Haruki Murakami
[isbn]
Men Without Women is the perfect gateway into Murakami's bibliography. There's not a bad story in this collection and they range in concept as much as his novels — from sad and lonely to weird, off-the-charts and... lonely.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Karl Ove Knausgaard
[isbn]
Following multiple story lines, Knausgaard provides his usual great writing and takes on the world, but also a touch of science fiction and even suspense. After devouring the My Struggle series, I didn't know what to expect from the Norwegian author's fiction, but it was as addictive and enjoyable as everything else he writes.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Joe Posnanski
[isbn]
The Baseball 100 is perhaps the best baseball book I've read. Joe Posnanski makes the less interesting players fascinating (Kid Nichols, Arky Vaughan) and looks at those who've been written to death (Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams) from a new angle other writers haven't delved into. The Baseball 100 gives credit to Black players who never had a shot at the main limelight before Jackie Robinson and brings their stories to life. This... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Stephen King
[isbn]
Another solid King novel, his third in the Hard Case Crime series. There's certainly nothing unique about the story. It's a coming-of-age tale of a kid with a special power (or is it a curse?), but it's done well, as King tends to do, and if you're a fan of the bestselling author, this is a must-read. If you're not a fan, Later is a good gateway to other works.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jared Cohen
[isbn]
This is a great insight into some of our lesser-known presidents as well as a new look at the more famous ones. Cohen has done his research and writes great tales of transitions of power. It's very interesting to read about men who were hoping to ride out four to eight years in the lazy chair of the vice president, only to be unexpectedly be given vast amounts of responsibility they (mostly) did not want.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Alistair Macleod
[isbn]
A fantastic tale of a family's history going back hundreds of years, from Scotland to Canada. MacLeod writes wonderfully with great humor. I bought my copy at Massy Books in Vancouver, B.C., after I asked for great Canadian authors. They gave me this and they were right!
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Joyce Carol Oates
[isbn]
Another wonderful novel from Joyce Carol Oates filled with spectacular characters (even if I really didn't like quite a few of them). The book opens with an all-too-familiar police brutality scene which permeates the family drama to follow for the next 700-plus pages. Oates brings the reader into every member of the family. Not once did I feel this book was too long. The 82-year-old author not only shows no signs of slowing, but she also has a... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Erik Larson
[isbn]
Larson takes his excellent storytelling to new depths as he leads the reader through Winston Churchill's first year as prime minister. The Splendid and the Vile is not just focused on military strategy, but also the drama of the Churchill family and their close circle of friends and confidants. Larson is an expert at finding equally minute and entertaining tidbits about history that seem to get forgotten or left behind by other authors.... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Peter Houlahan
[isbn]
First-time author Peter Houlahan has already figured out how to write as well as the best narrative nonfiction writers out there. Norco ’80 tells the true tale of an epic bank robbery. Not only does the reader get a minute-by-minute account of the day, but Houlahan also brings great depth to the characters involved. Norco ’80 should not slide past the bedside stands of any fans of fast-paced true crime.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jeff Tweedy
[isbn]
Jeff Tweedy's memoir is honest, informative, and very funny. If you couldn't tell from Wilco's album Star Wars, their lead singer has a fantastic sense of humor and a down-to-earth modesty that go along with a heavy devotion to his craft. This Wilco fan devoured Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) in just a few days, and it is a fantastic gift for all their other fans.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Josh Malerman
[isbn]
Bird Box is the scariest book I have read in years and I have read many scary books. I jumped out of my chair while reading it when my wife came home unexpectedly one evening. It's not for the fainthearted.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Paul Tremblay
[isbn]
There might be five pages that aren't suspenseful in The Cabin at the End of the World, and that's only if you don't read the synopsis. Tremblay will draw you in beginning with a friendly stranger stopping by to chat with a little girl playing in her front yard, and it won't end until the final page. Be prepared to stay up past your bedtime.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Paul Auster
[isbn]
When you finish 4 3 2 1 you'll be able to say you've finished four novels. Auster's novel follows Archibald Isaac Ferguson through four different lives that alter based on little differences from the first chapters. It's an extremely inventive and compelling piece of work. For readers who have ever looked back at their lives and thought, "I wonder what my life would be like if X hadn't happened," Auster has the answer.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jeff Guinn
[isbn]
Guinn's biography of one of the most famous mass murderers in history brings you into the details of Charlie Manson's life. The guy was good friends with the Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson and had big aspirations to not only hide out in the desert while American erupted into another civil war, but also get a recording contract to make him big and famous. Guinn's writing left me looking forward to each chapter and got me up to speed on a story... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Julian Barnes
[isbn]
