mother close to death tells her daughter she’s leaving all of her journals to her. The daughter is surprised when she discovers all the journals are empty. Williams’ memoir is packed with contemplation and lyricism.

Jacob’s Folly

By Rebecca Miller

Fun fact: Rebecca Miller is the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller. In her second novel, an 18th-century French Jewish peddler is brought back to life as a housefly in 21st-century America. Funny and daring, Miller’s artistic voice is well worth exploring.

We Live in Water

By Jess Walter

The critically acclaimed novelist of The Zero shows off his satirical prowess in a collection of short stories. Protagonists are as diverse as a lawyer, a con man, a newspaper editor, and a homeless man trying to raise enough money to buy his son the new Harry Potter book.

Double Feature

By Owen King

This debut novel—by Stephen King’s son—follows a young filmmaker who reckons with his father’s failed B-movie career, his family’s dysfunctions, and his own artistic ambition. King’s protagonist is just one of many loveable but flawed characters in this decade-spanning book.