Volume 272
Issue 33
08/25/2025
Fall’s Essential Reads from Independent Publishers.
ART, ARCHITECTURE & PHOTOGRAPHY
The Bibliophile's Coloring and Lettering Book
AUTHOR: Dawn Nicole Warnaar
PUBLISHER: Better Day Books, an imprint of
Schiffer Publishing (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780764370083
Calling all book lovers! This unique adult activity book combines coloring and lettering to celebrate your love of reading through creativity.
Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History
EDITOR: Karli Wurzelbacher
AUTHOR: Foreword by Tony Kushner; Essays by Patricia Cronin, Ricky Flores, David J. Getsy, Melissa L. Gustin, Katrin Horn, and Laura Turner Igoe
PUBLISHER: Heckscher Museum of Art (Oct.)
ISBN: 9798992516210
This art exhibition catalog recognizes an important sculptor and historic person of the 19th century, Emma Stebbins, whose work speaks to some of the most compelling issues of her time and ours.
Great Art Explained: The Stories Behind the World's Greatest Masterpieces
AUTHOR: James Payne
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780500025956
In art appreciation made accessible, relevant, and entertaining, writer, curator, and YouTube sensation James Payne demystifies great works of art.
Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams; The Official Visual History
AUTHOR: Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, and Iron Maiden
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780500029602
Celebrating 50 years of Iron Maiden, this magnificent visual book chronicles the evolution of heavy metal’s most prestigious band.
Italy: In the Footsteps of the Great Artists
AUTHOR: Nick Trend
ILLUSTRATOR: Cassandre Montoriol
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson (Nov.)
ISBN: 9780500027530
Experience Italy through the eyes of the world's greatest artists in a beautifully illustrated volume showcasing the cities where they lived and the masterpieces they created.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Making of an Icon
AUTHOR: Doug Woodham
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780500030691
The first biography in 25 years—based on more than 100 interviews—adds significant new information to the story both of Jean-Michel Basquiat's life and of the extraordinary journey of his art.
Wild Ocean: A Journey to the Earth's Last Wild Coasts
AUTHOR: Peter Pickford and Beverly Pickford
PUBLISHER: Thames & Hudson (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780500030530
Striking images taken on location in 10 of the world's wildest and most pristine marine and coastal environments.
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Bag Man: The Story Behind the Improbable Rise of Coach
AUTHOR: Lew Frankfort
PUBLISHER: Harvard Business Review Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9798892790727
From the Bronx to the boardroom, Coach CEO Lew Frankfort shares his journey, fears, and lessons from building a $5B brand in Bag Man.
Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead)
AUTHOR: Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
PUBLISHER: Harvard Business Review Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9781647829834
“Be yourself” might be ruining your career. Discover the science behind why adapting to others—not authenticity— leads to lasting success.
The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life
AUTHOR: Arthur C. Brooks
PUBLISHER: Harvard Business Review Press
(Aug.)
ISBN: 9798892792264
Harvard professor and bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks offers science-based insights on work and life in this curated collection from his "How to Build a Life" column in the Atlantic.
The Wisconsin Whey: Cheesemaking in the Driftless
AUTHOR: Nicole Bujewski, Kristin Mitchell,
Keith Burrows, and Leslie Damaso
PUBLISHER: Little Creek Press (Jun.)
ISBN: 9781955656900
A visually rich celebration of artisan cheesemaking in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, introducing 12 cheesemakers who have helped shape the region’s reputation for dairy excellence.
COOKING & FOOD
The Booze-Free Bar(c)art Book
AUTHOR: Cece Bailey Page
PUBLISHER: Schiffer Publishing (Sep.)
ISBN: 9780764370380
45 delicious, easy-to-follow recipes for alcohol-free cocktails that suit every palate, with line illustrations for each.
The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook
AUTHOR: Becky Diamond
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781493088423
With all the opulence and enchanting allure of the Gilded Age era, this nostalgic book is chock-full of delicious holiday treats.
Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook from an American Kitchen
AUTHOR: Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji
PUBLISHER: The Collective Book Studio (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781685553289
Heartland Masala blends family stories, stunning photos, and 99 easy recipes, bringing India’s flavors to American kitchens with step-by-step tips, cultural insight, and vibrant celebration.
The Hoosier Mama Book of Breakfast Bakes: Biscuits,bScones, Muffins, and More
AUTHOR: Paula Haney
PUBLISHER: Agate (Dec.)
ISBN: 9781572843592
The owner of the legendary Hoosier Mama Pie Company turns breakfast into an art form with this go-to guide for baking scones, muffins, and other morning favorites.
