ODY New Books Collection

The Best American Essays 2025

"A collection of the year's best essays, selected by critically acclaimed author and essayist, Jia Tolentino. The Best American series, launched in 1915, is the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction, and it is the most respected--and most popular--of its kind. Jia Tolentino, critically acclaimed essayist, editor, and New Yorker staff writer, selects twenty essays out of thousands that represent the best examples of the form published the previous year."-- Provided by publisher

The Best American Short Stories, 2025

"A collection of the year's best American short stories, selected by celebrated bestselling author Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You and Little Fires Everywhere, and series editor Nicole A. Lamy. 'Short stories can act like little tuning forks, helping us to clarify our own values,' writes guest editor Celeste Ng. 'In a time when our values are being tested daily, it's hard to think of anything more important.' The twenty pieces in The Best American Short Stories 2025 upend expectations and test the foundation of our beliefs. From a bereaved medical actress obsessed with a student in her rotation to a mysterious sickness that ignites a lethal running mania in its victims, and from the grounds of a wild animal estate to a celebrity look-alike mother for hire, these stories transport readers to the impossible edges of our world and vivify characters who reflect the spectrum of human experience. The pieces in this collection helped series editor Nicole A. Lamy 'make more sense of the world than real life was able to provide.' Within the wild and varied universes that grow from the constraints of the story form, ordinary life seems beguiled and enchanted spaces hold unshakable truths. Bold, urgent, and ultimately hopeful, The Best American Short Stories 2025, through reflections and refractions, offers readers new ways of seeing the world."-- Front cover flap

The Great Holocene Transformation

"During the Holocene (the last 10,000 years), human societies have been transformed utterly: from small groups of nomadic foragers to our current interconnected world of large-scale societies organized as states. Population numbers, agricultural productivity, technological development, political and social complexity have all seen spectacular growth. This shift--the Great Holocene Transformation--deserves to be seen as a "Major Evolutionary Transition," as momentous as the appearance of multicellular life, or the emergence of complex cognition in humans during the Paleolithic era.Why and how did this transformation take place? Past thinkers and modern social scientists have developed myriad theories, and new ones continue to be proposed. Yet we still don't have a widely accepted answer to the puzzle. The Great Holocene Transformation argues that we are now in a unique position: the tools of complexity science (computational models and big data analytics) coupled with more abundant evidence spanning world history and prehistory now allow us to adjudicate successfully between rival hypotheses, rejecting those that lack empirical and theoretical support. The book provides extensive support for a theory known as Cultural Multilevel Selection (CMLS). CMLS proposes that it was competition between societies that pushed them to scale up and evolve more sophisticated institutions, increasing our capacity to cooperate within ever larger groups of people. This process led both to oppression and inequality within societies, and to the development of institutions and ideologies that promote prosociality and enhance welfare: in short, to the large-scale, complex societies that now dominate the globe." --Back cover

Microcosms

"Follow world-renowned expert Steven F. White into the transformative world of sacred plants, as he brings anthropology, art, spirituality, and ancient wisdom together with the mesmerising detail of Jill Pflugheber's cutting-edge confocal plant microscopy. From the secrets of ayahuasca to the mystical experiences of psilocybin mushrooms, the ceremonial use of tobacco, and the roots of corn and potatoes, Microcosms reveals the inner lives of plants and fungi revered by Indigenous communities as healers, storytellers, and spirit-guides. Illustrating over 50 culturally-significant plants, Microcosms opens a portal into a world where ancestral knowledge and contemporary science converge to offer a truly visionary experience." -- Back cover

Palatine

"14 CE: The first Roman emperor is dead. A second is about to succeed. The Forum of Rome, once fought over so fiercely, has become hardly more than a museum. The house of all power is up above on the Palatine Hill, about to become the birthplace of Western bureaucracy, a warren of banqueting and bedrooms, a treacherous household where it takes special talents to survive. This is a history of ancient Rome's first imperial dynasty—the Julio-Claudians--with a cast of new men and newly dominant women, those reviled too often in the past as flatterers and gluttons, audacious slaves and former slaves, lawyers-for-hire, chancer arrivistes, and unhinged party animals. Palatine uncovers the lives of the Vitellii, perhaps Rome's least admired imperial clan, of Publius, an old-fashioned soldier snared in the politics of the new age, of Lucius, an exceptionally skilled and sycophantic courtier, and of Aulus a genial sluggard whose prowess at the table carries him all the way to the throne before collapsing his family's reputation forever. Few now remember them. Yet in their creeping ascent to the very summit of the imperial hierarchy lie neglected truths about a lasting legacy of Rome." -- taken from publisher's website

