“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin ’00
A beautiful novel that explores the depths of friendship over decades between two childhood friends, Sadie and Sam, who begin creating video games together alongside Marx, Sam’s college roommate. The novel is partially set in Cambridge—Sam and Marx go to Harvard, and Sadie attends MIT. The characters grapple with the consequences of ambition, love, and tragedy. Readers are driven to examine how relationships—both platonic and romantic—develop and are influenced by creativity and imagination.
“Husbands & Lovers” by Beatriz Williams
A historical-fiction novel that follows two women, Mallory Dunne and Hannah Ainsworth, over different time periods and continents. Mallory’s story takes place in present-day New England, whereas Hannah’s is set in the 1950s in Cairo; both women reckon with love, secrets, and identity across generations. The two women’s stories, interconnected through a family heirloom, intertwine when Mallory’s son needs a kidney transplant.
“Careless People” by Sarah Wynn-Williams
A once-secret memoir by Wynn-Williams, former director of public policy at Facebook, reveals the shocking reality of life inside the company under power-hungry leadership. Drawing on her seven years at the firm (2011-2017), she recounts her direct experience working with Mark Zuckerberg and other top executives, offering the reader a front-row seat to the company’s tumultuous journey growing into a massive success.
“The White Album” by Joan Didion
A collection of personal essays that examines American cultural life in the 1960s from Didion’s perspective, largely centered around her home state of California. The essays span a broad range of topics, commenting on the political and cultural upheavals of the time, such as the Manson murders, the Black Panther trials, and the rise of the second-wave feminist movement.
“Dream Count” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A story of four women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou—who immigrate to the United States; three of them come from Nigeria and one from Guinea. Their lives become interconnected as they wade through the complexities of life and love. The story centers around Chiamaka, a Nigerian writer who recounts her formative experiences and relationships during the pandemic; her cousin, Omelogor, who works in finance; Zikora, a lawyer who wrestles with a betrayal; and her housekeeper, Kadiatou, who is raising her daughter. In Adichie’s first release in over a decade, the fibers of the four women’s stories weave together in this reflective exploration of human emotions.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
A 19th-century classic that reveals the danger of vanity and obsession over beauty in a witty and enthralling style. The novel follows the handsome Dorian Gray, whose portrait is painted by Basil Hallward. He sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty under the influence of Lord Henry Wotton in a Faustian bargain—the fantastical portrait visually reflects his real, aging inner state as he remains beautiful, sparking chaos and driving Dorian into immense inner turmoil.
“Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
An upcoming release about the fictional Joan Goodwin, one of the first female astronomers during the NASA Space Shuttle Program. In 1981, Joan joins a group of female scientists going to space. At the training center, she finds herself part of a complicated and thrilling story after meeting an exceptional group of fellow astronauts. This book comes out on June 3.
Find these titles at the Harvard Bookstore right in the Square or at your nearest local bookstore.
Meena Behringer ’27 (meenabehringer@college.harvard.edu) writes Arts for the Independent.