A literary feast
This year, the warmest months bring more than sun: crowds are back. And surrounded by people, the solitude of reading feels somehow richer. But whether you’re staying in or venturing out, the best new books arriving in June, July and August offer something for every reader, from piercing memoirs to powerful essay collections to gripping thrillers. The warmest months usher in the return of seasoned pros like Michael Pollan and Laura Lippman, and welcome debut authors like Ashley C. Ford and Anna Qu. Between the page-turners and rom-coms, family sagas and potent nonfiction, these books will provide entertainment, distraction and comfort—and will likely teach you something new about the world. Here, the 36 books to read this summer. —A.G.
JUNE
With Teeth
Kristen Arnett
Like her breakout debut, Mostly Dead Things, Kristen Arnett’s latest novel looks at a fractured family unit, this time focusing on two women as they struggle to raise their son. Samson has been difficult ever since he was a young child, but his juvenile misbehavior gives way to a startling level of hostility in his teenage years. When that aggression hits a breaking point, his parents grapple with the challenges of queer motherhood and marriage as he tests the boundaries of their love. (June 1)
Somebody’s Daughter
Ashley C. Ford
Best known as a writer and podcast host with sharp pop-culture takes, Ashley C. Ford offers a debut memoir that pulls no punches. Tracking her impoverished youth and adolescence in Indiana, Ford shares her struggles growing up with a single mother as she grapples with her changing body, painful relationships and the truth of her identity, embarking on a poignant quest to find and understand her incarcerated father. (June 1)
The Other Black Girl
Zakiya Dalila Harris
Both a blistering satire and sharp social commentary, Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut novel follows Nella Rogers. Nella is the only Black editorial assistant at the fictional Wagner Books, until Hazel-May McCall is hired—setting
