This Is the One Book You Should Read in December

In this memorable debut from Indian American author Neel Patel, a mother and son are forced to face the true selves they have been hiding from their family, themselves, and the world. Told in alternating perspectives, readers take a trip inside the minds of Renu Amin, a semi-recent widow who believes she made the wrong choice 35 years ago when she married her now-deceased husband, and her son Akash, a young gay man living his best life in L.A., but who has yet to come out to his family. ​​A delightful and poignant story about relationships and growing up, “Tell Me How to Be” highlights the complexity of love and identity, and culture. 

From the youngest presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history comes this stirring collection of poems, including “The Hill We Climb,” the now-famous poem Amanda Gorman recited during the most recent inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. Originally titled “The Hill We Climb and Other Poems” and not to be confused with “The Hill We Climb,” a book published earlier this year featuring the single poem and a foreword from Oprah Winfrey, “Call Us What We Carry” explores history, language, identity, and erasure. You will want to quote and share every line Gorman wrote; a great gift idea for young activists and poetry lovers alike. 

At first glance, Francesco Pacifico’s “The Women I Love” may seem like a story about sexual escapades. But this candid novel explores sex, gender, and power by chronicling the diverse women that have come and gone from the life of Marcello, the novel’s protagonist. A 40-something editor and poet, Marcello is trying to write a story about love, but he can’t do that without diving into the complexities of the women. There’s more to them than what is seen under this alcohol-soaked maze gaze.