Books for Capricorn

You’re a lover of carefully crafted worlds and a hero’s epic quest, and that’s exactly what Celeste Ng provides in her newest novel. Bird Gardner is twelve years old and doesn’t know what happened to his mother, a Chinese American poet whose work is being removed from library shelves for its “unpatriotic” content. Bird also knows he shouldn’t ask questions, living as he does in an America governed by laws to protect “American culture.” Now, the authorities are beginning to relocate the children of dissidents like his mother: even more reason to toe the line. But when he receives a mysterious letter, Bird sets out on a journey to find her, leading to an even greater act of defiance in the face of injustice.

If you’re the kind of Cap who loves a detailed, invented world and a good trilogy, you’ll adore this one. This is the second book in James’s Dark Star trilogy, and some are saying it’s better than the first. Get lost in this epic fantasy set in a mythical African landscape, and hear the Moon Witch Sogolon’s version of the story.

Even Capricorns who are not in tech or venture capital may want to understand the enormous influence VC has on the economy and the direction of the future. With unprecedented access to key figures in venture capital, Mallaby tells compelling stories about Silicon Valley’s worst failures and greatest triumphs and offers an analysis of how VC affects the economy and the world.

Capricorn, if you’re looking for interesting nonfiction, this is a wide-ranging, inquisitive read that starts with the bicycle but extends into so much more. The bicycle is simultaneously a Victorian technology, in tension with our hoverboards and driverless cars, and the most popular form of transportation across the globe. Rosen combines history, reportage, travelogue, and memoir as he traces the saga of the bicycle through time and space.

Capricorn, worlds collide in this romantic comedy set in Los Angeles. Dreamy Daniels is a quirky secretary living in a seedy part of the city, but with her mantras and manifestations, she’s always just one step away from the success she needs to become her own boss. When she meets investor Karter Redford, she views him as a distraction from her goals. He’s used to focusing on work, but now that he wants to share his life with someone, he tries to bring Dreamy into his wealthy, upper-crust social circle.

Capricorn, Oyebanji has crafted a riveting world and interesting story in this sci-fi epic. It’s almost Braking Day for three ships that escaped Earth over a century ago — the day they will finally land in their new home, a distant planet orbiting Tau Ceti. Ravi is looking forward to the landing, and to his promised promotion to Officer. But when he begins to see a girl floating out in space without a helmet, he risks his future to solve the mystery.

Capricorn, the urgency of this historical and political fiction will keep you reading. A Black couple flees the FBI after an unlucky encounter in a parking lot in 1960s Alabama. Disguised with new identities, they travel to Ghana, seeking the help of an old college friend who happens to be the president of the country. By chance, they meet a popular musician who is also on his way to Ghana’s president, to perform for him. As the country’s politics spiral into chaos, the three travel together, forming a love triangle that sparks confrontation and sets off another series of events.

Capricorn, this is a tale of ambition and pride coupled with a crime mystery to be solved. Ray McMillan is a Black kid from rural North Carolina with improbable dreams. With talent and an old violin from his great-great-grandfather, he is determined to become a renowned professional musician. When it turns out that the family fiddle is an invaluable Stradivarius, nothing can stop him. Except, on the eve of the cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition, a thief takes the violin and leaves a ransom note for five million dollars. Ray must not only recover his treasure but prove to everyone that he is the great musician he has dreamed of becoming.