Mothers, Tell Your Daughters: Stories
by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Although she has been writing award-nominated fiction for some time now, Campbell is still a hidden gem among writers. Hopefully these stories, keen observations of life in rural America, will launch her into a greatly deserved place in the spotlight. The protagonists of Campbell’s tales are strong women living hard lives of work, heartbreak, and loneliness, struggling to do the best they can in a world seemingly bent on seeing them fail. Campbell’s stories are captivating and powerful, and this collection is not to be missed.
Don’t Suck, Don’t Die: Giving Up Vic Chesnutt
by Kristin Hersh
Musician and writer Hersh tells the story of her friendship with singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt, who recorded 17 albums in his life and penned songs covered by artists like Neutral Milk Hotel, Fugazi, and Smashing Pumpkins. He lived his adult life in a wheelchair after a car accident left him partially paralyzed. This slim book is a beautiful remembrance of Chesnutt, written by his good friend and filled with the anguish of her unresolved feelings over his death. And, holy cats, can she write. Get the tissues ready for this one.
The Witch of Lime Street: Séance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World
by David Jaher
This marvelous book is a fascinating look at the paranormal craze of the 1920s and the showdown between magician Harry Houdini and the “Witch of Lime Street.” Known to her followers simply as Margery, she claimed to commune with the dead. Her most famous client was Arthur Conan Doyle, who convinced her to enter a Scientific American contest in which proof of the afterlife would be rewarded with a big cash prize. Margery managed to sway all the judges but one: Houdini, who set out to prove her a fraud. This is a wonderful look at a slice of history often buried.
Mrs. Engels
by Gavin McCrea
Debut author McCrea has created a delightful novel around Lizzie Burns, longtime lover of Frederick Engels. In the beginning, Lizzie is a poor Irish woman working in a mill in Manchester, England, owned by Engels. When their romance — and his career — take off, the couple moves to London to be closer to Karl Marx. It’s here that Lizzie must learn the ways of Victorian England, while commenting to readers on her feelings about the working class, her past, and her first love. I will admit that I wasn’t sure about this book when I picked it up, but I’m glad to have been proven wrong.
Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical
by Sherie M. Randolph
Kennedy was a leader of the Black Power and feminist movements, a Columbia University law school graduate, a founder of the National Black Feminist Organization and the National Organization for Women, and an important figure in 20th-century history. Now, using extensive, previously uncollected material, Randolph illuminates the life of one of America’s most radical and bold activists, who was often photographed wearing a cowboy hat and raising her middle finger. Randolph does a wonderful job explaining why Kennedy should be remembered for helping shape feminism today.