Check out these books that inspired some of this year’s nominees. For more books like these, ask a librarian.
American Prometheus by Kai Bird
A definitive portrait of legendary scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father” of the atomic bomb, discusses his seminal role in the twentieth-century scientific world, as well as his lesser-known roles as family man, supposed communist, and head of Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Studies.
The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis
A searing portrait of life and unexpected love in a concentration camp explores the depths and contradictions of the human soul as well as the capacity of individuals who are tested to acknowledge their true selves. By the author of Time’s Arrow.
Lord Blackheart, a villain with a vendetta, and his sidekick, Nimona, an impulsive young shapeshifter, must prove to the kingdom that Sir Goldenloin and the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Presents a true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
The lives of two doctors become hopelessly entangled with a woman who was created by one of them, in a novel set in nineteenth-century Glasgow and the Mediterranean.
Erasure by Percival L. Everett
Frustrated with his poor book sales, college professor Thelonious “Monk” Ellison pens a fierce parody of exploitive ghetto literature entitled My Pafology, which is hailed by critics as the work of a great new voice and brings him the success he craves, but also confronts him with a difficult choice between his moral principles and his dreams.