Human Nature

"Scientist Kate Marvel has seen the world end before, sometimes several times a day. In the computer models she uses to study climate change, it's easy to simulate rising temperatures, catastrophic outcomes, and bleak futures. But climate change isn't just happening in those models. It's happening here, to the only good planet in the universe. It's happening to us. And she has feelings about that. Human Nature is a deeply felt inquiry into our rapidly changing Earth. In each chapter, Marvel uses a different emotion to explore the science and stories behind climate change. As expected, there is anger, fear, and grief--but also wonder, hope, and love. With her singular voice, Marvel takes us on a soaring journey, one filled with mythology, physics, witchcraft, bad movies, volcanoes, Roman emperors, sequoia groves, and the many small miracles of nature we usually take for granted. Hopeful, heartbreaking, and surprisingly funny, Human Nature is a vital, wondrous exploration of how it feels to live in a changing world." -- Front sleeve

It Girl

"Jane Birkin was synonymous with chic. Her effortless style and artistic legacy have been immortalized through her music and film career. And, of course, she was the inspiration behind one of the world's most coveted bags, the Hermès Birkin. But who was the real woman behind the it girl? Now, New York Times bestselling author Marisa Meltzer sheds new light on Birkin's enigmatic life and explores her profound influence on generations in a rigorously reported biography unlike any other. It Girl paints a vivid portrait of Birkin and her profound legacy, from her early years in 1960s London to her rise as a beloved celebrity in France, detailing personal challenges, her relationships with creative powerhouses, and the duality of her public and private selves. Based on interviews and deep archival research, Meltzer reveals the nuances of Birkin's character: her famously tempestuous romantic relationships, life with her three famous daughters, and the creative energy that drove her. It Girl tells the story of her indelible impact on femininity and style, and how what we think of as French girl style grew from her. Far from being just a muse, Birkin is at last given her well-deserved due." -- book jacket

My Sister and Other Lovers

"For as long as Lucy can remember, she's been caught between love for her rootless mother and devotion to her fierce and exacting sister, Bea. From their peripatetic childhood to their restless teenage years--hitching through rural Ireland, the move to a communal house--she's been forced to make a choice between these two very different ways of approaching life. But as the girls come of age and embark on their own experiments--in love, drugs, work, motherhood--Bea is at risk of drifting further and further away. Can their loyalty to each other transcend the damages of a past that feels almost too dangerous to examine?"-- Provided by publisher

Organize First, Decorate Second

Whitney gets into the nitty-gritty with actionable strategies forputting the house in order. She walks readers through evaluating their spaces, marrying storage with style, and zoning rooms for peak performance. She even helps readers pick out furniture that doubles down on organization and gadgets that aren't just smart, but genius. Whitney underscores the significance of deliberate design and organization to enhance well-being and adapt seamlessly to life's ever-changing demands.

Tart

"When Slutty Cheff finds herself bored and fed-up with her 9-5 job in corporate marketing, she turns to the only thing that she really likes to do: cooking. So she quits her job, swaps emails for emulsions, and sets off to pursue her dreams of becoming a chef. The world of London's fine dining restaurants is so much more than she imagined: it's more challenging, and more exciting too. There are the exhausting lows of sixty-hour work weeks in windowless kitchens, and the shock of stepping into the changing room as the only woman. There are the thrilling highs of a busy night, when service is running smoothly; electrifying run-ins with hot bartenders and even hotter chefs; and, always, the exhilaration of cycling hands-free through a city that is still sleeping, on a morning where anything can happen. This is a story about searching for your purpose, and experiencing and embracing life to the fullest along the way. The pleasure and the chaos too..."-- Provided by publisher

This Here Is Love

"Young Bless, the only child left to her enslaved mother, stubbornly crafts the terms of her vital existence. She stands as the lone bulwark between her mother and irreparable despair, her mother's only possibility of hope, as Bless reshapes the boundaries of love. David is a helping child and a solace to his parents, and he gave a purpose to their trials. His survival hinges on his mother's shrewd intellect and ferocious fight, but his sustenance is his freed Black father's dream of emancipation for the entire family. Jack Dane, a Scots-Irish boy, sails to Britain's colonies when his father sells him into indentured servitude as an escape from poverty. There Jack learns from the rich the value of each person's life."-- Provided by publisher

Twelve Churches

Explores twelve churches across the globe through travel writing, history, and spiritual reflection, tracing Christianity's complex legacy while revealing how sacred spaces reflect the struggles, faith, and resilience of the people who shaped and were shaped by them.

