Staff Picks: Jessica Jean Scott’s Favorites
Hi! I’m Jessica Jean Scott, an editorial assistant at Crown. I’ve been passionate about lifelong learning from a young age, and since graduating from college last year, have been reading as much as I possibly can to keep up with the world around me. I love to read nonfiction (especially memoirs and historical thrillers!), but I’ll always have a soft spot for 19th-century classics. I’m always looking for new topics to become an expert on, from politics to recipes and everything in between! You can find me on Instagram @jessicajeanscottt.
-
1
Add to BookshelfBegin Again
by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
Begin Again is the type of book that feels familiar even as you read it for the first time. It is a stunningly moving yet refreshingly simple analysis of America in the “after times” of the Black Lives Matter Movement and the first Trump presidency (a time Glaude expertly compares to the after times James Baldwin experienced in the wake of the end of the Civil Rights Movement). It is both a beautiful love letter to America and a heart-stopping reckoning with the web of racism and trauma that makes up the memory of this country. As Baldwin’s original writing and interviews peek through Glaude’s narrative, you get to watch a beautiful dance unfold between the two writers. It will make you want to smile, weep, and dance alongside them.
Add to BookshelfPaperback
$19.00Buy from Other Retailers:
-
2
Add to Bookshelf
Mr. Fox
by Helen Oyeyemi
If you’re into books that mix fairy tales with reality, Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi is a must-read. It’s a twist on the classic Bluebeard story that dives into love, mystery, and the dynamics between the one who tells a story and the characters that live within it. The way Oyeyemi bends the space between the real world and fantasy is incredibly clever, and she has an uncanny ability to make her characters move beyond their pages while pulling us inside the story as it unfolds. She doesn’t shy away from exploring the darker sides of desire, control, and creative expression either. Mr. Fox is a mesmerizing and multi-layered work that will charm any reader with its wit, depth, and originality. You won’t be able to put this book down!
Add to BookshelfPaperback
$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
-
3
Add to Bookshelf
A Perfect Spy
by John le Carré
A Perfect Spy by John le Carré goes far beyond the typical spy novel. It’s about secrets, lies, and the deep emotional toll of living a life full of deception. The protagonist, Magnus Pym, is fascinatingly complex — a man torn between duty and personal history; and his wife, Mary Pym — a character/co-narrator who seems to rewrite the book even as we read it — is just as captivating. Le Carré’s writing is sharp and reflective and pulls you into the murky world of espionage in a thrilling way. This isn’t just a typical espionage story: It’s a rich, introspective look at betrayal and loyalty. I can’t recommend it more for those who want a spy story that’s equal parts literary and action-packed.
Add to BookshelfPaperback
$19.00Buy from Other Retailers:
