The Short List
FIVE BOOKS THAT WON’T DISAPPOINT
By Elizabeth Sile
Lyrical family
story
Young-adult and fan-
tasy author Daniel
José Older blends
magical realism, mys-
tery, and a bit of his
own family history in
his first adult novel,
The Book of Lost
Saints. During the
Cuban Revolution,
Marisol disappears.
Later, as a spirit, she
haunts her nephew
through his dreams,
prompting him to look
for the truth about
what happened to her.
It’s a beautiful, heart-
breaking tale.
Immersive
debut
In Shannon Pufahl’s
atmospheric novel,
On Swift Horses,
a woman and her
brother-in-law crave
freedom in the 1950s
American West. Rest-
less Muriel secretly
bets on horses and
keeps her winnings
from her husband.
Itinerant, closeted
Julius searches for
his lover in Las Vegas
and Tijuana. With
satisfyingly slow
prose, Pufahl explores
identity and paths
not taken.
Great for
book club
In 1925, former slave
Josephine owns a
thriving farm. But a
friendship with a
white neighbor threat-
ens all she’s built.
In 2017, her descen-
dant, single mom
Ava, moves in with her
white grandmother,
who starts to turn
on her. Margaret
Wilkerson Sexton’s
The Revisioners is a
stunning, necessary
novel about racism,
family history, and
survival.
Deep dive
To raise a healthy
eater, all you’ve got to
do is feed your kid a
balanced diet and get
some veggies in,
right? It’s not so sim-
ple, writes Bettina
Elias Siegel in Kid
Food. In expert detail,
the writer, activist,
and parent highlights
the many ways chil-
dren’s eating habits
are influenced by
outside forces—from
the halls of Congress
to the offices of ad
agencies. A compel-
ling, informative read
for any parent.
Good argument
For the conflict-averse,
arguing is deeply
uncomfortable, frus-
trating, and often
upsetting. Worse, in
our increasingly frac-
tious world, we’re
losing the ability to
productively disagree
with others, writes
tech entrepreneur
Buster Benson in
Why Are We Yelling?
Benson offers helpful
strategies for identify-
ing anxieties and
biases and asking
questions that lead
to better debate.
For more book
recommendations,
visit realsimple.com/
newbooks.
Photograph by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh
PROP STYLING BY M
EGAN HEDGPETH
18 REAL SIMPLE NOVEMBER 2019
