The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Adult Nonfiction

While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger

Meg Kissinger begins with an intimate portrayal of a family silently battling mental illness and ends with an exploration of the mental health system that failed them. Her writing is both compassionate and thought provoking. She evokes sympathy for the plight of those with mental illness and anger at the failings of our mental health system.

While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger, (List Price: $30, Celadon Books, 9781250793775, September 2023)

Reviewed by Horton’s Books in Carrollton, Georgia

The Six by Loren Grush

A September 2023 Read This Next Book!

I dressed up as Sally Ride in the fourth grade after visiting the Johnson Space Center, and I’ve been a fan ever since! I have spent hours reading books and watching documentaries about all things NASA for years of my life, but I still learned so many new things reading this book. The new insight that Grush brings to this era of NASA history is fascinating; by telling the story though the perspectives of the first six women astronauts she situates the space shuttle in a way I have not seen before. She also has a knack for explaining complicated engineering or scientific concepts in very clear, short paragraphs, which I really appreciated! This will be a great addition to any space fan’s library.

The Six by Loren Grush, (List Price: $32.5, Scribner, 9781982172800, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Move Like Water by Hannah Stowe

Beautifully evocative, Stowe’s memoir captures the emotional and physical pull of open waters in a visceral and compelling way. A book that can be read on many levels– memoir, a natural history guide, a call to care–with it’s strength in the intersection of all. If you love oceans, women explorers and artists, or just a book to challenge your mind and soul, this one is for you.

Move Like Water by Hannah Stowe, (List Price: 24.95, Tin House Books, 9781959030102, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Essential reading for all humans — insightful, brilliant, and emotive writing from Audre Lorde.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, (List Price: $27, Penguin Classics, 9780143134442, February 2020)

Reviewed by RC Collman, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus

America’s guiltiest pleasure: the hot dog. Following a road trip Loftus and her then-partner took in the summer of 2021, this is so much more than just a history book with a suggestive title. Stories of meth motels, the hunt for the best hotdog in the country, and brilliant musings on organized labor and the food industry in the United States, all wrapped into one, clever, laugh-out-loud book. Loftus’ humor transfers onto the page so well, it makes for a history book like no other.

Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus, (List Price: 26.99, Forge Books, 9781250847744, May 2023)

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

I will forever love Leslie Jones and this book just solidified that for me. It’s equal parts hilarious and touching and there are so many laugh-out-loud moments I could not keep it together. Jones has always been true to herself and who she is and I love the example that she sets in standing up for herself and her coworkers. This book is a true gem by a true gem.

Leslie Fcking Jones* by Leslie Jones, (List Price: $30, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538706497, September 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Still We Rise by Erika Council

A good cookbook needs inviting recipes and clear instructions. A great cookbook goes beyond to provide context, history, and a singular voice. Still We Rise is a great cookbook that elevates the humble biscuit while paying homage to African-American chefs and home cooks and expanding American foodways history. Council writes with sass, reassurance, and authority. Her introductory section on ingredients and tools made me both laugh and believe I could bake these gems. Great recipes (for fillings and butters as well as biscuits), beautiful and functional photographs, and historical notes make this a kitchen shelf essential.

Still We Rise by Erika Council, (List Price: 26, Clarkson Potter, 9780593236093, August 2023)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Strip Tees by Kate Flannery

This was a nostalgic punch to the gut for me as a former American Apparel gal, reminding me of when I wore Lycra and bodysuits to work, had my picture taken every day, then finally snapped, saying I was not a model and quitting, taking the last vestiges of my dignity along with me. I feel seen. More seen than when I was wearing spandex and lamé. This was a validating read for me, but will also be interesting to those who came of age in the 2000s, for every Millennial who cut their teeth on celebrity culture and came away wanting more.

Strip Tees by Kate Flannery, (List Price: 27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250827289, July 2023)

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush

A beautifully written, immediately engaging book about exploring a new area of the Antarctic, experiencing climate change on a vast yet immediate scale, and still deciding to bring a child into the world. The author pulls from her experiences as an observer on an exploration vessel to chart a path into the future. Excerpts from her interviews with others aboard the ship – scientists, but also the crew and even the ship’s cooks – bring multiple perspectives into her musings on everything from the breaking ice to birth stories. While the themes of the book are urgent, the messages are hopeful: while there is work for everyone, together, we can accomplish more; and when we mess up, which we all do, own the error and don’t make the same mistake again.

