Agency News
March
WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL Reviewed in The New York Post

Nancy Nichols's memoir WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL was reviewed by The New York Post: "In her new, highly readable part memoir, part car history, Nichols makes clear that the woman driver and her experience behind the wheel is no laughing matter." 

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY Is a New York Times Bestseller

Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) debuted at #2 on the New York Times' Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous bestseller list. 

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY Is an Indie Bestseller

Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is an Indie Bestseller at #10, for the week ending March 10, 2024. 

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY Is a USA Today Bestseller

Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is a USA Today bestseller, debuting at #46. 

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY Is a Washington Post Bestseller

Cal Newport’s SLOW PRODUCTIVITY (Portfolio) is a Washington Post hardcover nonfiction bestseller, debuting at #10. 

WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL Reviewed in The New York Times Book Review

Nancy A. Nichols's WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL (Pegasus Books) was reviewed in The New York Times Book Review: “[A] fascinating, funny, enraging and often very moving book…For all its hard-edged machinery, gender warring and auto-business shenanigans, the emotional engine of this book is Nichols’s own poignant story.”

THE CHICKEN SISTERS TV Adaptation in the Works

Red Clay Studios is adapting KJ Dell'Antonia's novel THE CHICKEN SISTERS (Putnam) for television.

February
OUR MOON is a New Yorker Best Book

The New Yorker has selected Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House) as one of The Best Books We Read This Week, saying: "This chronicle of our planet’s 'silvery sister' begins with the explosive interaction, four and a half billion years ago, that split the moon from the Earth, and eventually encompasses the climatic chaos that is likely to ensue when it ultimately escapes our gravitational pull.”

BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Is on the Longlist for the Reading the West Award

Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) has been named to the longlist for the 34th Annual Reading the West Book Awards in the category of Memoir & Biography. Public voting on the shortlists will be from May 1 to 31. 

BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Is a Southwest Book of the Year

Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) is a Southwest Book of the Year. The committee calls it “an intimate biography” and “a fine Western adventure tale.” 

BEAVERLAND Is a New York Times Bestseller

Leila Philip’s BEAVERLAND (Twelve) appeared at #12 on the New York Times paperback nonfiction list.

The New York Times Recommends OUR MOON

Critics and editors at the New York Times recommend Rebecca Boyle's OUR MOON (Random House). "The moon may seem the least mysterious of our celestial neighbors, but Boyle gracefully argues that our development as a species and a planet is inextricably linked to its presence.”

Library Journal Gives LOST ARK DREAMING a Starred Review

"Verdict: Okungbowa offers readers an amazing, character-driven story set in a vivid, dystopian world."

Kirkus Gives KING OF DEAD THINGS a Starred Review

"Readers will feel transported as the vivid scenes play out on each page, drawing them in with universal elements such as struggles with identity, family, and an uncertain future... An electrifying debut."

BEAVERLAND Is a Barnes & Noble Monthly Pick

Barnes & Noble selected Leila Philip's BEAVERLAND as their nonfiction pick for February.

January
OUR MOON Is a USA Today Bestseller

USA Today’s Best-selling Booklist features Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House), debuting at #96. 

Booklist Gives THE ASTROCHIMPS a Starred Review

“As NASA prepares to return humans to the moon, Cusick reminds readers of America’s often-forgotten first astronauts: chimpanzees. Her riveting and reverent account, packed with fascinating details and archival photos, traces the role these astrochimps played in the Space Race.” 

Publishers Weekly Talks with Nancy A. Nichols, author of WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL

In Women Behind the Wheel, journalist Nichols provides a women’s history of the automobile.

SO FETCH Is a People Magazine Best Book to Read in January

People picked their best reads of January, and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s SO FETCH (Dey Street) is #3. They call it “a behind-the-scenes romp."

WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL Receives a Starred Review in Publishers Weekly

“Journalist Nichols offers a unique and captivating history of women and the automobile. Combing through decades of carmakers’ advertisements and marketing strategies, Nichols finds that not long after its invention in the 1880s, the automobile became 'our most gendered technology'…Nichols interweaves meticulous and intriguing research into engineering and advertising history with poignant reflections on how automobiles have played an outsize role in her own family: an uncle killed in a car accident, an alcoholic father who was a used car salesman, time spent driving herself and her son for cancer treatment…[T]his perceptive study will compel readers to reevaluate their own relationship with cars.”

December
BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Is a New Yorker Best Book of 2023

The New Yorker selected Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) as one of its Best Books of 2023.

BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Is ALA Booklist’s Top of the List

ALA Booklist selected Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (WW Norton) as it’s Top of the List in Nonfiction for 2023.

THE ASTROCHIMPS Reviewed in Publishers Weekly

"Before Mercury Seven astronauts began their explorations, NASA recruited and trained six chimpanzees to compete with Sputnik, which Cusick perceptively depicts in this fascinating work...By touching on subjects of animal rights and experimentation, as well as gender equity within Homo sapiens society, Cusick breathes life into a seldom heard story and reminds readers that while 'we cannot undo the past... we can create a new future.'"

KIND OF A BIG DEAL Is Vulture’s #1 Comedy Book of the Year

Vulture has named Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) the #1 comedy book of 2023: "Anchorman is one of the last great broad, blockbuster comedies, densely packed with over-the-top characters, jokes, catchphrases, and set pieces. It’s great to see it get the full, exhaustive, appreciative analysis and oral history, a treatment afforded to all iconic culture. Saul Austerlitz was the perfect author for the job.”

SO FETCH Is a Town & Country Must-Read

Town & Country has selected Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s SO FETCH (Dey Street) as a Must-Read Book of Winter 2024, saying: “Anyone who has seen the film understands why it’s a cult classic, but So Fetch goes deeper behind the scenes, using interviews with the cast and crew to explore how Fey spun a self-help book for parents of teenagers into an iconic masterpiece whose memes, mores, and lexicons still dominate the culture. And we’re in good hands with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, a seasoned pro.”

MASTER OF CHANGE Is a Next Big Idea Club Top Productivity Book

The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) as #7 of the Top 23 Productivity Books of 2023. “A revelatory book…"

MASTER OF CHANGE Is a Next Big Idea Club Top Psychology Book

The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) as #11 of the Top 50 Psychology Books of 2023. 

THE POWER OF SAYING NO Is a Next Big Idea Club Top Productivity Book

The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Vanessa Patrick’s THE POWER OF SAYING NO (Sourcebooks) as #11 of the Top 23 Productivity Books of 2023.

THE POWER OF SAYING NO Is a Next Big Idea Club Top Psychology Book

The Next Big Idea Club has ranked Vanessa Patrick’s THE POWER OF SAYING NO (Sourcebooks) as #14 of the Top 50 Psychology Books of 2023. "She introduces the groundbreaking concept of 'empowered refusal' and reveals surprising secrets about the power of the word no."

November
BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Is a National Outdoor Book Award Winner

Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon (WW Norton) has won the National Outdoor Book Award for History/Biography. The awards committee says: "In this brilliantly told story you are given a seat in the boat along with Clover and Jotter for a bit of canyon botany—and the ride of your life."

ANA MARÍA AND THE FOX voted one of the Best Romance Novels of 2023 by Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews named Liana De la Rosa's ANA MARÍA AND THE FOX as a Best Romance Novel of 2023.

Kirkus Gives THE ASTROCHIMPS a Starred Review

“Usually relegated to brief mentions in histories of the space race, the NASA program’s chimps take center stage here as Cusick draws on a mix of interviews and archival sources to present a vividly portrayed, meticulously researched picture of their strenuous training and experiences...All hail these pioneering primates!” 

October
COMPANY Named a "Best Fiction Book of 2023" by Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly places COMPANY on its list of the top 20 "Best Fiction Books of 2023." They say: "Sanders’s revelatory debut collection offers a warts-and-all portrait of a Black extended family, set mainly in Washington, D.C., with stories retold and expanded upon from various family members’ perspectives. Each character feels deeply human as they navigate what it means to be 'company' at one another’s homes and parties, and whether to expect a warm embrace or cold scrutiny."

