The Fall
Reading List

The former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman became a social media storyteller during the pandemic, posting epic accounts of jamming with Prince, a homemade fireworks show gone wrong, and the likes. Now, he’s collected those stories and more in a memoir. He touchingly details the rise and fall of Nirvana, and spins backstage yarns just like a fan. Grohl’s charisma, openness, and enthusiasm resonate on the page. Opt for the audiobook, narrated with wit and candor by the author himself.

(Dey Street Books, out now)

On the cusp of basketball season, this book captures the hoop dreams of two Flathead Indian Reservation high school players in Montana. It inverts the typical sports narrative formula by beginning with the state championship game, which they win in 2017. It follows the Arlee Warriors teammates from there as they transition into adulthood, living out a powerful story of community and love in the American West—a locale that holds a special place in the world of Ralph Lauren.

(Celadon Books, out now)

Longtime naturalist Jane Goodall has seen more than her share of dire situations, managing to survive and thrive in spite of them. In this tome, she has turned those lessons into what she dubbed (and organized each chapter around) “the Four Reasons for Hope”: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit. She expounds on these ideas in conversation with author Douglas Abrams (who wrote The Book of Joy with the Dalai Lama), telling stories and sharing photos that can inspire any of us to confront the many challenges of the 21st Century.

(Macmillan, October 19)

In 2020, Obama and Springsteen started a podcast from New Jersey that topped charts around the world. Now, the conversations between these two American icons—on family, on country, on music, on vulnerability—have been expanded into a rich coffee-table book, complete with handwritten lyrics (from The Boss) and annotated speeches (from the former President). These conversations remain insightful and urgent (and often very funny), and serve as a reminder of the power and responsibilities we all share.

(Crown, October 26)

The richness and vibrancy of New York City, Ralph Lauren’s hometown, never fail to inspire. Part of that culture is underground—literally—as the city’s subway riders immerse themselves in books. Over ten years, Beutter Cohen has been documenting these readers, and now has collected interviews with them, from well-known writers and editors like Jeremy O. Harris and Lynn Yaeger to everyday readers, who speak expertly on the power of symbols in fashion.

(Simon & Schuster, October 26)

Believe it or not, the ageless actor, musician and producer is 53 years old. In this memoir, he shares the stories and life lessons that come with age. As Wesley Lowery put it in his recent GQ cover story interview with the actor, it’s easy to forget how unlikely Smith’s success was for a rapper turned actor. But Smith hasn’t forgotten, and this book reveals what he’s learned along the way. Bonus: the natural storyteller will also be telling tales on a brief global theater tour this fall.

(Penguin Press, November 9)

Haruki Murakami is many things: an acclaimed writer of fiction, a long-distance running obsessive, and, it turns out, a fanatic t-shirt collector. This book chronicles his collection, including tees from Springsteen on Broadway and the shirt that inspired his short story “Tony Takitani,” many of which dovetail with his equally renowned passion for music. (He owns more than 10,000 vinyl records.) Expect short, candid essays about the shirts, alongside artfully presented photographs.

(Knopf, November 23)

Jimmy Chin has won an Oscar (for directing the climbing documentary Free Solo) and earned plaudits for his death-defying photography in National Geographic, but somehow he’s never put together a book of his adventure photos until now. This collection features pictures taken over twenty years of high-stakes exploring, including skiing down Mount Everest and summiting peaks in Chad and Antarctica, with risk-taking pals like Alex Honnold and Conrad Anker. The real star, of course, is Mother Nature, in all her infinite majesty.

(Ten Speed Press, December 7)

Think back to Inauguration Day this year, and more likely than not, one of the moments you remember most is the young woman in the canary-colored coat delivering a poem of astonishing power and beauty. The poet, of course, was Amanda Gorman, and her new collection includes “The Hill We Climb,” the work she read that day. Alongside it are pieces devoted to grief, memory, and hope, written during this fraught time in history. (For younger readers, don’t miss her debut picture book, Change Sings, released in September.)

(Viking Books, December 7)