The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush, (List Price: 30, Milkweed Editions, 9781571313966, August 2023)

Reviewed by Ginger Kautz, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

This is the most "un-put-downable" piece of non-fiction I’ve ever read. A brash and well-written account that -without being trivial- allows hope and redemption to spring from addiction, incarceration and shame, liberally sprinkled with the power of the written word to empower and invoke change. Looking forward to discussing this work as it also shines a harsh light on the injustice system and one can hope, bring more of us to seek improvement. Truly an important and unique book, much applause!

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin, (List Price: 28.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781982197667, August 2023)

Reviewed by Shari Stauch, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton

This is a beautiful little book. It is partly a helpful guide for folks going through losing a loved one, partly a meditation on how to live. Her drawings are simultaneously simple, emotional, and direct. Words are used sparingly, which lends them more value and meaning. I will keep this book, and buy multiple copies to give away to friends and family. The resource guide in the back is also extremely helpful!

How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton, (List Price: 28, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639730858, July 2023)

Reviewed by Daniel Jordan, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Behold the Monster by Jillian Lauren

Beautifully written and heartfelt while stark and horrifying, Behold the Monster is an absolute triumph. Jillian Lauren is masterful with her pen and you can tell the struggle she feels internally and externally when dealing with such stark evil. Her internal conflicts are relevant without being distracting and she lends heart to the important part of Samuel Little’s story, the victims. I usually do not enjoy nonfiction, because I find it either too dry or too emotional. This is a perfect balance of both and I recommend it to anyone who feels compelled to read the stories of those who were forgotten.

Behold the Monster by Jillian Lauren, (List Price: $27.99, Sourcebooks, 9781728267753, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

America the Beautiful? by Blythe Roberson

Blythe Roberson is a 28 year old writer and comedian who quits her job to take The Great American Road Trip alone beginning in the spring of 2019. In a borrowed Prius, she drives cross-country to National Parks to earn Junior Ranger Badges and to share her experiences with her Instagram followers and readers of this book. Along the road with Blythe, all readers experience the beauty of the natural parks, her humor about life and love, and her despair with Trump politics and devastating climate change. We hear her questions about her future and the future of this country and the world. While writing about Emerson, Dickinson and Thoreau, many thoughts are shared about traveling while being a solo woman with fears and loneliness and feeling horny. Riding each mile with this humorous and thoughtful woman, all readers will reflect about the meaning of life and our freedoms. Are we all living our lives to the fullest? Surely this book will linger in the minds of all readers as we decide how to spend our minutes of our days….do you need a solo road trip?

America the Beautiful? by Blythe Roberson, (List Price: 30, Harper, 9780063273405, July 2023)

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia

First to the Front by Lorissa Rinehart

The book is not just a dry recounting of Dickey Chapelle’s story. The writing is moving, engaging, and gripping. The author captures Dickey’s personality and her drive. The reader learns about the many firsts that Dickey accomplished as well as the disturbing “unknown” behind-the-scenes events that the US participated in throughout many wars and conflicts across the globe. Her life spans WWII through the Vietnam war. An amazing life! An amazing story!

First to the Front by Lorissa Rinehart, (List Price: 32, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250276575, July 2023)

Reviewed by Robin, A Novel Escape in Franklin, North Carolina

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

I’ll admit I have a bit of a guilty pleasure approach when it comes to thieves and heists. I’m amazed at the planning, the execution, and most of all, the why. When I saw this book about master art thief Breitweiser and his girlfriend, Anna-Christine, I knew I had to read it. I’m not sure what I was expecting it to be. An over-romanticized account about the wild and daring adventures of this couple that managed to steal billions of dollars right under the noses of the art world and art police alike? Whatever the case, that’s not what I got and I think the novel is all the better for it. It doesn’t read like fiction because it isn’t- everything actually happened! And none of this is to say it was boring or uninteresting. Quite the opposite! I was heavily invested. Rather, the matter-of-fact, understated reporting of the thefts as well as the behind the scenes drama are as true to Breitweiser’s manner of stealing as can be. This was not a man who needed to don all black and plan elaborate, barely made it heists. No, all Brietweiser needed was his pocketknife and girlfriend (with the occasional nail clipper). The detailed retelling of many of the thefts is not only paired with insight into the lives of two of the most successful thieves, but also a thorough psychoanalysis from many a psychiatrist interested in the mind behind the man. Well reported and I’d say authentic, The Art Thief is a must read.

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel, (List Price: $28, Knopf, 9780525657323, July 2023)

Reviewed by Laney Sheehan, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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