HISTORY
The Art of War: A New Translation
AUTHOR: Sun Tzu
TRANSLATOR: James Trapp
PUBLISHER: Amber Books (Aug.)
ISBN: 9781838866327
In glorious traditional Chinese sewn binding, this new bilingual translation of The Art of War features editorial notes and presents the original Chinese text alongside the modern English translation.
The Devil Is in It: A History of the American Acoustic Guitar
AUTHOR: John Stubbings
PUBLISHER: University of Texas Press (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781477332580
The rich history of the acoustic guitar and its impact, from obscure instrument to superstar of the music world and American culture.
The Idea Machine
AUTHOR: Joel J. Miller
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group
(Nov.)
ISBN: 9781493088935
Books are true tools for thinking! The Idea Machine shows that books are one of the most important but overlooked factors in the making of our contemporary world.
Madden & Summerall
AUTHOR: Rich Podolsky
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781493091980
Madden & Summerall tells the inside story of how two unlikely partners became the greatest broadcast duo in NFL history.
Martyrs to the Unspeakable
AUTHOR: James W. Douglas
PUBLISHER: Orbis Books (Oct.)
ISBN: 9781626986268
A longtime peace activist and writer demonstrates how and why powerful elements of the military-industrial- intelligence complex marked JFK, Malcolm, Martin, and RFK for death.
Murder on the Mississippi: The Shocking Crimes That Shaped Abraham Lincoln
AUTHOR: Saladin Ambar
PUBLISHER: Diversion Books (Oct.)
ISBN: 9798895150214
Award-winning historian Saladin Ambar unearths the horrors that shaped a young Abraham Lincoln’s worldview, pushing him to find his political voice.
Of Christmases Long, Long Ago
AUTHOR: Brian Earl
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781493089659
The Christmases of long, long ago were a merry mess of odd superstitions, dangerous games, and overindulgences that lasted 12 days. This book reveals these surprising traditions.
The Pink Scar: How Nazi Persecution Shaped the Struggle for LGBTQ+ Rights
AUTHOR: Thomas R. Dunn
PUBLISHER: Penn State University Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780271100159 / 9780271100166
The untold story of how activists used the memory of Nazi persecution to advance the LGBTQ+ movement decades before HIV/AIDS.
Someday All the Adults Will Die!: The Birth of Texas Punk
AUTHOR: Pat Blashill
PUBLISHER: University of Texas Press (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781477332474
An oral history of punk in Texas, from its rise in the late 1970s, through its strong anti-racist, feminist, and queer peak, to its dissolution in the late 1980s.
A Task Force Called Faith
AUTHOR: Steve Vogel
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781493092895
The untold story of the rivalry between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marines in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in 1950.
Thrill Ride: The Transformation of Hersheypark
AUTHOR: John R. Haddad
PUBLISHER: Penn State University Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780271099927
This book chronicles the history of Hershey Park and its transformation from an amenity for chocolate workers into the thrill-ride capital of Pennsylvania.
LIFESTYLE
Creating a Salon: The Magic of Conversations That Matter
AUTHOR: Linda-Marie Barrett
PUBLISHER: Agate (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781572843561
A practical and personal exploration of the transformative power of salons—in many cases, an evolution of a book club—with hosting advice tailored for different goals, budgets, and personalities.
DIY Spirituality: Chart Your Own Sacred Path
AUTHOR: Faith Freed
PUBLISHER: The Collective Book Studio (2026)
ISBN: 9781685552848
DIY Spirituality uses the Divine Disco Ball
framework to explore four dimensions of connection, with exercises, colorful art, and insight for a meaningful, authentic spiritual journey.
Embodying Autism
AUTHOR: Sarah Bergenfield
PUBLISHER: New Harbinger Publications (2026)
ISBN: 9781648486357
Sarah Bergenfield explores autism as a condition of sensory surplus, while Martha Sweezy offers IFS-based skills to help readers understand their neurotype and feel at home in their bodies.
Facing Climate Anxiety
AUTHOR: Jon Gorman
PUBLISHER: New Harbinger Publications (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781648486562
As climate disasters increase, many feel anxious about the future. This book offers tools drawn from ACT and mindfulness to help readers cope, take meaningful action, and find purpose amid the crisis.
Get Started in Finger Knitting
AUTHOR: Sabrina-Rose Benedict
PUBLISHER: Schiffer Publishing (Nov.)
ISBN: 9780764370045
Relax and get creative with the simple, satisfying art of knitting using this step- by-step guide to hand-knit blankets, pillows, and adorable critters from chunky yarn—no tools required!
