Kevin Allman (editor): "More Fun in the New World: The Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk” by John Doe and Tom DeSavia
“Personal accounts of the original punk rock scene in Los Angeles, with chapters written by everyone from Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go’s) and Henry Rollins to artist Shepard Fairey and skateboarder Tony Hawk. Lots of fun.”
Kandace Power Graves (managing editor): “American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century” by Maureen Callahan
“A well-researched overview of serial killer Israel Keyes, of whom I had never heard. I have a fascination with forensic science, criminal investigations and what makes a sick mind tick. Equally important: I like to see bad guys get caught.”
Katherine Johnson (special sections editor): “A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki
“Ozeki interweaves the two very different stories of Ruth (living on a remote island of the Pacific Northwest) and Nao (trapped in super-suburban Tokyo) via a Hello Kitty lunchbox, a World War II-era wristwatch and a very lucky housecat, using prose, Buddhist poetry and quantum physics. I read this book annually, and its prescience never fails to give me goosebumps.”
Will Coviello (arts and entertainment editor): “Calypso" by David Sedaris
“Sedaris is a great essayist and humorist, and I’ve been a fan since 1994’s ‘Barrel Fever and Other Stories,’ which included ‘SantaLand Diaries.’ ‘Calypso,’ released in May, is his latest collection.”
Kaylee Poche (staff writer): “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston
“This debut novel by a south h native imagines a world where America has a female president, whose son just so happens to fall in love with the Prince of Wales amid a publicity ploy for diplomacy.”