A story that seems unlikely but is painted in a very believable way: the love story of a 48-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man. Everything is wonderful about this book. That doesn't mean it isn't sad, but I breezed through this in a matter of days and adored every page.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Ian McEwan
[isbn]
Had this been written by any other author I would have thought, Not for me, and moved on. Because it's written by McEwan, I had to try it, and like most of his novels, I loved it. Machines Like Me not only has science fiction, with one of the main characters being a new robotic person, but it also has a great alternative history set during the Falklands War of 1982. Things go differently for England in this history, but at least... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Lisa Halliday
[isbn]
Philip Roth is not dead. He is alive and well within the story and writing of Asymmetry. One of the main characters looks and acts a lot like the late Roth and it's obvious Halliday was influenced by the greatest author of the last 50 years. It is incredible and thought-provoking how first-time author Halliday connects the first and second half of her novel together as she tells two very different stories. After reading the first half,... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Joyce Carol Oates
[isbn]
Sometimes I think Joyce Carol Oates is so prolific that is makes her underrated. Beautiful Days is a magnificent collection of stories that can take a surprisingly eerie turn. I was continually shocked at how spooky Oates can be, while at the same time connecting the reader to the characters in a very strong way. Beautiful Days is a must for the short story reader, especially the one who's been eyeing the bookstore's huge... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Rob Neyer
[isbn]
Rob Neyer gives an excellent portrait of what Major League Baseball looks like today, told through a nine-inning game between the Astros and A's. He does a lot of comparing with 1954's A Day in the Bleachers, 1990's Men at Work, and 2003's Moneyball. Power Ball is a time capsule of today's game worthy to be listed next to them. Neyer has a fair share of criticism to unveil, but it's not without solutions. I... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Karl Ove Knausgaard, Don Bartlett, Martin Aitken
[isbn]
Yowza, this was a doozy in many more ways than one and the vast majority of those ways are positive. Knausgaard's final memoir/autobiography/novel could be divided into three parts: about 400 pages regarding the first few months before book one of My Struggle was released, in which his uncle is furious with Knausgaard's description of his father and threatens a lawsuit; another 400 pages or so of an essay about Adolf Hitler, comparing... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Hampton Sides
[isbn]
Hampton Sides brings the "forgotten war" to the forefront of the reader's mind with On Desperate Ground. In the same narrative fashion as Ghost Soldiers, Sides takes the reader through the lives of a small group of Marines who are heavily outnumbered by not only the Koreans, but Mao's Chinese troops as well. This is a fantastic tale of military bravery from a war that should be anything but forgotten.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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David Grann
[isbn]
Grann is a first-class narrative writer in the same category as Erik Larson, Hampton Sides, and Candice Millard. Killers of the Flower Moon is equally spooky, educational, and riveting. Wealthy Native Americans are dying one by one in a small community in Oklahoma. The first half has the reader wondering who's responsible, while the second is the mystery of whether or not justice will be done.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Philip Roth
[isbn]
"Old age isn't a battle: old age is a massacre." This short, concise novella begins at the main character's funeral, and Roth shows us how he got there. This book made me smile a lot, not for the plot, but for how powerful Roth's words on mortality are. By the end of this book the reader will have an idea of the worst that could be coming, as well as an educated view of how to dig a grave. Everyman is Roth at his best.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Joyce Carol Oates
[isbn]
What a powerful and engrossing book! Joyce Carol Oates has created yet another epic and beautiful novel that follows the families of an slain abortion doctor and the family of the man responsible. This hefty book will wrap you up like a warm blanket, and you'll have a hard time putting it down; and when you do, you'll have difficulty thinking of anything else.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Joe Hagan
[isbn]
Joe Hagan gives what must be a very honest portrayal of Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner. It must be because he doesn't paint Wenner in the most favorable light. However, it's a fantastic ride with hundreds of characters from the magazine's history: Hunter Thompson, Mick Jagger, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Annie Leibovitz, John Belushi, Paul Simon, and so many more. It's incredible how much the history of pop music has been... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Dave Eggers
[isbn]
Dave Eggers has always been excellent at creating a time capsule of what's happening in American society, and The Monk of Mokha is no exception. Eggers should be ranked with authors like Erik Larson and Hampton Sides for his riveting narrative nonfiction. The Monk of Mokha provides a thorough and entertaining ride through the history of coffee, told alongside the story of a Yemeni American and his uplifting, dangerous adventure... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Tom Verducci
[isbn]
I am not a Cubs fan, but I am a Tom Verducci fan and he deserves his own World Series ring for this account of the rise of the 2016 Chicago Cubs. With alternating chapters on games one through seven of the World Series, Verducci goes into fascinating depth on how Theo Epstein, Joe Maddon, and a lot of young, talented, and upstanding ball players brought the North Side of Chicago its first World Series title since 1908. You don't have to be a Cubs... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Scott Miller
