Now Trending – Books in the News – May 2025

“This book offers the first full account of Harriet Tubman’s Civil War service and the Combahee River Raid. It details how Tubman commanded a ring of spies, scouts, and pilots and participated in military expeditions behind Confederate lines.”

“From the New York Times bestselling author of Capote’s Women comes an astonishing account of the revolutionary artist Andy Warhol and his scandalous relationships with the ten women he deemed his “superstars,” beginning in 1964 and culminating four years later when Warhol was shot and almost killed.”

“When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf-themed wedding Rose is hosting.”

“Strength in Every Scar: A Mother’s C-Section Journey offers a raw and heartfelt glimpse into the realities of motherhood through the lens of five C-section deliveries. Author Ruth Fleury shares her deeply personal experiences-the challenges, the triumphs, and the strength she discovered with each birth.”

“Positioning Pittsburgh as a pivotal space within the region while proposing an anti-carceral framework for understanding education, the anthology examines how people live the struggle for freedom and broadens discussions about the prison-industrial complex, labor, and place in Appalachia–sparking questions motivated by a shared commitment to liberation.”

“Appalachia has long been flattened into a white, Christian, and conservative place. While many Appalachians embrace those labels, they fail to acknowledge the presence of communities of color and of queer, trans, and Two-Spirit people across the region. Religious fundamentalism, white supremacy, homophobia, and transphobia continue to oppress queer and gender-expansive Appalachians, especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. These realities have adversely affected queer and trans folks’ ability to claim their rightful places within the region. ‘To belong here’ delves into how queer, trans, and Two-Spirit Appalachian people make sense of life in the mountains. Featuring contributors whose identities across race, gender, and socioeconomic background make for a uniquely intersectional look at the area, this collection provides a nuanced understanding of Appalachia and what it means to represent it. Themes of erasure, environmentalism, violence, kinship, racism, Indigeneity, queer love, and trans liberation course through the volume and exemplify the writers’ resilience in reconciling their complex and often contradictory connections to home. A collective exploration of rejection and acceptance, To Belong Here calls for a more inclusive future in Appalachia–one where everyone can thrive.” — Provided by publisher

“I Have Not Considered Consequences delves into the complexities of grief, desire, and a peculiar intersection between humans and bears. Flick’s evocative and thought-provoking stories follow characters like Bobby, a local home inspector who zips into a bear suit on his daily rounds, and a Gen-X couple, Matty and Trudy, navigating the ups and downs of their adult lives, from a dead fish named Patti Smith to dashed dreams of indie rock stardom.”