What to read next: the latest Bob Woodward, a Van Halen memoir, WWII nonfiction, and more
If you’re wondering what to read next, the Editors are here to help. How about a buzzy political book of the moment, a laugh-out-loud workplace drama, or one of 2023’s best novels? There’s also a World War II history that Vannessa is loving, a pitch-perfect read for Van Halen fans, and a few Halloween-y picks. And, of course, there’s much more on the Amazon Book Review, including a round-up filled with Halloween vibes, the latest and greatest in romance, and contemporary twists on classics.
Bob Woodward shot to fame after breaking news of the Watergate scandal (alongside Carl Bernstein), which eventually led to then-President Richard Nixon’s resignation. Since then, the Washington Post reporter has doggedly held truth to power, especially in the political sphere. His latest book is no different. In a display of the longevity of his career and his access to power players, Woodward opens this book by uncovering a lost interview he conducted decades ago with former President Donald Trump, positing that it’s the early blueprint for modern Trumpism. Woodward then jumps to modern-day to pull back the curtain on three current wars: in the Ukraine, Middle East, and for the American presidency. Newshounds and history readers alike will be enthralled with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s latest book. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor
Brothers released last week, and while it’s not a book that will likely interest many beyond the Van Halen faithful, it’s actually a great read. Alex keeps it tight and right (240 pages) as he pays tribute to his prodigiously talented sibling, telling stories about them growing up, in their Dutch/Indonesian immigrant family, and musically. Using other books about the band plus his own recollections, some of which are hilariously unsympathetic to his brother—like the story about Ed (never Eddie) continually being chased by dogs—he reminds readers that besides being rock gods, these two were brothers, with all the jockeying, protectiveness, bust-ups, teasing, and contradictory points of view that that entails. There’s not much dirt or salacious detail (even their tour manager spilled more beans in his book) and it pretty much ends with David Lee Roth leaving the band (firing up the Van Halen vs Van Hagar conflict all over again online—qu’elle eruption), but as an account of a pair of immigrants who had music practically hard-wired into their DNA, it’s a smart, funny, surprisingly philosophical read, with a few moments that will get fans fully in the feels. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
Now out in paperback, The Berry Pickers, which we named our #2 Best Book Book of 2023, is perfect edge-of-your seat reading. Both literary and a missing persons story, Peters investigates what happens when a young Mi’kmaq girl disappears. Moving backwards and forwards in time from when she was taken, and decades later, this is a harrowing account of identity and family— of how trauma can edge out hope and health, and it’s a story that examines the cost of a simple lie. Your eyes will prick with tears, your stomach will drop, and your mind will race with that unsettling feeling of what happens when a family fractures, and how people cope. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor
I just got a notification that season 2 of Severance, the fantastic Apple TV workplace thriller, is coming out in January, and it immediately reminded of this delightful novel. I went from cackling at the all-too-relatable workplace absurdities (I felt seen), to crying by the end of this unexpected gem of a book. Jolene is a snarky, disaffected worker in a regional office. Through a mishap, she ends up being blind copied on all workplace communication. Horrifying. Once she gets over the initial humiliation of seeing what everyone is saying about her, and each other, she devises a plan. With layoffs looming, she’ll use this intel to keep her job and undermine her rivals. But as they say, best laid plans… As hijinks, and maybe romance, ensue, Jolene begins to recognize the unfair judgments she’s made, and the damage she’s done by isolating herself from everyone in her life. I was rooting for Jolene every step of the way, and I fell in love with the vibrant cast of characters who were rooting for her, too. This is a delight of a debut perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. —Abby Abell, Amazon Editor
What with talk of book banning and school librarians under pressure, along comes Book and Dagger to remind us that librarians have saved the world’s bacon before. At the onset of World War II, America had one big disadvantage: it had no intelligence service to speak of. So, what did they do? Go on a headhunting mission in the university libraries of Yale, Harvard, and more. As Graham’s book shows, not only were the librarians up to the task of training to be spies (the descriptions of spy school are fascinating), their inspired and ingenious contributions changed the rules of spy craft forever. While the overall story is eye-opening and hair-raising on its own, it’s the colorful little details (a poaching course taught by an instructor who learned to set full body traps in his pre-war job as a gameskeeper on the Sandringham estate) that make it so propulsive and unputdpownable. Do not miss. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
With Halloween looming, I’ve been thinking about books—and their covers—that gave me goosebumps, and this is one of them. The Getaway is kind of a Disneyland gone wrong apocalyptic thriller that is a sinister, compulsive read. When Jay’s parents land jobs at Karloff County, a world-class resort, he couldn’t be more thrilled. They get to live in employee housing, and he has a job at the park where guests are treated like royalty. It’s an insular world already, and then something happens in the outside world that turns this shiny, happy place into a living hell for those who work there. People start disappearing without a trace, and those who are left find themselves snared in a trap they didn’t see coming. Jay and his friends are scared, but which is worse: being a pawn in someone else’s twisted game, or risking it all to get to the truth? This page-turner is perfect for those who like to read about things that go bump in the night. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
If you're looking for something witchy to get into the Halloween spirit, look no further than Deborah Harkness's All Souls series. Beginning with the Amazon Editors' pick A Discovery of Witches, and concluding with the recent release of Black Bird Oracle, this series follows Oxford scholar Diana Bishop, a descendant of witches, as she delves into the underground world of magic and secrets with her partner Matthew Clairmont, a vampire and a scientist. Harkness brings her career as a historian brilliantly onto the page, and readers have been eating it up for the past decade. If you haven't jumped in yet, the week of Halloween is the perfect time to pick up A Discovery of Witches. —Ben Grange, Amazon Editor
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