[isbn]
If you enjoyed Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, you will love The President and the Assassin. Follow the little-known story of William McKinley as well as his eventual assassin, anarchist, Leon Czolgosz. As with every book on history, you'll see a lot of connections to today's society and its problems. Author Scott Miller writes at a descriptive yet fast pace, much like Millard, Hampton Sides, and Erik Larson. The... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Philip Roth
[isbn]
This is alternative history at its literary best. Isolationist and Hitler supporter Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election. The United States does not enter WWII and American Jewish families find themselves facing similar anti-Semitism the Germans have been facing since the Nazis came to power. The Plot Against America displays one of the world's finest writers at the peak of his powers. The beauty... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Karl Ove Knausgaard, Don Bartlett
[isbn]
Book Four of Knausgaard's fictional memoir is cringe-worthy in the best way. The Norwegian's writing and storytelling is as beautiful as any of the other My Struggle books, but this one covers his years around the age of 18 and his ambition to begin his romantic escapades. It's certainly the funniest of the collection, even if it's at poor Karl Ove's expense. There's no need to read these novels in order, so try Book Four if you can... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Clay Risen
[isbn]
This is the perfect book for whiskey lovers of all levels of expertise. I had been exploring the whiskey aisle for a few years before I read this, and now a small interest has grown into a passion. Risen breaks down dozens and dozens of American whiskey, bourbon, and rye while giving the reader a thorough explanation of what it means to be each. There's also extensive explanations and reviews of each whiskey. This is a great gift for a whiskey... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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David Conrads
[isbn]
Buck O’Neil was an ambassador not only to baseball’s Negro leagues, but to the human race. The man exuded optimism as he grew up and played great baseball in a segregated nation. I Was Right on Time tells the story of the Negro leagues through his eyes. Tales of Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, as well as O’Neil himself fill I Was Right on Time. It is a joy to read, as I’d imagine it would be to spend a moment in Buck... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Karl Ove Knausgaard, Don Bartlett
[isbn]
I can finally relate to Harry Potter fans! With each new release of Knausgaard's autobiographical novel, My Struggle, I eagerly wait outside Powell's before it opens so I can get my copy and immediately begin reading it. Book Five is a continuation of the finest literary collection of the century. I am highly anticipating the final installment so that I can finish the series, go back to the first book, and start all over again. It takes... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Carrie Brownstein
[isbn]
Carrie Brownstein shows more and more talent as her career continues. She began with one of the best bands to come out of the Pacific Northwest and the '90s, Sleater-Kinney. In Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, she reveals all the details of that era along with her childhood and adolescence. This book is funny, revealing, heartbreaking, and most of all, well written. Carrie's stories are easy to empathize with. She's gone from musical... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Lindqvist, John Ajvide
[isbn]
The thinking man's zombie novel. What if the recently dead came back, but they mostly weren't dangerous — just a little off? Their bodies are alive, but their minds aren't doing so well. Mourning families find recently deceased relatives back home in their living rooms. How would you handle such a situation? It shivers the spine to think of the possibilities, and Lindqvist does just that. These zombies may not jump out at you or tear your flesh... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Matthew Thomas
[isbn]
First-time author Matthew Thomas has a lot to live up to. His novel follows Eileen Tumulty from her birth in 1941 through her life as a child, young woman, wife, nurse, caretaker, and mother. She is as strong a protagonist as it gets. Thomas's characters are real: easy to get attached to, but not always easy to love. This novel is truly American and encompasses every virtue and vice behind that title with beautiful prose by an author who, I hope,... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Cormac McCarthy
[isbn]
Child of God is as creepy as it is beautiful — Cormac McCarthy is good at that. Lester Ballard is falsely accused of rape, but that doesn't mean he isn't guilty of other crimes. McCarthy makes the main character an equal combination of scary, creepy, sad, and hilarious. This novel will give you the creeps for a long time after you have put it down.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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John Williams
[isbn]
Butcher's Crossing is perhaps the finest western in literature. John Williams may have published only a few novels, but they were all just about perfect. Although the subject and story is much different than Williams's Stoner, Butcher's Crossing is equally beautiful, heartbreaking, and historically accurate.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Dave Eggers
[isbn]
Heroes of the Frontier follows Josie and her two children — eight-year-old Paul and five-year-old Ana — as they travel via a beat-up camper that can't seem to exceed 48 miles an hour. Josie, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and former dentist, takes her kids to Alaska after leaving her difficult past in Ohio. Eggers, once again, has his finger on the pulse of America. If you read this book in the next year or two, you'll realize Eggers... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jonathan Franzen
[isbn]