COMPANY reviewed in The Washington Post

"Company shows the frayed edges of friendship and family, and Sanders extracts comedy from the formidable situations that erupt in people’s lives — divorce, financial struggle, aging, death and childlessness. . . This book is for anyone bludgeoned by gnawing remarks from family members or friends. We all find ourselves in bad company on occasion, but the stakes are higher when those experiences happen with those we consider kin."

COMPANY reviewed in The New York Times Book Review

"One of the great pleasures of Company— and there are many — is how some stories double back to retell an event or re-establish a family member from a different vantage point, deepening our understanding of, and investment in, the Collinses. . . Company is a deftly woven tapestry that scrupulously depicts familial ties and estrangement, richly told with a nuance that allows each character dignity and grace."

BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal

Melisssa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (Norton) has been longlisted for the 2024 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The shortlist will be announced on November 14. 

Vulture Names KIND OF A BIG DEAL a Best Comedy Book of 2023

Vulture places Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) on its list of "Best Comedy Books of 2023 (So Far)." They say: "It’s great to see [Anchorman] get the full, exhaustive, appreciative analysis and oral history, a treatment afforded to all iconic culture. Saul Austerlitz was the perfect author for the job.”

EMPIRE OF THE SUM Is a NYTBR Staff Pick

The New York Times Book Review selected Keith Houston's EMPIRE OF THE SUM: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator (Norton) as an Editors’ Choice book. 

AIPT Reviews LET ME OUT

“Enthralling… A dark, bloody, trope-defying tale on the terrors of corruption and bigotry, and the daring hope that comes with friendship and found family… Like a punk, queer grown-up version of Stranger Things."

Screen Rant Loves LET ME OUT

“Urgent storytelling... delivering a riveting, relevant tale of terror, one that places emphasis on showing the power of found family and queer friendship… Oni Press' Let Me Out appears to be one of the most exciting releases left on the calendar for the year, arriving just in time for the scary season.”

September
FRIZZY Nominated for a Harvey Award

FRIZZY has been nominated for a 2023 Harvey Award for Best Children's or Young Adult Book.

JUST BECAUSE is a #1 New York Times Bestseller

Matthew McConaughey's JUST BECAUSE debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

Publishers Weekly Gives OUR MOON a Starred Review

Publishers Weekly gave a starred review to Rebecca Boyle’s OUR MOON (Random House) and said: “An excellent exploration of how the moon has shaped life on Earth…. Boyle’s dexterous blend of science and cultural history is elevated by her spry prose. This illuminates.”

School Library Journal Recognizes EVERYTHING IS OK

School Library Journal has named Debbie Tung’s EVERYTHING IS OK (Andrews McMeel) as one of “15 Visual Books to Help Students Grapple with Big Feelings.”  

MASTER OF CHANGE is a Publishers Weekly Bestseller

Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) debuted on Publishers Weekly’s Hardcover Frontlist Nonfiction bestseller list at #18.

MASTER OF CHANGE is a USA Today Bestseller

Brad Stulberg’s MASTER OF CHANGE (HarperOne) debuted on USA Today’s Best-Selling Booklist at #106.

Ana María and the Fox on Booklist's Top 10 Romance Novels of 2023

Liana De la Rosa's ANA MARÍA AND THE FOX was named one of the Top 10 Romance Novels of 2023 by Booklist.

COMPANY Named an October Indie Next Pick

COMPANY has made the American Bookseller Association’s Indie Next List, which tallies support from indie booksellers across the country and promotes the top 20 books from all publishers released each month.

Here’s what one bookseller had to say:

“Members of a big, multigenerational Black family — with branches bohemian and bourgeois — live vibrantly in this debut collection of fiction. Linked together in a glittering chain of language, their stories create a treasured heirloom.”
—James Crossley, Madison Books, Seattle, WA

The Boston Globe interviews Tori Anne Martin

The Boston Globe interviews Tori Anne Martin on her newly published novel, THIS SPELLS DISASTER.

