There are few things better than spending time in summer curled up with a book you simply can’t put down whether you’re jetting off to a new destination or lounging by the pool. We’ve put together a collection of summer reads—mostly new releases—to enjoy throughout the season. There are page-turning thrillers, heartwarming memoirs, and even reminders about climate change that will transport you to Berlin, Harlem, Vietnam, and beyond.
Beyond the Shores by Dr. Tamara J. Walker (Crown Publishing Group, 2023)
Courtesy of Crown Publishing Group
“Beyond the Shores: A History of African Americans Abroad” by Dr. Tamara J. Walker
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Capturing the complicated history of the United States and racism, author Dr. Tamara J. Walker highlights the brave African Americans who left the United States to live abroad in far-flung destinations across the world in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. Intertwining her family’s history of living abroad, research, and firsthand accounts, Walker explores what it means to leave the country you were born in, in search of better opportunities and treatment.
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday Books, 2023)
Courtesy of Doubleday Books
“Crook Manifesto” by Colson Whitehead
Preorder now (out July 18): bookshop.org
Bestselling author Colson Whitehead’s highly anticipated Crook Manifesto takes place in 1970s New York, an entirely different world than the must-visit city we know today. Readers follow crime bosses Ray Carney and Pepper over five years as they organize hijackings and heists in a corrupt city in need of saving.
The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williams (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2023)
Courtesy of G.P. Putnam’s Sons
“The Three of Us” by Ore Agbaje-Williams
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During a girl’s wine night in London, a husband unexpectedly comes home early and is forced to face his wife’s best friend, Temi, with whom he’s had a long-standing feud. As the evening progresses, confessions are made and secrets are revealed, leaving the trio to untangle a decades-long web of lies and questionable motives. This chaos unfolds throughout three parts, each narrated from a different character’s perspective.
Searching for Savanna by Mona Gable (Atria Books, 2023)
Courtesy of Atria Books
“Searching for Savanna” by Mona Gable
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AFAR contributor Mona Gable’s Searching for Savanna sheds light on the shocking murder of 22-year-old Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a member of the Spirit Lake Nation from North Dakota. LaFontaine-Greywind’s murder in 2017 brought the disproportionate amount of violence Native American women experience in this country to a national stage. Using interviews and details from LaFontaine-Greywind’s trial, Gable investigates a phenomenon that’s been occurring since the earliest days of the country’s existence.
Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein (Harper, 2023)
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“Unraveling” by Peggy Orenstein
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During the strictest parts of the COVID lockdown in 2020, author and AFAR contributor Peggy Orenstein found herself in need of a new way to pass time and decided to pick up a new hobby, making a sweater from scratch. Unraveling takes us back to one of the most unsettling times in modern history and follows Orenstein as she deals with heartbreaking loss, explosive social issues, and major changes over the year.
The Great Displacement by Jake Bittle (Simon & Schuster, 2023)
Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
“The Great Displacement” by Jake Bittle
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While we tend to think about climate change as an issue of the future, author Jake Bittle argues that we’re already beginning to experience some of the irreversible impacts of global warming. From rising water levels that are leading to flooded cities to extensive forest fires, climate change has already started to dictate where people can comfortably live and is pushing those in affected areas out. Bittle looks to the future and predicts how climate change will continue to shape our day-to-day lives and reshape the United States as we know it.
Walking with Sam by Andrew McCarthy (Grand Central Publishing, 2023)
Courtesy of Grand Central Publishing
“Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain” by Andrew McCarthy
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In a last-ditch effort to bond with his teenage son Sam before he enters adulthood, director, actor, and author Andrew McCarthy decides to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip together—hiking 500 miles across Spain’s Camino de Santiago. As they make their way through the rugged terrain, McCarthy finds himself connecting with his son in a new way and having deep conversations on previously untouched subjects: fame, divorce, and the perils of adulthood. McCarthy spoke with AFAR earlier this year about behind-the-scenes aspects of the journey and the power that travel has to bring people closer together.
Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad (Doubleday Books, 2023)
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“Between Two Moons” by Aisha Abdel Gawad
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Feeling pulled in two different directions by their Muslim and American heritage, teenage sisters Amira and Lina decide to spend the summer after high school graduation exploring who they want to be as young adults. But summer in their Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, home proves unpredictable as they attempt to manage their brother’s return from prison and experience random instances of Islamophobia that put their neighborhood on edge.
She Started It by Sian Gilbert (William Morrow & Co., 2023)
Courtesy of William Morrow & Co.
“She Started It” by Sian Gilbert
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When four childhood best friends who lost touch in adulthood receive a mysterious invite from an old friend to an all-expenses paid bachelorette party in the Bahamas, they excitedly begin to prepare for the beach vacation of a lifetime. However, when they arrive on the remote island, they realize they’re the island’s only guests and there’s no cell service. Follow along as this thriller pushes the characters into a twisted game of survival.
Owner of a Lonely Heart by Beth Nguyen (Scribner Book Co., 2023)
Courtesy of Scribner Book Co.
“Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Beth Nguyen
Preorder now (out July 4): bookshop.org
After being separated from her mother as a child when her family fled the Vietnam War, Beth Nguyen realizes that she has spent less than 24 hours with her mother throughout her life. Nguyen’s memoir, Owner of a Lonely Heart, touches on the realities of growing up as a refugee in America without a mother and how that affected her own journey of becoming a mother herself.
National Dish by Anya von Bremzen (Penguin Press, 2023)
Courtesy of Penguin Press
“National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home” by Anya von Bremzen
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Have you ever wondered about the history behind your favorite foods? James Beard award–winning food writer and AFAR contributor Anya von Bremzen traveled around the world from Paris to Tokyo to learn more about the history, culture, and even politics behind some of the world’s most iconic meals. In this continuation of the traditional cookbook, von Bremzen eats and writes her way through beloved dishes such as pizza, ramen, rice, mole, borsch, and more in this collection.
Vanishing Maps by Cristina García (Knopf Publishing Group, 2023)
Courtesy of Knopf Publishing Group
“Vanishing Maps” by Cristina García
Preorder now (out July 18): bookshop.org
A follow-up to Cristina García’s 1993 release Dreaming in Cuban, Vanishing Maps follows Celia del Pino, the matriarch of her Cuban family spread out across Los Angeles, Russia, and Berlin. As family members struggle to find their version of achieving the “Cuban dream,” a family reunion in Berlin threatens to expose deep secrets.
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai (Mariner Books, 2023)
Courtesy of Mariner Books
“Banyan Moon” by Thao Thai
Preorder now (out June 27): bookshop.org
After the death of her grandmother Minh, Ann Tran learns that she and her estranged mother have inherited Ann’s childhood home, the Banyan House. Tasked with renovating the house, Ann finds herself in close quarters with her mother for the first time in many years. As they mourn and work together to reconstruct the house, they learn more about Minh’s life in Vietnam, including the mysterious past she never wanted them to know about.
Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone (Picador USA, 2023)
Courtesy of Picador USA
“Two Nights in Lisbon” by Chris Pavone
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After embarking on a work trip with John, her new husband, to Lisbon, Ariel wakes up one morning and realizes that John is gone, and she can’t get in touch with him. As she searches the city attempting to locate him, she begins to realize that she doesn’t know much about her husband—including who might want to harm him. A 2022 release, the paperback version came out in May 2023.
Mother of Strangers by Suad Amiry (Pantheon Books, 2023)
Courtesy of Pantheon Books
“Mother of Strangers” by Suad Amiry
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Set in Jaffa, Israel, between 1947–1951 and based on a true story, this novel highlights the beginning of the Palestine-Israel conflict and focuses on the separation of a teenage couple as the previously peaceful bustling city becomes an active war zone. Originally published in 2022, the paperback version is out August 1, 2023.
Looking for even more book recommendations? Check out our summer reading lists for 2020 and 2019.
