Evan Friss’s history of the bookshop explores this beloved institution through oral histories, archives, diaries, letters, and interviews with top booksellers. Beginning with Benjamin Franklin’s first bookstore in Philadelphia, the narrative spans various notable booksellers like the Strand, Marshall Field & Company, Gotham Book Mart, and more, including sidewalk vendors and modern giants like Amazon Books. The book also delves into the passionate, often eccentric figures in American bookselling and the evolution of book marketing and sales over two centuries, including quirky events like a 3,000-pound elephant signing books at Marshall Field’s in 1944.

In ancient Nineveh, King Ashurbanipal built a library that would later be lost to time, only survived by The Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem that would change three lives centuries later. In 1840, Arthur rises from poverty with a job as a London publisher’s apprentice. In 2014, a Yazhidi girl in Turkey is determined to be baptized in a sacred Iraqi temple before she loses her hearing completely. In 2018, a newly divorced London hydrologist contemplates suicide but is curious about a book describing her homeland.

Hallie Barrett’s life falls apart after her hotshot ex and coworker dumps her, jeopardizing her job as a producer. She finds unexpected inspiration in Hayden Hargrove, a cryptid expert with a hit podcast. Despite his poor solo on-screen presence, Hallie joins him on camera, bringing skepticism and chemistry that boost their show. As they investigate mysterious phenomena, they discover deep feelings for each other and the possibility of love again.

Kate Middleton’s life story resembles a modern-day fairy tale. An attractive, clever, and ambitious girl from modest beginnings meets and falls in love with a wealthy prince in college. With the British monarchy transitioning, Catherine is set to become the first “commoner Queen” since Anne Hyde, wife of James II. Since her wedding on April 29, 2011, and becoming the Duchess of Cambridge, she has charmed Britain and America with her extensive travels, infectious smile, style, and down-to-earth nature. Alongside William’s warmth and accessibility, they have become the most popular royals. As interest in the royals grows, this biography delves into Catherine’s journey to becoming the woman she is today, through insights from sources within the royal household.

When Orlando Whitfield first meets Inigo Philbrick, they are students dreaming of dealing art for a living. Their friendship lasts for fifteen years until one day, Inigo – by then the most successful dealer of his generation – disappears, accused of a fraud so gigantic and audacious it rocks the art world to its core. A sparklingly sharp memoir of greed, ambition and madness, All That Glitters will take you to the heart of the contemporary art world, a place wilder and wealthier than you could ever imagine.

Few billionaires have been in the public eye for as long, and in as many guises, as Bill Gates. At first heralded as a tech visionary, the Microsoft cofounder next morphed into a ruthless capitalist, only to change yet again when he fashioned himself into a global do-gooder. Along the way, Gates forever influenced how we think about tech founders, as the products they make and the ideas they sell continue to dominate our lives. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he also set a new standard for high-profile, billionaire philanthropy. But there is more to Gates’s story, and here, Das’s revelatory reporting shows us that billionaires have secrets and philanthropy can have a dark side.

Pedersen’s debut horror novel follows an estranged family, separated because of the father’s terrible abuse and his rejection of one son’s Asian wife, that tries to reconcile after the father announces he is near death. But not everything is as it seems, and as new connections form, primordial danger may be lurking in the wings.

Every year, Jess and Storey make a pilgrimage to northern Maine to camp, hunt, and hike, leaving much of their long friendship unspoken. Despite the state’s secession mania over the summer, they believe it’s a matter for legislators. After two weeks of off-grid hunting, they find a small town devastated by explosions, fires, and abandoned cars. Confused by the destruction, they aim to find their way home, navigating rough terrain and avoiding armed men—whether secessionists or military, they can’t tell. Their journey takes a drastic turn when they discover a child in a boat cabin. Heller’s novel, rich with natural beauty and the nuances of male friendship, serves as both a warning about political division and a tribute to the bonds of chosen families.

Because He Is… explores the journey of Gulzar – poet, film-maker, lyricist and author – in the words of his daughter. Meghna documents the life of her father, transcending the patterns of a conventional biography to present a touching account of the legend’s life, career, personal joys and sorrows, profusely illustrated. This updated edition, containing substantial new text and never-before-seen photographs, offers a personal insight into the bond between a father and a daughter and the tremendous respect they have for each other.