This month’s best new biographies and memoirs

 
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This Month's Best New Biographies & Memoirs
 
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Book cover for Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Alexander Hamilton turns to Mark Twain
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Get to know the father of American literature like never before in this #1 New York Times bestseller
  • This "monumental achievement" (Booklist starred review) chronicles Mark Twain's complex life as the nation's first literary celebrity
  • One of the most highly anticipated nonfiction releases of 2025
  • "This stands as the new definitive biography of the revered author" (Publishers Weekly starred review)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Mark Twain by Ron ChernowMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Next Big Idea Club, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Times, The Boston Globe, New York Post, Bloomberg Businessweek, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Art Spy by Michelle Young
Meet the unassuming museum curator who rescued stolen masterpieces from Hitler
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "Readers will relish this riveting tale of a clever war hero playing the long game against bumbling fascists" (Publishers Weekly)
  • During World War II, Rose Valland used her role at Paris's Jeu de Paume museum to spy for the French Resistance, risking her life to protect her staff and priceless works of art
  • "Strong narrative nonfiction that reads like a compelling novel" (Library Journal starred review)
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Media mentions for The Art Spy by Michelle YoungMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Town & Country, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Class Clown by Dave Barry
'Barry is to humor what Stephen King is to horror' (The Washington Post)
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • America's favorite literary humorist looks back on nearly 80 rollicking years of unserious life
  • "Readers will enjoy his candid, unpretentious voice and hilarious anecdotes" (Library Journal)
  • A "home run" of a memoir (The New York Times) from a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer
  • "Dave Barry is by far the greatest author of his generation" (Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Class Clown by Dave BarryMEDIA MENTIONS:NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal
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Book cover for The True Happiness Company by Veena Dinavahi
How did a smart, well-adjusted college student wind up in a cult?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • A shocking true story that reads like a thrilling novel
  • As Veena struggled with her mental health, she found herself drawn into the world of charismatic alternative therapist Bob Lyon. But when her treatment went too far, Veena began to question her new life
  • "Honest, brutal, funny, fascinating. A vital reminder of how important it is to trust ourselves" (New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The True Happiness Company by Veena DinavahiMEDIA MENTIONS:The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Dry Season by Melissa Febos
One of the season's most-discussed releases examines singlehood, sex, and self-worth
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • When the celebrated author of Girlhood took a break from dating, it turned into a year of abstinence — and many surprises
  • "Inspiring and rare… Like having a nourishing conversation with a smart, wry, and ever-probing friend" (Maggie Nelson, author of The Argonauts)
  • "Febos is both unflinching and compassionate" in this "brilliant and powerful meditation" (Elizabeth Gilbert) on desire and addiction
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Dry Season by Melissa FebosMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, Time Magazine, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Atlantic, People, The Washington Post, USA Today, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
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AmazonSee other formats and retailers
Book cover for When It All Burns by Jordan Thomas
Head to the front lines with a wildland firefighter during a record-setting fire season
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Documenting six dangerous months with the Los Padres Hotshots, this gripping read intertwines personal narrative with ecology, politics, and history
  • "An insightful and nuanced take on how we might learn to coexist a little more sensibly with the flames we've unleashed on this earth" (Bill McKibben)
  • This "exceptional" read (Los Angeles Times) has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist
Learn more...
Media mentions for When It All Burns by Jordan ThomasMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Queen of All Mayhem by Dane Huckelbridge
Meet Belle Starr, the coolest outlaw you've never heard of
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Learn about the wild life of an oft-overlooked yet legendary female bandit of the American Wild West
  • "Chock-full of Western lore… Told with brio" (Kirkus Reviews)
  • This colorful tale offers up a gang of thieves, romance and loss, thrilling adventure, and a death never fully solved
Learn more...
Media mentions for Queen of All Mayhem by Dane HuckelbridgeMEDIA MENTIONS:The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
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AmazonSee other formats and retailers
Book cover for Marsha by Tourmaline
The first definitive biography of a legendary LGBTQ+ activist
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • A cinematic homage to Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman who was a central force in the Stonewall uprising
  • "This literary tribute, adorned in garlands and glitter, is a must-read" (New York Times bestselling author Janet Mock)
  • "Illuminating... A poignant portrait of a figure whose 'greater sense of freedom' still inspires" (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Marsha by TourmalineMEDIA MENTIONS:Time Magazine, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Roxane Gay's Audacious Book Club, People, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage
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Book cover for How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast
An exploration of a complex mother–daughter relationship for fans of Crying in H Mart
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Molly grew up in the shadow of her mother Erica Jong's literary success. Then Erica was diagnosed with dementia just as Molly's husband was diagnosed with cancer
  • Praise from Anne Lamott, Lori Gottlieb, and Claire Messud
  • "Jong-Fast dives headfirst into the often-difficult ambiguities of parent–child bonds. The results are stunning" (Publishers Weekly)
  • "The best book Jong-Fast could have written about the worst year of her life" (Kirkus Reviews starred review)
Learn more...
Media mentions for How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-FastMEDIA MENTIONS:NPR, CBS Mornings, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, People, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Vogue, San Francisco Chronicle, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick
Follow twins separated by China's one-child policy to their long-overdue reunion
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • An "appalling exposé" (Booklist starred review) by a longtime foreign correspondent and investigative journalist
  • Two years after their mother gave birth to them, twin girls Fangfang and Shuangjie were ripped apart when Fangfang was sent to the US for adoption
  • "Resounding proof that nobody can understand China without reading Barbara Demick, because she unearths stories the government wants buried" (National Book Award–winning author Evan Osnos)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara DemickMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Guardian, The Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage
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