August 4, 2008

Book Them

Late Summer Reading Roundup

It’s officially August, meaning that summer’s nearing its end. Instead of reading the writing on the wall, stick your nose into one of these hot late-summer titles.

Mag Hag
Ever been curious about Cosmo’s promise to sizzle up your sex life? Local writer Cathy Alter decided to make its suggestions her guide to life for a year in Up for Renewal. Jaded by a failed marriage and a raunchy office romance, Alter subscribes to nine women’s glossies to tackle everything from learning to pack to becoming the life of the party.

Love Hurts
A Chinese immigrant in the 1950s confesses his false identity for the sake of love in Steer Toward Rock. Fae Myenne Ng’s long-awaited second novel tackles the isolation and fear of living as an outlaw in a new country. Inspired by the experiences of the author’s own father, themes of love, commitment, and sacrifice emerge from the prejudice.

Sibling Rivalry
Love/hate relationship with your sis? Debut novelist Poppy Adams blows that relationship out of the water with The Sister, a pathological story of family commitment. Two girls in World War II-era England intertwine their futures after a catastrophic event. Creepy? That’s what makes it so enticing.

Turn, Turn, Turn
Local author George Pelecanos earned his fame glorifying the D.C. crime scene and writing for HBO’s The Wire. His gritty new title, The Turnaround, returns to Washington following three men’s attempts to make amends for their violent past mistakes.

On the Map
A young Muslim girl moves from Boston to Kuwait to Egypt to Texas in A Map of Home (September 2). This debut coming-of-age novel from author Randa Jarrar is funny and fresh, tackling adolescent insecurities, nationalism, and a longing to fit in.

Available at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, at Fessenden Street (202-364-1919 or politics-prose.com).