Brad Stulberg in the New York Times

Brad Stulberg’s guest essay, “Stop Resisting Change,” adapted from his new book, MASTER OF CHANGE: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing—Including You (HarperOne), appeared in the New York Times

COMPANY Featured in Publishers Weekly's Preview "Big Indie Books of Fall 2023"
COMPANY Receives a Starred Review in Booklist

"Sanders’ remarkable, aptly titled short-story collection centers around a compelling Black family and the varied company it keeps...The characters throughout are expertly rendered and deeply relatable...Sanders’ stories are unforgettable, making this a strong and promising debut."

August
FRIZZY on NYPL Vibrant Voices List 2023

The New York Public Library's Vibrant Voices book list is created by the Library’s expert staff to amplify and celebrate diverse voices, promote discussion, and expand understanding. Presented by the Center for Educators and Schools.

Genevieve Plunkett's essay "Fiction Is a Hallucination, Packaged for Public Consumption" in Electric Literature

On how delusional thinking helped her write her debut novel IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL

KIND OF A BIG DEAL Reviewed in the Los Angeles Times

Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) is reviewed in the Los Angeles Times: “A wickedly sharp, discursive study of a movie that has cast a long shadow on 21st-century comedy.”

KIND OF A BIG DEAL excerpted in Vulture

Read an excerpt from Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) in Vulture.

KIND OF A BIG DEAL excerpted in Vanity Fair

Read an excerpt from Saul Austerlitz’s KIND OF A BIG DEAL (Dutton) in Vanity Fair

BRAVE THE WILD RIVER Reviewed in The New Yorker

Melissa L. Sevigny’s BRAVE THE WILD RIVER (W.W. Norton) is featured in the August 28 issue ofThe New Yorker. “[Brave the Wild River] makes the case that Clover and Jotter’s study, conducted shortly after the construction of the Hoover Dam, provides a crucial benchmark in assessing human impact on the environment.”

EMPIRE OF THE SUM Reviewed in the New York Times Book Review

Alexander Nazaryan reviewed Keith Houston’s EMPIRE OF THE SUM (W.W. Norton) for the New York Times Book Review and said: “[Empire of the Sum] may not be erotica, but it is good writing—and these days the latter is rather more rare.” For the context of that quote, you’ll need to read the full review.

Cosmopolitan Reviews DYKETTE

"If a beach read is like eating a tasty little snack, reading Dykette was like huffing drugs: noxious and mildly euphoric."

DYKETTE in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted

"[A] biting gay millennial comedy of manners..."

BESSIE THE MOTORCYCLE QUEEN Wins 2023 NCSS Septima B. Clark Book Award, Elementary Category

The National Council for Social Studies established the Septima P. Clark Book Award for nonfiction trade books that accurately reflect women’s issues, perspectives, and stories (including expansive views of gender identity and expression). Named for educator and civil rights activist Septima Clark, books chosen for this honor must be thoroughly researched, well written, and indicate originality.

The New York Times Reviews IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL

"Plunkett applies a soft touch when rendering minds in turmoil, offering both reader and character relief through the escapes of music, love and small-town landscape."—Wadzanai Mhute, The New York Times Book Review

IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL Named a September Indie Next Pick

IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL has made the American Bookseller Association’s Indie Next List, which tallies support from indie booksellers across the country and promotes the top 20 books from all publishers released each month.

Here’s what one bookseller had to say:

"In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel—a place two lovers who can't be together in the real world might meet—is a beautiful meditation on love, madness, motherhood, and art. Plunkett's writing is achingly gorgeous and Portia is a character for the ages”

—Stefanie Kiper, Water Street Bookstore, Exeter, NH

COMPANY Receives a Starred Review in Publishers Weekly

“Sanders excels in this masterly debut collection about a Black extended family and their triumphs, problems, and secrets. . . . She also exhibits great care and love for them, describing their slights, heartaches, and misbehavior with exquisite emotional acuity. This is a winner.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review