Staff Recommendations, Week of May 12, 2026

 Another week, another great list of books to read!

We start the recommending with a book that's got not one but two Boswellians excited - Abyss by Nicholas Binge has found fans in Kay and Jeremy. First, Kay says: "Binge nailed this read-in-one sitting, horror twist on the law of diminishing returns. It fits like a glove."

And from Jeremy: "Nicholas Binge blends the existential dread of Severance with the chilling cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft in this fast-paced novella about a new recruit at a shadowy corporation whose first day on the job quickly unravels into a dystopian corporate nightmare. Lines between illusion and reality are blurred by a sinister entity that feasts on human suffering, and this time it’s not just middle management."

Now it's over to Oli for their take on The Lost Book of Lancelot, the new novel by John Glynn, author of the memoir Out East. Oli says: "John Glynn explores Lancelot with singular insight, delivering a character-focused retelling that breathes new life and deep emotion into figures of Arthurian lore. The Lost Book of Lancelot follows its titular character from the very beginning, detailing his life — and developing his character — in the formative moments of his early upbringing, through to his time as a knight of the round table. Glynn gives Lancelot a rich inner world and a past that imbues his legend with startling new meaning."

Now over to Jason for his take on Hunger, by Choi Jin-Young, a Korean cult classic now translated into English by Soje. Jason says: "Hunger is a haunting, emotionally pared-down novel about two people bound together by loneliness, trauma, and an aching need to be loved. Shaped by fractured family ties and unhealed childhood wounds, their relationship becomes both a refuge and a source of quiet devastation. With stark, luminous prose, Choi reveals how the deepest hungers are often inherited and how hard they are to escape."

Daniel recommends some fascinating nonfiction - Moral Economics: From Prostitution to Organ Sales, What Controversial Transactions Reveal About How Markets Work by Nobel-winning economist Alvin E Roth, former president of the American Economic Association. Daniel says: "Repugnance is the word that that Roth, a Nobel prize winner, uses to describe behaviors that some or all of populations disapprove of. Drug and alcohol use, gambling, medical aid in dying, in vitro fertilization, gay marriage, charging interest (excessive or any at all), even adoption when it’s trans-racial can be subject to banning. Sometimes we’re able to tolerate these transactions as long as no money changes hands, but that can lead to shortages, notably in the case of organ transplant. And Prohibition is a classic case of banning having unintended consequences, as is Oregon’s more recent experiment in drug decriminalization. Moral Economics notes how attitudes can change across time and place, and how technology can change how they are viewed. The results are fascinating, and his findings could well affect future policy."

And our last adult book rec comes from Tim, who offers for his take on The Foursome, the much anticipated new novel by Christina Baker Kline. Tim says: "This is the story of Chang and Eng, the conjoined twins from Siam (today’s Thailand) who gave rise to the term "Siamese twins." And it's the story of the North Carolina sisters who became their wives after their 1840s American settlement. It's told by Sarah, who was not the bold sister, the one always noticed by men. That was Adelaide, who immediately responded to Chang's refinement and charm. These men understood they could not be safely separated but had two complete bodies and engaging independent minds. They took everyone by surprise with the way they effortlessly moved together and shared sophisticated conversations in English while displaying many talents. They built a grand estate in the countryside, where being with her husband meant that each sister never had privacy from the other man. I didn't expect to love this novel, but I should have had more faith in Christina Baker Kline, who’s written some of my favorite historical fiction. Expertly crafted, with a graceful flow, she creates a unique American story of life’s unexpected twists, and she opens an intimate view of our traumas over race, difference, and male power. Baker Kline’s own distant relation to the sisters deepens the impact. She’s cemented a place in my thoughts reserved for our best historical novelists."

Kids Buyer Jen jumps in with a middle grade novel recommendation now - Diamond Fever!: A True Crime Story in the Wild West, written by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Jon Chad. Jen says: "Steve Sheinkin’s storytelling shines again in this action-packed nonfiction middle grade book about the Great Diamond Hoax of 1972. Entertaining and engaging, with comics moving the story along, you will learn how a pair of prospectors triggered a diamond prospecting craze in western American history and got away with it. I wish I had this kind of non-fiction true crime stories when I was a kid. Add this to your reading list!" Suggested for ages 9 and up.

Jen also recommends B Is For Bibliophile, a fun new ABC primer written by OE Zelmanovich and illustrated by Lauren Simkin Berke. Jen says: "Witty and informative, B is for Bibliophile is a great ABC style reference book for anyone who wants to learn more about all the parts a book is made of. My favorite may be W is for Wormholes!" Great for all ages.

And those are the recs for this week! We'll be back with more. Until then, read on.