Books you should read in June, including How To Raise An Antiracist, the new David Sedaris, and Daddy Issues

David Sedaris (Little, Brown and Company, June 1)Nobody wants to relive the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. But Happy-Go-Lucky makes a compelling case for at least revisiting them with beloved humorist David Sedaris. In this collection of personal essays, the 65-year-old New Yorker talks through the ups, downs, and down-downs of weathering one of the worst public health disasters in human history. From his musings on masks and social distancing to deeper reflections on the vile mudslide that is the modern political landscape, Sedaris uses Happy-Go-Lucky to once again cement his place as an unwavering, essential voice in American literature.

Piper Huguley (William Morrow Paperbacks, June 7)You’re neither a legitimate fashionista nor a proper historian until you know the trailblazing career of Anne Lowe, the Black designer most famous for creating the silk taffeta wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (née Bouvier) when she married the future president in 1953. In this cleverly framed work of historical fiction, author Piper Huguley channels Lowe’s voice to tell the incredible story of how one seamstress—whose work on the iconic dress went uncredited then and is still widely under-recognized now—overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to produce a timeless work of art.

Hannah Whitten (Orbit, June 7)Frequenters of BookTok (that’s the books community on TikTok, for those unfamiliar) may remember last year’s buzzy For The Wolf—the harrowing first half of a dark fantasy epic that follows a powerful young woman supposedly destined to be sacrificed. Now, author Hannah Whitten is wrapping up her duology with For The Throne—a follow-up that some say is better than the first. We won’t get into specifics about either, lest we spoil you on both, but they’re a great choice for fans of magic, romance, and killer twists.

Kristin Marguerite Doidge (Chicago Review Press, June 7)It’s been a decade since multi-hyphenate talent Nora Ephron, known for her journalism, essays, and rom-coms like Sleepless In Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, passed away at 71. Now, biographer Kristin Marguerite Doidge is re-examining Ephron’s extraordinary life and legacy with a heavily-researched portrait that stands to reveal new details about one of the most beloved writers ever. Boasting rare materials from Ephron’s archives and interviews with famed collaborators like Tom Hanks and Martin Short, Nora Ephron: A Biography is set to become an essential read for fans of the unparalleled storyteller.

Lucy Cooke (Basic Books, June 14)Documentarian, zoologist, and author Lucy Cooke dives deep on the fascinating females of the animal kingdom in Bitch: On The Female Of The Species. In this delightful, revelatory survey of cross-species sexism (already on shelves in the UK), Cooke treats readers to an information-dense reframing of the many misunderstandings around sex and sexuality that burden “girls” of all kinds. Come for the promise of some really neat nature facts. Stay for Cooke picking apart the misogynistic underpinnings of Charles Darwin’s fundamentally flawed theory of evolution.

Melissa Bond (Gallery Books, June 14)When Melissa Bond was prescribed benzodiazepines, the writer and mother of two thought she was following good advice by taking the pills she’d been given. It wasn’t until she started experiencing serious side effects (and learned that her doctor had, in fact, overprescribed the dangerous medication) that her journey toward real recovery began. Blood Orange Night: My Journey To The Edge Of Madness offers Bond’s deeply personal insight into the ongoing benzodiazepine epidemic—a public health crisis still raging in the United States.

Ibram X. Kendi (One World, June 14)Ibram X. Kendi wrote the literal book on dismantling white supremacy with How To Be An Antiracist, a brilliantly brutal memoir-meets-social commentary examining the irreparable harm caused by inaction in an oppressive system. The educator and advocate, whose book gained new popularity amid the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, returns with a set of lessons for parents teaching the next generation in How To Raise An Antiracist—a combination of scientific research, sociological analysis, and Kendi’s own experiences as a father.

Tom Segura (Grand Central Publishing, June 14)Stand-up comedian Tom Segura built his career making laugh-out-loud funny observations live, onstage and for his multiple podcasts. With the fittingly titled I’d Like To Play Alone, Please—so named for Segura’s son’s brutally pointed first sentence—the witty, relatable, exhausted curmudgeon welcomes audiences into an equally entertaining but more intimate romp. (Not like that, ya weirdos!) Here, Segura sorts through the many demands on his existence as a dad, husband, professional, and human with his signature style.

Katherine Angel (Verso Books, June 21)Why spend your Father’s Day with the likes of How To Kill A Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch or Pride & Prejudice’s Mr. Bennet when you can dive into Daddy Issues: Love And Hate In The Time Of Patriarchy? In this cheekily titled feminist analysis, author Katherine Angel dissects the patriarchy with a sharp combination of individual psychology and cultural critique. It’s an exciting follow-up to her last book, Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again, which deftly explored desire, consent, and the great power struggle of female sexuality.