Our 5 NYTBR “10 Best Books of 2017”
November 30, 2017
Selected by editors of the New York Times Book Review, here are the 5 fiction and nonfiction books published by our imprints, among their presentation of “The 10 Best Books of 2017.”
The full list is published online, and will appear in the publication’s December 10 print edition.
expand- AUTUMN by Ali Smith (Pantheon Books) The extraordinary friendship of an elderly songwriter and the precocious child of his single-parent neighbor is at the heart of this novel that darts back and forth through the decades, from the 1960s to the era of Brexit. The first in a projected four-volume series, it’s a moving exploration of the intricacies of the imagination, a sly teasing-out of a host of big ideas and small revelations, all hovering around a timeless quandary: how to observe, how to be. Read NYT review of “Autumn”
- EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid (Riverhead Books) A deceptively simple conceit turns a timely novel about a couple fleeing a civil war into a profound meditation on the psychology of exile. Magic doors separate the known calamities of the old world from the unknown perils of the new, as the migrants learn how to adjust to an improvisatory existence. Hamid has written a novel that fuses the real with the surreal — perhaps the most faithful way to convey the tremulous political fault lines of our interconnected planet. Read NYT review of “Exit West”
- THE EVOLUTION OF BEAUTY: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World — and Us by Richard O. Prum (Doubleday) If a science book can be subversive and feminist and change the way we look at our own bodies — but also be mostly about birds — this is it. Prum, an ornithologist, mounts a defense of Darwin’s second, largely overlooked theory of sexual selection. Darwin believed, in addition to evolving to adapt to the environment, some other force must be at work shaping the species: the aesthetic mating choices made largely by females. Prum wants subjectivity and the desire for beauty to be part of our understanding of how evolution works. A passionate plea that begins with birds and ends with humans and will help you finally understand, how in the world we have an animal like the peacock. Read NYT review of “The Evolution of Beauty”
- GRANT by Ron Chernow (Penguin Press) Even those who think they are familiar with Ulysses S. Grant’s career will learn something from Chernow’s fascinating and comprehensive biography, especially about Grant’s often overlooked achievements as president. What is more, at a time of economic inequality reflecting the 19th century’s Gilded Age and a renewed threat from white-supremacy groups, Chernow reminds us that Grant’s courageous example is more valuable than ever, and in this sense, “Grant” is as much a mirror on our own time as a history lesson. Read NYT review of “Grant”
- PRIESTDADDY by Patricia Lockwood (Riverhead Books) In this affectionate and very funny memoir, Lockwood weaves the story of her family — including her Roman Catholic priest father, who received a special dispensation from the Vatican — with her own coming-of-age, and the crisis that later led her and her husband to live temporarily under her parents’ rectory roof. She also brings to bear her gifts as a poet, mixing the sacred and profane in a voice that’s wonderfully grounded and authentic. This book proves Lockwood to be a formidably gifted writer who can do pretty much anything she pleases. Read NYT review of “Priestdaddy”
Popular Company News
Barack Obama Pens Letter to America’s Librarians for Protecting Our Freedom to Read
July 17, 2023
Today, July 17, Barack Obama published a letter he wrote to America's librarians. He shares with readers how books have shaped his life and notes that…
Crown to Publish Rachel Maddow’s PREQUEL: AN AMERICAN’S FIGHT AGAINST FACISM
August 1, 2023
On October 17, 2023, Crown will publish PREQUEL: An American Fight Against Fascism, the new book from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Maddow. World…
4 PRH Titles Make Barack Obama’s 2023 Summer Reading List
July 24, 2023
Just last week, Barack Obama released his 2023 Summer Read List. As book banning continues across the country, Obama also penned a letter to librarians thanking them for…
Intern Spotlight: Meet Jackie Garcia!
July 31, 2023
Here’s to the third edition of our 2023 summer intern spotlight! This four-part series is intended to give you a glimpse into who our interns are…
Judy Blume’s SUMMER SISTERS is the Read with Jenna August Pick
August 1, 2023
SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume (Bantam) is celebrating its 25th anniversary and it's now a Read with Jenna Book Club pick! The #1 New York Times…
6 PRH Titles Longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize
July 31, 2023
Six Penguin Random House titles were longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize. The Center for Fiction says, “The twenty-five debut novels were…
Veronica Valerio on Nurturing a Passion for Social Impact Work
July 26, 2023
Wondering how the Creative Writing Awards come together? Meet Veronica Valerio, Senior Manager, Corporate Giving and learn more about her Path to Penguin Random House, what…
Intern Spotlight: Meet Elise Damasco!
August 3, 2023
Cheers to the final post in our intern spotlight series! Thank you for tuning in thus far. We hope these posts have given you a glimpse…
There’s a Book for That: Disability Pride Month
July 19, 2023
In July we celebrate Disability Pride Month to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was the world's first comprehensive civil rights…