Healing the Trauma of Infidelity
AUTHOR: William M. Bumberry
PUBLISHER: New Harbinger Publications (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781648485725
Based on the Gottman Method for couples, this book offers powerful, trauma-informed skills to help readers heal from infidelity, strengthen love and intimacy, and rebuild trust after betrayal.
How to Dream
AUTHOR: Thich Nhat Hanh
PUBLISHER: Parallax Press (Aug.)
ISBN: 9781952692994
Discover how to nourish your deepest aspiration and live your dream each day in How to Dream, the inspiring final book in Thich Nhat Hanh’s bestselling Mindfulness Essentials series.
I Give Myself Permission
AUTHOR: George James
PUBLISHER: New Harbinger Publications (2026)
ISBN: 9781648486890
It’s not easy to take risks, especially in a world that’s quick to judge. This empowering guide encourages readers to stop holding themselves back—and to rethink what’s possible!
The Mental Health Contagion
AUTHOR: Yvette Murray
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781493090945
An in-depth look at what we can do to prevent a decline in our own mental well- being while caring for loved ones suffering from a mental health crisis.
The Orvis Quick-Start Guide to Fly-Fishing
AUTHOR: Philip Monahan
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781493036486
Buy this book on a Wednesday, and you could be out catching fish by Saturday morning!
Peace Is This Moment Journal
AUTHOR: Thich Nhat Hanh
PUBLISHER: Parallax Press (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781967175062
A yearlong guided journal inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is This Moment Journal offers weekly teachings and prompts to deepen mindfulness, joy, and clarity in everyday life.
Starman Tarot: Remastered
AUTHOR: Davide De Angelis
PUBLISHER: REDFeather, an imprint of
Schiffer Publishing (Oct.)
ISBN: 9780764369902
A David Bowie–inspired tarot deck and guidebook box set, charged with elements of sacred geometry, world mystery traditions, and sacred futurism.
Touching Peace
AUTHOR: Thich Nhat Hanh
PUBLISHER: Paallax Press (Aug.)
ISBN: 9781941529393
Thich Nhat Hanh offers mindfulness tools to heal ourselves and society in Touching Peace, a guide to living with clarity, compassion, and purpose in a troubled world.
MEMOIRS & BIOGRAPHIES
A Brilliant Adaptation
AUTHOR: Sally Maslansky
PUBLISHER: New Harbinger Publications
(2026)
ISBN: 9781648486944
In this gripping memoir, Sally Maslansky reveals how childhood sexual abuse led her to develop dissociative identity disorder and how, with therapist Daniel J.Siegel, she found healing.
Finding Home: A Memoir
AUTHOR: Denise Nicholas
PUBLISHER: Agate (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781572843530
A poignant memoir from acclaimed novelist and actor Denise Nicholas, offering an exploration of her multifaceted life and delving intimately into themes of artistic self-invention, race, and grief.
Heartbeats: A Memoir
AUTHOR: Björn Borg
PUBLISHER: Diversion Books (Sep.)
ISBN: 9798895150719
Idol. Legend. Enigma. For the first time, one of the all-time greatest sportsmen is ready to share his astonishing story: the long-awaited tell-all memoir from Björn Borg.
John Candy: A Life in Comedy
AUTHOR: Paul Myers
PUBLISHER: House of Anansi Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9781487009526
The definitive biography of film legend John Candy—a heartwarming portrait of one of comedy’s most beloved and enduring stars.
A Little Piece of Cuba: A Journey to Become Cubana-Americana
AUTHOR: Barbara Caver
PUBLISHER: She Writes Press (Dec.)
ISBN: 9798896360148
A Little Piece of Cuba is a true story of how a young woman’s five-day trip to Cuba, her mother’s birthplace, completely changed her view of herself as a second-generation American.
Love Made Me an Inventor
AUTHOR: David Toole
PUBLISHER: Orbis Books (May)
ISBN: 9781626986169
The extraordinary story of Maggy Barakansite, the "Angel of Burundi" and her tireless work for the survivors of genocide. "One of the most hopeful books I have ever read." —William T. Cavanaugh
MORE: A Memoir
AUTHOR: Michael Massey
PUBLISHER: Little Creek Press (2024)
ISBN: 9781955656436
Musician Michael Massey used to chase success with near-suicidal amounts of alcohol. The award-winning pianist switches keyboards to share his journey from rock 'n' roll debauchery to ongoing recovery.
