The Lake By Banana Yoshimoto, out now

After her mother dies, a young woman moves home to Tokyo, where she meets a young man who has been the victim of childhood trauma. Or maybe, as she finds out, it has something to do with a cult… 

To Sound in the Know: In her native Japan, critics resist Banana, while her (mostly young) fans treasure her themes of youthful alienation and wandering.

Your Voice in My Head By Emma Forrest, out now

This memoir from the British journalist

follows her path from 22-year-old living the fast life in Manhattan (newspaper job, published novel) to the depression and mania that followed in its wake.

To Sound in the Know: Forrest’s writing career began with a story she wrote about Madonna for the London Evening Standard… when she was 13!

The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding From You By Eli Pariser, out now

An in-depth look at how our Google/ Facebook/Yahoo overlords are using our personal information to filter search results so we see what they think we really want to see.

To Sound in the Know: Pariser is the former executive director of MoveOn.org.

I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive By Steve Earle, out now

And you thought the man could just play guitar. This debut novel, set in San Antonio during the time of the JFK assassination, follows a morphine addict who performs illegal abortions and is haunted by the ghost of Hank Williams.

To Sound in the Know: Earle also released an album of the same name.

Vaclav and Lena By Haley Tanner, out now

Two children meet in an ESL class in Brighton Beach, and fall in (kid) love. When Lena disappears, Vaclav spends years pining after his lost love until… 

To Sound in the Know: Tanner was born in the Bronx and now lives in Williamsburg. Sell out.

Orientation: And Other Stories By Daniel Orozco, out May 24

This debut collection of short stories features tales of the lives of bridge painters, police officers, dictators, office temps and factory workers.

To Sound in the Know: Orozco has published pieces in the Best American Mystery Stories, Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays. Clearly, he’s bester than you.

The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel By Brady Udall, out now

A dark comedy about a Mormon with four wives, 28 kids and a whole lot of (sometimes dark) family drama.

To Sound in the Know: Udall grew up in a Mormon family in Arizona and is related to former Arizona congressman Mo Udall.

The Autobiography and Sex Life of Andy Warhol By John Wilcock, out now

Forty years after its publication, this new edition from one of the founding editors of the Village Voice promises corrections and bright new colors.

To Sound in the Know: The “autobiography” is actually a composite created from interviews with many of Warhol’s Factory cohorts, including cranky old Lou Reed.

Tell-All: A Novel By Chuck Palahniuk, out now

Palahniuk turns his satirical eye on celebrity culture with this tale of a faded Hollywood star searching for a comeback whose new suitor has already penned a memoir— about her death.

To Sound in the Know: This was one of three (3!) books that Palahniuk wrote while taking care of his sick mother.

Are We Winning: Fathers and Sons in the New Golden Age of Baseball By Will Leitch, out now

The New York sports writer pens a memoir about baseball and his father, all centered around one game at Wrigley Field.

To Sound in the Know: Leitch was the founding editor of Deadspin, the blog known for its erudite take on sports and fart jokes.

War By Sebastian Junger, out now

The author of The Perfect Storm tells of his harrowing experience embedded with a platoon in Afghanistan and how these solders (and Junger) live through war.

To Sound in the Know: Junger and a photojournalist also took videotape of their time, which they turned into the Sundance award-winning documentary Restrepo.

Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball By Bill Madden, out now

The former Yankee beat reporter writes about how a man from Cleveland bought the Yankees in 1973 and turned them into a billion-dollar global brand.

To Sound in the Know: This is Madden’s second book about the big man. In ’91 he also wrote Damn Yankees.

Street Boners: 1,764 Hipster Fashion Jokes By Gavin McInnes, out May 27

The co-founder of Vice brings the infamous eye and wit he used to
create that magazine’s “Do’s and Don’ts” back in its modern
incarnation: the street boner. To Sound in the Know: After McInnes split
from Vice in ’07, he started StreetCarnage.com, where the street
boner first arose.

To Sound in the Know: After McInnes split from Vice in ’07, he started StreetCarnage.com, where the street boner first arose.