Staff Picks
These are books that our staff enjoyed and recommend. Come visit us in the shop in-person to pick up your copy, or grab it online through our partners Libro.fm or Bookshop.org.
Happy reading!
Challenger - Adam Higginbotham
"So, I've only read two of Higginbotham's books, but I feel confident in saying he's a master of micro-histories. Challenger reads like a thriller - I found myself gnawing on my fingernails reading it even though we all know what happens.
The narrative journalism is insanely impressive. I'd be very interested to get a peek into his workflow of writing this book and Midnight in Chernobyl; how he researches these transformative events, how he finds all of the people involved (from the primary agents to the tertiary; hell, even the quaternary), how he interviews them. I learned so much reading this book, and not just about why the Challenger exploded, how it could have been prevented, the true fates of the astronauts on board, but also about the history, context, and politics of NASA in the 1950s - 1980s, the personalities and backgrounds of all involved, how exactly the Space Shuttles were dreamed of, built, and functioned. I think it's safe to say this was my favorite nonfiction read of 2025, just so engaging and masterfully done."
- CCA
How the Universe Got Its Spots - Janna Levin
"I love Janna's books! She is such an amazing teacher that she makes me feel like I could have some true understanding of physics. The intermixing of her personal memoir only adds to the charm of this book. I'm so glad it was reissued."
- MMW
"A beautiful and brilliant little book that ponders the finitude of the universe within the heartfelt memoir of an astrophysicist standing isolated at the extreme knowledge-boundaries of her field of research. And you don't need to know any crazy math to understand what she's telling you!"
- CCA
Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner
"I've never really been one for memoirs, but for some reason 2025 was the year I dipped my toe into the genre (specifically memoirs written by women I know and admire). Written by the lead singer of Japanese Breakfast, one of my favorite bands, Crying in H Mart for me was both cathartic and a spiritual gut-punch. It's a triadic account of coming of age, connecting with her Korean heritage through food, and her experience of losing and grieving her mother.
If you've also lost a parent as a young adult - especially a parent that you've had a tumultuous or complicated relationship with - this could be a raw and relatable read for you. It's bright, honest, and heartfelt. Highly recommend."
- CCA
Our Infinite Fates - Laura Steven
"This is a beautiful love story - unfolding over centuries, over many lives, over many stories. Two lovers travel through time, killing each other before they turn 18.
The how and why of this long fatal love chase at the center of it all is an added bonus. Beautifully written!"
- MMW
The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
"Call me a stereotype, but if a book's synopsis includes first contact with extraterrestrial life, I'm all over it!
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The Sparrow is a really unique little sci-fi book somewhat reminiscent of Carl Sagan's Contact. After the Arecibo telescope receives a radio transmission of alien 'singing' from the Alpha Centauri system, while the world's governments argue about what to do, the Vatican sends a mission of scientists and missionaries to discover the source.
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Mary's prose is lovely, and her characters feel like real people, like good friends of yours. The unfolding extraterrestrial mystery juxtaposed with spiritual pondering of our relationship with God and the universe at large also kept me thinking."
- CCA
