As summer unfolds, it’s the perfect time to take your reading outdoors. Among your pile of fantasy novels and popular memoirs (I too got swept up in the Strangers craze), consider an essay collection by critic Megan O’Grady that argues art is as essential as air, or a graphic novel that showcases the enchantment only books can offer. Nan Goldin is reissuing a heartfelt photo essay, and Jennifer Higgie presents a prose poetry novel exploring the inner life of a notorious British artist. I’m also eagerly awaiting the reissue of Greg Tate’s influential essay collection Flyboy in the Buttermilk, featuring a new introduction by Hanif Abdurraqib. With so many books and so little time, happy reading and stay cool! — Lakshmi Rivera Amin
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes | New York Review of Books, 2025
In Perfection, Latronico explores the search for meaning in a world where reality and digital realms intertwine. The story of Anna and Tom, Southern European expatriates in Berlin, evokes a sense of familiarity, mirroring my own experiences in New York’s art scene. I started reading this on a beach last summer and couldn’t put it down until I finished. May it offer you a similarly thrilling and unsettling read. — Lisa Yin Zhang
Turn Around, Don’t Drown by Nina Burleigh | Four Sticks Press, February
In her novel, Burleigh, a journalist known for her work on diverse subjects from Trump to religious forgeries, dives into the satirical art world. The characters navigate pretentious ideas, from post-humanism to cryptosocialism, creating humorous moments as they grapple with their frustrations and the absurdity of it all. — Hrag Vartanian
True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color—from Azure to Zinc Pink by Kory Stamper | Knopf, March
Lexicographer Kory Stamper’s fascination with color began with a dictionary entry for begonia, described with poetic precision. Her book unveils the story of I. H. Godlove, the mind behind such vivid descriptions, making it a perfect companion for a season that celebrates the return of color in our lives. — Lakshmi Rivera Amin
The Neverending Book by Naoki Matayoshi and Shinsuke Yoshitake, translated by Kendall Heitzman | W. W. Norton & Company, April
This Japanese bestseller, now available in English, rekindles a love for books with its magical and whimsical narrative. Created by the award-winning Naoki Matayoshi and illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake, this fable is sure to enchant readers. — Hrag Vartanian
How It Feels to Be Alive: Encounters with Art and Our Selves by Megan O’Grady | Farrar, Straus and Giroux, April
For Megan O’Grady, art is more than a hobby; it’s a crucial part of life. Her memoiristic essays, rich with personal insights and interviews with artists like Agnes Martin and Barbara Kruger, explore how art can transform us. The book combines art history with O’Grady’s personal revelations, offering a profound tool for self-discovery. — Hakim Bishara
Deconstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto by MJ Corey | Pantheon, May
MJ Corey, the mind behind the popular @kardashian_kolloquium, examines the cultural phenomenon of the Kardashians through a post-modern lens. This entertaining book is perfect for those intrigued by the fusion of theoretical concepts and pop culture, as it attempts to unravel the chaos surrounding one of the world’s most famous families. — Hrag Vartanian