Art Work

"The much-anticipated new book by artist and New York Times bestselling author Sally Mann about the challenges and transcendent pleasures of the creative process. Art Work, by photographer and writer Sally Mann, offers a spellbinding mix of wild and illuminating stories, practical (and some impractical) advice, and life lessons for artists and writers--or anyone interested in the creative path. Written in the same frank, fearless, and occasionally outrageous tone of her bestselling memoir, Hold Still, this new book reaffirms Mann as a unique and resonant voice for our times. Illustrated throughout with photographs, journal entries, and letters that bring immediacy and poignancy to the narrative, Art Work is full of thought-provoking insights about the hazards of early promise; the unpredictable role of luck; the value of work, work, work, and more hard work; the challenges of rejection and distraction; the importance of risk-taking; and the rewards of knowing why and when you say yes. In sparkling prose and thoughtfully juxtaposed visuals and ephemera, Art Work is a generous, provocative, and compulsively readable exploration of creativity by one of our most original thinkers." -- Provided by publisher

The Elements

From bestselling author John Boyne, a gripping and profound exploration of guilt, blame, trauma, and the human capacity for redemption. In The Elements, acclaimed Irish novelist John Boyne has created an epic saga that weaves together four interconnected narratives, each representing a different perspective on the enabler, the accomplice, the perpetrator, and the victim. The narrative follows a mother on the run from her past, a young soccer star facing a trial, a successful surgeon grappling with childhood trauma, and a father on a transformative journey with his son. Each is somehow connected to the next, and as the story unfolds, their lives intersect in unimaginable ways. Boyne's most ambitious work yet, The Elements is both an engrossing drama and a moving investigation of why and how we allow crime to occur. With masterful, spellbinding prose, he navigates this complex subject with extraordinary empathy and unflinching honesty. The story resonates on a deeply emotional level, challenging readers to confront their own conceptions of guilt and innocence at every step. Amid the wildly engrossing storytelling, the book ultimately What would you do when faced with the unthinkable?

Everything You Need to Know about Hoarding

"Examining all aspects of hoarding and its treatment, this book utilises case studies to demonstrate terms and how people may seek help. Written primarily for people with hoarding disorder and their loved ones, this book will also appeal to GPs and mental health practitioners."-- Provided by publisher

The Gossip Columnist's
Daughter

Jed Rosenthal hasn't published a book in fourteen years, the mother of his child left him in a 'trial separation' that has stretched on indefinitely, and he struggles to navigate the daily sorrows of their co-parenting arrangement. But the implosion of Jed's family is simply a footnote in the larger history of the Rosenthal family's decline. Just days after the JFK assassination, Karyn 'Cookie' Kupcinet was found dead in her Hollywood apartment. The press reported that the 22-year-old was strangled, yet unanswered questions linger to this day. Cookie's parents -- Chicago royalty Irv and Essee Kupcinet -- had been close friends with Jed's grandparents, but in the aftermath of her death, their friendship abruptly and inexplicably ended. Decades later, Jed pores over family stories, newspaper archives, old photos, and crime scene notes, believing that if he can divine the truth of Cookie's death -- whether it was suicide, murder, or part of a larger conspiracy connected to the JFK assassination-- it might shed light on a mystery closer to home.-- Publisher description

107 Days

"For the first time, and with surprising and revealing insights, Kamala Harris tells the story of one of the wildest and most consequential presidential campaigns in American history. Your Secret Service code name is Pioneer. You are the first woman in history to be elected vice president of the United States. On July 21, 2024, your running mate, Joe Biden, announces that he will not be seeking reelection. The presidential election will occur on November 5, 2024. You have 107 days. From the chaos of campaign strategy sessions to the intensity of debate prep under relentless scrutiny and the private moments that rarely make headlines, Kamala Harris offers an unfiltered look at the pressures, triumphs, and heartbreaks of a history-defining race. With behind-the-scenes details and a voice that is both intimate and urgent, this is more than a political memoir -- it's a chronicle of resilience, leadership, and the high stakes of democracy in action. Written with candor, a unique perspective, and the pace of a page-turning novel, 107 Days takes you inside the race for the presidency as no one has ever done before." -- Provided by publisher

