Here at GBH, we’ve got no shortage of resident bibliophiles and book worms. With the cold keeping us cooped up indoors, we figured it was as good a time as any to ask employees from across GBH to share their favorite books published in the last year or two.
No matter the genre of books you prefer — from fiction and fantasy to memoir and mystery — we’ve got 12 books to keep you riveted, informed, and curled up beside the fireplace this winter.
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
Fiction
“As the title suggests, the novel is concerned with what is possible to know about the past, especially the people of the past. Whatever resources biographers may have at their disposal, how complete can their knowledge be? And what responsibilities do they have to their subjects? Sir Thomas Browne, writing in Urn Burial about the discovery of some ancient remains, famously noted, 'What song the sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions, are not beyond all conjecture.’ Applied to the unknown individuals whose remains these were, this raises the issue of just which (biographical) questions will productively yield to conjecture, and which will not. What can we know, indeed.” — John Landrigan, Development
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
Fantasy
“[This book] was such an incredible and interesting exploration of immortality, hunger, feminine rage, and what it means to be human — all wrapped up in the trappings of a gothic vampire novel from the perspective of three different women. It’s one of those stories that transports you into its world and doesn’t let go.” — Julia Bartoletti, Corporate Sponsorship & Client Services
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Fantasy
“A re-telling of a Korean folktale, this book has everything: fantasy, intrigue, and romance! It is a sweet story about a girl whose willingness to do anything for her family leads her on an adventure into a completely different world.” — Sarah Brown, Education
The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling
Fantasy/Horror
“I’ve never read another book like this. The scene-setting is so vivid, the world so clearly described, and the logic is so interesting and fun to figure out as you explore the narrative through a few characters’ lenses. This book stays with you long after you finish it. A great addition to the trend of medieval/knight fiction coming out this year and last!” — Jill Swan, Operations
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Mystery
“I loved how it focused on a group of assassins who are retiring — what is that process like? Also, it’s not often that the protagonists are ”of a certain age,“ and I loved learning about these women’s lives — so layered! The second book in the series came out this year and I can’t wait to read it!” — Suzy Carrington, Legal
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Historical Fiction
“[This novel] is a beautifully written exploration of grief, as it deals with the death of William Shakespeare’s only son at the age of 11. The novel (and the current movie adaptation) draw a line between Hamnet’s death and the play Hamlet, which Shakespeare wrote four years later. Some scholars will dispute that connection, but it makes for fascinating fiction.” — Ron Bachman, Broadcast Editorial
Finding Margaret Fuller: A Novel by Allison Pataki
Historical Fiction
“I live in Concord and love the writing of all of the Transcendentalists (Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, etc.), but I (shockingly) rarely learned about or read anything by Margaret Fuller. As one of the few women writers of the genre, she was always passed over by Louisa May Alcott (don’t get me wrong, she is one of the greats). Meticulously researched, Allison Pataki tells us Fuller’s remarkable story in moving, cinematic detail, exploring her close bond with her mentor and soulmate Waldo (Emerson), her favorite place to sit and write along the Concord River with Thoreau, the trailblazing feminist salons she hosted in Boston with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, her New York City meetings with newspaper editor Horace Greeley, her experience as the first female foreign correspondent to cover Europe, and hanging out with George Sand and Frederick Chopin. Pataki’s novel is filled with history, romance, and unsung bravery, ensuring that Fuller’s story is told and celebrated. I couldn’t put it down. Make a cup of tea, sit by the fireplace, and be prepared to be swept away.” — Barbara Ayotte, Communications
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Historical Fiction
“This book follows the journey of a woman who is a physics and astronomy professor and is chosen for a space mission in the early 1980s. It was fast-paced and explored her challenges as a woman in the field, her interpersonal relationships (especially with her niece), and included plenty of action and drama.” — Katrina Ávila Munichiello, Communications
Thunder Song by Sasha taqwšɘblu LaPointe
Memoir/Essays
“This book is full of great storytelling, and makes for an excellent expansion on the ideas and stories in LaPointe’s first book, Red Paint.” — Spencer Johnson, Development
How to Win an Information War by Peter Pomerantsev
Nonfiction
“[This book] draws a lot of propaganda parallels between Hitler in WWII and Putin in the Ukraine war. Using the example of Sefton Delmer’s anti-Nazi radio broadcasts that targeted Nazi-sympathizing Germans, the books describes how to pull people out of the grip of propaganda by meeting them where they are and showing how their current circumstances are not as great as their leaders want them to think.” — Nancy Keefe, Education
Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uché Blackstock, MD
Nonfiction
“Dr. Uché Blackstock’s writing is tender, powerful, and full of care. Her storytelling weaves together compelling firsthand accounts to demonstrate the urgent need for racial justice, dignity, and equity in medicine.” — Bella Holtz, Inclusion & Culture
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night by Julian Sancton
Nonfiction
“This historical account of the first Belgian Antarctic expedition was at once a captivating, harrowing, horrifying, and incredibly impressive tale of exploration and isolation. The author draws on the journals of the Belgica’s crew and the ship’s logbook, so the level of detail and insight make for a rich read. My husband and I listened to the audiobook over the course of a roadtrip near the ocean, so it was a perfect accompaniment to our views (and a steady topic of conversation in between the driving).” — Donna Danielewski, Inclusion & Culture