More Than Half Way Home
AUTHOR: Dustin Feddon
PUBLISHER: Orbis Books (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781626986275
Against a broken system, a Catholic priest founds Joseph House, a place for the formerly incarcerated to be welcomed into a community of care. "Extraordinary.” —Bryan Stevenson, author, Just Mercy
Mothership Connected: The Women of Parliament-Funkadelic
AUTHOR: Seth Neblett
PUBLISHER: University of Texas Press (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781477332672
An oral history with the women of Parliament-Funkadelic, from forming the band to landing the mothership, collected by the son of the “Queen of Funk” Mallia Franklin.
No Woman Left Behind: A Journey of Hope to Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth
AUTHOR: Kate Grant
PUBLISHER: She Writes Press (Jun.)
ISBN: 9781647426705
An inspiring guide for a purpose-driven life, chronicling one woman's journey to help marginalized women injured in childbirth get transformative surgery. With a powerful foreword by Abraham Verghese.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The Outrageous, Definitive, Untold History
AUTHOR: Craig Inciardi
PUBLISHER: Diversion Books (Sep.)
ISBN: 9798895150481
The museum's founding curator shares his wild quest to build its collection, with never-revealed stories of Ozzy, Garfunkel, Debbie Harry, Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Dylan, Springsteen, and more.
A Talk in the Woods: Voices Along the Appalachian Trail
AUTHOR: Cary Segall
PUBLISHER: Back Burner Books (2024)
ISBN: 9781736334119
Hike the Appalachian Trail with a modern-day Chaucer, a retired journalist who captured 21st century pilgrim stories from hikers, hostel owners, volunteers, and more who he encountered along 2,000-plus miles.
Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging
AUTHOR: Julie Ryan McGue
PUBLISHER: She Writes Press (2021)
ISBN: 9781647420505
Julie is a twin and an adoptee. Her desire to know her family medical history unearths secrets, lies, and family members right next door.
Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood
AUTHOR: Julie Ryan McGue
PUBLISHER: She Writes Press (Feb.)
ISBN: 9781647427863
Adopted twins Julie and Jenny arrive as an instant family, their sisterly bond anchoring them from the 1960s through the 1980s as they navigate identity, belonging, and the search for individuality.
Women Shaping the West: Stories from Wyoming
AUTHOR: Lindsay Linton Buk
PUBLISHER: The Collective Book Studio (2026)
ISBN: 9781685552442
Lindsay Linton Buk’s portraits and stories spotlight remarkable Wyoming women in a powerful exploration of passion, purpose, and authenticity that transcends state lines.
POLITICS & CURRENT EVENTS
Beyond Control
AUTHOR: Jacob Sullum
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group
(Sep.)
ISBN: 9781493084661
In this incisive book, Reason editor Jacob Sullum untangles America’s twin crusades against guns and drugs, suggesting better-tailored alternatives that do more good while causing less harm.
SCIENCE
Eyes in the Soles of My Feet: From Horseshoe Crabs to Sycamores, Exploring Hidden Connections to the Natural World
AUTHOR: Caroline Sutton
PUBLISHER: Schaffner Press (Oct.)
ISBN: 9781639640812
With this fascinating essay collection, science writer Caroline Sutton provides an intriguing and unique perspective on our natural world, revealing intimate connections between plant and animal life.
The Forgotten Teachers: How Nature Wrote the Story of Life
AUTHOR: Brian Isett and Claudia Biçen
PUBLISHER: Unruly (an imprint of Enchanted Lion Books) (Sep.)
ISBN: 9781592704118
A Kirkus Fall Preview selection! Interweaving science and storytelling, spirituality and art, a neuroscientist and artist guide us toward a deeper understanding of how radically interconnected all life is.
The Gaslit Brain
AUTHOR: Jennifer Fraser PhD
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Nov.)
ISBN: 9781493090921
An analysis of the onslaught of gaslighting—how it works, who’s at risk, and why it’s becoming normalized by those with power, credibility, and social status.
The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs
AUTHOR: Gerta Keller
PUBLISHER: Diversion Books (Sep.)
ISBN: 9798895150467
Dr. Gerta Keller’s discovery that volcanic eruptions—and not an asteroid—killed the dinosaurs sparked a scientific war and underscores today’s climate change threat.
One Hand Clapping
AUTHOR: Nikolay Kukushkin
PUBLISHER: Globe Pequot Publishing Group (Oct.)
ISBN: 9781493090648
Neuroscientist Nikolay Kukushkin reveals the miracle by which consciousness evolved out of the natural world, from the birth of the cell to the majesty of our modern minds.
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