Page 33 - People (February 2020)

picks

The Best New Books

An inspired cure for loneliness, the ripple effects
of secrecy and some bad behavior in high school

E d i t e d b y K I M H U B B A R D

Minor Dramas
and Other
Catastrophes
NOVEL
book At Liston Heights High,

of the the kids are all right—it’s
week Clare Pooley father disinherited the grown-ups who need to

The Authenticity Project her, Fremont—whose be schooled. Popular

NOVEL first memoir was about English teacher Isobel
A once-famous artist isolated in his old age, learning her Catholic Johnson has just gotten a
a single café owner who yearns for marriage and parents were actually threatening voice mail;
family, a ladies’ man trying to stay sober. These Jewish Holocaust Julia Abbott is pushing to
Londoners are strangers to one another and to survivors—explores her land her son a speaking role
their neighbors—until the artist confesses his sister’s mental illness in the musical. When both
loneliness in a notebook and leaves it at the café, and her own need to women become targets
inviting whoever finds it to share his or her own flee. A haunting book of social media, it’s unclear
secrets and pass it along. A warm, charming tale about about the cost—and if either can survive.
the rewards of revealing oneself, warts and all. necessity—of truth. A wry, engaging debut.

New in Nonfiction kid pick!

Eilene Ross Matthews Ariana Neumann Scott Hamilton
Zimmerman Name Drop When Time Stopped and Brad Paisley
Smacked He got his start as Drawing on letters Fritzy Finds a Hat
Her high-powered Ross the Intern on her father left her Fritzy’s mom has
ex-husband died of The Tonight Show when he died, the cancer and might
an overdose—and with Jay Leno, and he author reconstructs
no one had a clue he has loads of celebrity her family’s
was an addict. What stories to tell (Christ- horrifying Holocaust
happened? A heart- mas with the Kar- story and how the
breaking, illuminat- dashians!). Sit back survivors reinvented
ing memoir. and enjoy the dish. themselves.

C o n t r i b u t o r s B O O K S L I S A G R E I S S I N G E R , C A R O L I N E L E AV I T T ,
R O B I N M I C H E L I , T V S A M A N T H A M I L L E R February 17, 2020 35