World Pacific

"A brilliant spy novel and madcap adventure story from the author of The Torqued Man, set in San Francisco and the Asian Pacific during the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939, the clouds of war are gathering. Richard Halifax-a man of much bravado, master of misadventure, and writer of the breeziest of prose styles-vanishes in the Pacific. Halifax was attempting to sail a Chinese junk from Hong Kong to San Francisco as part of the World's Fair festivities on Treasure Island. But from the moment he is declared dead, his machinations live on, upending the lives of those left in his wake back home. Hildegard Rauch, an émigré painter and the daughter of Germany's greatest living writer in exile, finds her twin brother in a coma after an attempted suicide. He left a mysterious note that sends her on a search for the truth about her brother's relationship with a man named Richard Halifax, and the dangerous secret he entrusted to the writer before his fatal voyage. Simon Faulk, a British intelligence officer and bogus vice-consul, has been assigned to uncover Nazi spies in California. He learns of the arrival of a mysterious agent from across the Pacific, part of a joint-German Japanese operation. The paths of Hildegard and Faulk eventually converge as they follow separate trails that lead to the man assumed to have been lost at sea . . . Told in the alternating voices of these three characters, set against the growing threat of a second World War and the San Francisco World's Fair dedicated to peace, World Pacific is a quixotic, darkly comic tale that explores the many forms of shipwreck and exile, the struggle to fashion a self that can stay afloat, and the stories we tell ourselves as we fight to survive."-- Provided by publisher

Whites

"The excoriating stories in Mark Doten's brilliant first collection dissect the pathological narratives that shape our culture and country. Narrated by a crosscutting array of White people, Doten's stories spotlight the self-serving logic through which their characters struggle to make sense of, and take control of, the narrative of our time. They run the political spectrum from "well-intentioned" liberals and newly woke CEOs to Trump appointees, QAnon adherents, and believers in replacement theory. There is an anti-vax nursing home employee, an anti-woke billionaire, a nonbinary sneaker podcaster turned January 6 insurrectionist, a nonprofit LA housing president dubbed "WORST KAREN EVER," an elderly Republican in denial of his COVID-19 diagnosis, teenage YouTubers responding to a shooting at their suburban Minnesota school, a demonically possessed cookie manufacturer drafting a BLM statement with his new Black employee, and a gay White supremacist figure who may be a joke on 4chan, but will have his revenge. While their identities and allegiances differ, all of them are united by a ferocious belief in themselves, certain that everything they've done can be justified, if you'll just hear them out. In Whites, Doten has written a relentless book that confirms their standing as one of the great satirists of their generation." -- Provided by publisher

We the People

"The U.S. Constitution is among the oldest constitutions in the world but also one of the most difficult to amend. Jill Lepore, Harvard professor of history and law, explains why in We the People, the most original history of the Constitution in decades--and an essential companion to her landmark history of the United States, These Truths. Published on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding--the anniversary, too, of the first state constitutions--We the People offers a wholly new history of the Constitution. 'One of the Constitution's founding purposes was to prevent change,' Lepore writes. 'Another was to allow for change without violence.' Relying on the extraordinary database she has assembled at the Amendments Project, Lepore recounts centuries of attempts, mostly by ordinary Americans, to realize the promise of the Constitution. Yet nearly all those efforts have failed. Although nearly twelve thousand amendments have been introduced in Congress since 1789, and thousands more have been proposed outside its doors, only twenty-seven have ever been ratified. More troubling, the Constitution has not been meaningfully amended since 1971. Without recourse to amendment, she argues, the risk of political violence rises. So does the risk of constitutional change by presidential or judicial fiat. Challenging both the Supreme Court's monopoly on constitutional interpretation and the flawed theory of 'originalism,' Lepore contends in this 'gripping and unfamiliar story of our own past' that the philosophy of amendment is foundational to American constitutionalism. The framers never intended for the Constitution to be preserved, like a butterfly, under glass, Lepore argues, but expected that future generations would be forever tinkering with it, hoping to mend America by amending its Constitution through an orderly deliberative and democratic process. Lepore's remarkable history seeks, too, to rekindle a sense of constitutional possibility. Congressman Jamie Raskin writes that Lepore 'has thrown us a lifeline, a way of seeing the Constitution neither as an authoritarian straightjacket not a foolproof magic amulet but as the arena of fierce, logical, passionate, and often deadly struggle for a more perfect union.' At a time when the Constitution's vulnerability is all too evident, and the risk of political violence all too real, We the People, with its shimmering prose and pioneering research, hints at the prospects for a better constitutional future, an amended America." -- Dust cover flap