What to read next: a beautifully-written book, a rollicking music history, and a holiday rom-com
Fall is a time to celebrate: Hispanic Heritage Month, Halloween, and even Christmas, which will be here before we know it. The changing seasons are also a time to reflect, on incredible people we’ve lost, and a different political era. No matter your mood, the Amazon Editors have book recommendations that hit each note.
As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, we're recommending this beautifully written book, featuring powerful prose that packs a punch. Our Migrant Souls is a meditation on belonging and birthplace, home and community, centered around the stories of the vast group of people who identify as Latino/Hispanic, and how it intersects with Blackness, Indigenous culture, and whiteness. The narrative stirs sorrow at times, but is interspersed with hopeful moments of migrants and dreamers making their way in America at great cost, and against strong odds. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Héctor Tobar, the son of Guatemalan immigrants, stitches together his own experiences (including growing up next door to the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.), and those of the college students he teachers, into a greater tale of prejudice and power—from the country’s founding to modern-day culture—that ushers in compassion and insight no matter your ethnic identity. As Isabel Wilkerson did with Caste, Tobar shows us that we all lose when we don’t recognize each other’s humanity, and the forces (both subtle and enormous) that shape the way we see the world. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor
This week’s passing of one of Nashville’s greats, Kris Kristofferson (R.I.P.), reminded me of this fabulous book about a pivotal period in Music City’s history. Politicians like to give the impression that history is mostly made in the corridors of power, but this fascinating book shows that a truly seismic cultural shift started in the ‘50s when a savvy (white) radio exec, E. Gab Blackman, noticed the explosion in popularity of R&B clubs in Nashville, looked to capitalize on the trend, but needed to do an end run around segregation. He decided to broadcast R&B music nationally on the radio. Cue a second explosion: of white people wanting to dance to the R&B sounds they loved, not simply listen to them. And William Sousa "Sou" Bridgeforth, a man whose grandparents were enslaved, was there to welcome all music lovers to his New Era Club. Don’t miss this rousing story of history nudged forward—and segregation sent flying backwards—by the unexpected confluence of race, market forces, and melody, right there on the dance floors of Nashville. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
Is it too early for a holiday romance? Never! This holiday mystery rom-com is SO much fun—rival authors, smoldering chemistry, witty banter, and a missing person. Maggie is a cozy mystery writer who’s been through hell. Ethan is a hotshot thriller writer who looks like he could star in his own action movie. Maggie can’t stand him. But somehow, they both end up at a mysterious Christmas party in England hosted by their “biggest fan.” Within the first day, someone goes missing, and they’re forced to work together to solve the crime or risk winding up dead. Maggie soon discovers that there’s more to Ethan than beautiful biceps and a snarky sense of humor. This book had me snickering and swooning the whole way through, and I loved Maggie and Ethan. Maggie has been surrounded by people who made her feel small, and Ethan is determined for her to see just how incredible she is. We all deserve an Ethan! Get yourself in the holiday spirit with this delightful mystery romance. —Abby Abell, Amazon Editor
May 18, 1860 was a bad day for William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates. The seasoned politicians were flabbergasted to be bested at the Republican National Convention by some prairie lawyer who had only served one term in congress. These same men could have caused quite a headache when Abraham Lincoln was ultimately elected, but the prairie lawyer kept his rivals close, giving them cabinet positions, earning their respect, and forging a friendship with Seward that would buoy him throughout his presidency. With the VP debate this week, and the contentious political climate we’re pickling in in general, this is a comforting, if now aspirational, read. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor
It's October, and that means that it’s officially Halloween season (if you're like me, then Halloween season begins in September, but I can admit that some might find that too early). However, with Halloween season comes Halloween books, and the best book to kick off your Halloween spirit is this wonderful spinoff of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which explores Sally's story after the events of the fan-favorite film. Too long was she kept as Dr. Finkelstein's slave, and now that she's the Queen of Halloween Town, she's determined to never go back to a life of captivity. But life as a queen can feel just as confining as a life of captivity, and she yearns for more. When she discovers a door to Dream Town, she thinks she's finally found what she's been looking for. But dreams, for all their worth, can quickly turn into nightmares. And we all know what can go wrong in Halloween Town when a nightmare threatens the holiday worlds of old. —Ben Grange, Amazon Editor
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