6 Fantastic Books New in Paperback This September

The strength of a survivor like Edith Eger is nothing short of remarkable. As a 16-year-old ballerina in 1944, Edith is sent to Auschwitz. There, she endures unimaginable horrors and is forced to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. As the war ends and the camp is finally liberated, she is rescued from a pile of bodies, barely alive. This memoir is a testament to Edith's life, and an example of forgiveness, the ability to transcend the greatest horrors, and a generous gift to the world. Poignantly crafted, this searing firsthand account of surviving the Holocaust is an incredible study of self-acceptance and an important book for our times.

Whenever I'm stressed or need a little break to be creative and use my hands, I turn to baking. There's nothing like the sweet smell of a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning or a warm cookie late at night. Like me, the heroine of Robin Sloan's SOURDOUGH turns to baking as a break from her monotonous life as an engineer. Overworked and under-socialized, Lois Clary needed a change. When the brothers who run the diner she eats at every night have visa issues and have to leave the country, they entrust Lois with their most prized possession: their sourdough starter. Lois is charged with taking care of the little colony of microorganisms, and once she starts baking with it, it quickly changes her life. This book is a delight for anyone—baker or not—and it's pure delicious fun.

This memoir probably doesn't need much introduction. As the New York Times says, "It is a post-mortem, in which she is both coroner and corpse. It is a feminist manifesto. It is a score-settling jubilee." This engaging memoir will take you inside Hillary Clinton's thoughts and feelings during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. This is an emotionally raw book in which she describes the mistakes she made and what it took to get herself back on her feet after the election. WHAT HAPPENED is insightful, darkly funny, and important for everyone as we look back on what happened during the 2016 election. This paperback edition also features a new epilogue from Clinton.

The undisputed master of his genre is back—and this time Stephen King partnered with his son Owen to pen a spectacular new novel. What would happen if women were to disappear from the world? Set in a near and realistic future, in SLEEPING BEAUTIES women are wrapped in cocoon-like gauze when they go to sleep. If they are disturbed, they become violent. If left sleeping, they go to a peaceful place where harmony prevails. One woman, Eve, is immune and remains in the world of men. Some try to hunt her down, while others fight to save her, but while the women sleep, the men become increasingly feral. Set in a small Appalachian town, SLEEPING BEAUTIES is a Stephen King collaboration that feels particularly relevant today.

I've been a fan of Tom Hanks since my rom-com loving 'tween self fell in love with You've Got Mail. Tom Hanks is renowned as a two-time Oscar-winning actor, but he also has writing chops, which he showcases in this heartfelt, charming collection of short stories. The stories cover a range of locations, time periods, and manners: there's an Eastern European immigrant arriving in New York City, a bowler who rises to fame and then questions whether perfecting his craft has in fact ruined the thing he loves, and an eccentric billionaire looking for acquisitions who finds instead a bit of real life. The common thread in the blurbs and reviews of this book is "Wait, Tom Hanks can write, too?" Yes, he can and he does so beautifully, with humor, heart, and a playful quality.