Franzen is the current master of creating deep, real, and empathetic characters, and Freedom is no exception. This book was huge when it was released (thank you, Oprah), but if you missed it back in 2010 and want to know what all the praise and controversy is about that surrounds Franzen, this is the title to pick up. The musician Richard Katz, his level-headed best friend Walter Berglund, and his wife Patty are examined with the depth... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Ian McEwan
[isbn]
The first half of Innocent is a beautifully written novel about a young Englishman working for British Intelligence falling in love with a German woman in a divided Berlin. The Cold War tension is felt while McEwan sets us up for the second half, which is a gut-wrenching, fast-paced thriller that is both chilling in its execution and almost impossible to put down. A truly great piece of historical fiction and one of McEwan's least-known... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Philip Roth
[isbn]
American Pastoral was Roth's fourth novel to be a Pulitzer Prize finalist and his first and only book to win. This is one of the novels that define his 50 years of work. Its characters have incredible depth and it's obvious how much research the author did (you'll know how to start your own glove factory by the time you finish). American Pastoral shows how the American Dream can go wrong, despite every good intention and... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Philip Roth
[isbn]
The Ghost Writer is a slim, underrated, and beautiful novel that was a finalist for the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. In her biography of Philip Roth, Roth Unbound, Claudia Roth Pierpont compared The Ghost Writer to The Great Gatsby for how much was packed into so few pages. It's the first of Roth's novels with the character Nathan Zuckerman and a great gateway to his work. In it Roth asks the question,... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jonathan Franzen
[isbn]
There's a short list of the best living authors, and Franzen is easily on it. Purity stands even taller than The Corrections, Freedom, and the underrated Strong Motion. His newest novel gives the reader characters to laugh with and at while also creating excellent and academic conversations about today's society. Purity is a thick, engrossing, and twisting novel peppered with chilling macabre scenes... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Elly Blue
[isbn]
This entire book makes so much sense. Why wouldn't a business want a bike rack with room for a dozen bikes in front of it instead of a single parking spot? Bike paths and trails may cost a lot (nothing compared to roads for cars), but the benefits will almost always far outweigh the costs. These are a few of the many points Elly Blue makes in her fantastic, entertaining, and succinct book about how bikes can transform the economics of a community... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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David James Duncan
[isbn]
I have read a lot of baseball writing, and I have never seen the game more beautifully portrayed than in The Brothers K. But this epic novel is about far more than just baseball. David James Duncan weaves a beautiful family saga surrounded by the '60s, religion, coming-of-age drama, and, of course, baseball. The Brothers K is a must-read alongside Sometimes a Great Notion for readers in the Pacific Northwest.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Warren Zanes
[isbn]
Warren Zanes's biography of a generation's coolest... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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W Somerset Maugham
[isbn]
The Razor's Edge is a very readable and highly enjoyable classic. W. Somerset Maugham is his own narrator as we follow the lives of a diverse group of people around him through many years. He is excellent at showing the dark side of each character, yet in an optimistic light. The open-minded Larry is one of the most brilliant characters I have read in literature. Add this to your basket/cart (it's normally used and very affordable) and... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Philip Roth
[isbn]
This is not a good gift for your mother-in-law. Mickey Sabbath is one of the most memorable characters I have ever read. The man is despicable, and I couldn't wait to see where the perverted former puppeteer's life would go next. One of Roth's greatest creations requires a deep sense of humor, but if you have it, pick up Sabbath's Theater. Due to its risqué subject manner, it's one of the great underappreciated masterpieces of the late... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Cheryl Della Pietra
[isbn]
Gonzo Girl is a great read for Dr. Hunter S. Thompson fans who have read all of his work and would like to see him from a different perspective. Although this is a novel, it's quite obvious who the main characters represent. I always knew Thompson was far from a saint, but Gonzo Girl puts it all in perspective. I neither lost nor gained respect for the author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but I was able to see him... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Meyer, Philip
[isbn]
Combine the story telling of James Michener and the dark, dusty setting and characters of Cormac McCarthy and you get Philipp Meyer's The Son. This book is full of history, violence, and three generations of a Texas family's story. It was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize (The Goldfinch won instead), but this hidden gem deserves equal praise.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Millard, Candice
[isbn]
I consumed this fascinating book in two days. Candice Millard should be held in the same ranks as Erik Larson (Devil in the White City) and Hampton Sides (In the Kingdom of Ice) for writing fascinating and fast-paced nonfiction. She tells the story of the "attempted" assassination of President James Garfield and the aftermath in an equally page-turning and educational manner. Millard makes U.S. history as much fun as a thriller.... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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