Hand-Drying in America: And Other Stories

When Women Were Birds

Jacob’s Folly

We Live in Water

Double Feature

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.

The post Your Shelf Life appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Classic Dining

Classic Dining: Discovering America’s Finest Mid-Century Restaurants

By Peter Moruzzi

An homage to the art of dining during the ’50s and ’60s. Nightlife writer Moruzzi celebrates 200 restaurants all over the country and visits San Diego’s Imperial House, Albie’s Beef Inn, the Red Fox Room, and Turf Supper Club.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove

Vampires in the Lemon Grove

By Karen Russell

A vampire marriage hits the skids when one of them develops a fear of flying. The stresses of supernatural love are perfect fodder for the inventive mind of Russell, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalist and author of Swamplandia.

The Still Point of the Turning World

The Still Point of the Turning World

By Emily Rapp

Rapp’s memoir about parenting her young, dying son is a beautifully written account of every parent’s worst fears. It’s about the overwhelming weight of grief and surprising moments of joy. The book examines the search for meaning and hope.

The Dinner

The Dinner

By Herman Koch

Over dinner at a fashionable restaurant in Amsterdam, two couples (the men are brothers) share a friendly meal, until they discuss the tragic events perpetrated by their sons. Civility and social norms break down and a dark, psychological thriller emerges.

My Ideal Bookshelf

My Ideal Bookshelf

By Thessaly La Force

What books have changed your life? La Force asks leading cultural figures like Malcolm Gladwell and Twilight author Stephanie Meyer to pick a small shelf of books that best represent who they are. Each page features an illustration and a short essay based on La Force’s interviews.

The post Your Shelf Life appeared first on San Diego Magazine.