Tuesday marked the release of NPR's Book Concierge List, an annual book guide produced by NPR critics, reporters, and member stations.
To accompany that list, Michigan Radio has compiled a list of our book reviews from 2017.
Check it out below!
Beautiful Wasteland: The Rise of Detroit as America's Postindustrial Frontier by Rebecca Kinney
The story of Detroit's downfall, and comeback, has often been shaped by outsiders. In Beautiful Wasteland, Rebecca Kinney explores those outside perceptions and often finds them to be incomplete. Kinney joined Stateside in January.
Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination by Herb Boyd
Detroit-native Herb Boyd looks back on the contributions, accomplishments, and long-suffering of black Detroiters in his new historical retelling. The book covers 300 years of black history, from cases of Detroit slaveholders during the 19th century all the through the 1967 Detroit uprising. Boyd joined Stateside in July during the 50th anniversary of the uprising.
The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook by Aaron Foley
Aaron Foley is the city of Detroit's chief storyteller – and yes, that is a position in city government. His latest work gathers neighborhood stories from writers who live or have lived all around the city. Foley discussed the collection on Stateside in August.
Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence
Librarian Annie Spence knows what it’s like to love a book so much she has to write it a love letter. She also knows what it’s like for a break-up letter to be in order. Her letters to books fill the pages of Dear Fahrenheit 451. Spence spoke about her book on Stateside in September.
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes chronicles the history and ecological changes of the lakes, and examines how that history affects the lakes to this day. Author and prize-winning reporter Dan Egan discussed some of those affects on Stateside in October.
Dirty Wars and Polished Silver: The Life and Times of a War Correspondent Turned Ambassatrix by Lynda Schuster
Dirty Wars recounts Schuster's days as Wall Street Journal foreign correspondent, in war zones, and in far-off corners. Schuster, a Detroit native, spoke with Stateside about the book in November.
Discriminating Tastes by Margot Finn
University of Michigan American Culture professor Margot Finn specializes in food, popular culture, and class. And in Discriminating Tastes, she examines the way food trends and consumption are an expression of class anxiety and economic inequality. Finn sat down with Stateside in July to discuss her analysis.
The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy and Extraordinary Heroism by John U. Bacon
Turns out, the largest man-made blast before the atomic bomb led to Michigan’s first hockey team. At least, that's what author and Michigan Radio sports commentator John U. Bacon found out when he was researching the story of the Great Halifax Explosion, a Canadian disaster that has been largely forgotten by Americans. Bacon discussed his latest book with Stateside in November.
Grown-Up Anger: The Connected Mysteries of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and the Calumet Massacre of 1913 by Daniel Wolff
Grown-Up Anger explores the 20th century through the lives and songs of Dylan and Guthrie, which led author Daniel Wolff to the story of the Italian Hall disaster on Christmas Eve 1913 in Calumet. Wolff and music critic and author Dave Marsh appeared on Stateside in November.
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
Noted feminist and New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay spoke with Morning Edition's Doug Tribou about her latest book in June. The acclaimed memoir recounts Gay's struggles with various emotional, physical, and psychological traumas, and examines society's collective anxieties about a number of sensitive issues.
In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope by Dr. Rana Awdish
What happens when the doctor becomes the patient? That's the conundrum that Dr. Rana Awdish had to confront when she became critically ill - during her seventh month of pregnancy. Her memoir, In Shock, reveals the lessons she learned firsthand how hospitals can fail patients. Awdish described her experiences on Stateside in November.
The Intersection: What Detroit Has Gained, and Lost, 50 Years After the Uprisings of 1967 by Bridge Magazine and the Detroit Journalism Cooperative
2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the Detroit Uprising. To honor that, Bridge Magazine and the Detroit Journalism Cooperative compiled The Intersection, a retrospection of the city in the 50 years since the week that changed Detroit. Two of the book's co-authors, Bill McGraw and Michigan Radio's own Lester Graham spoke about the book on Stateside in April.
Letters to a Young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash
Omar Saif Ghobash, the United Arab Emirates' Russian ambassador, visited Ann Arbor in January to discuss his book, in which he writes to his sons examining the complexities of his ancestry, his Muslim faith, the violence associated with some factions of Islam, and the challenges facing Muslims coming of age today. Ghobash spoke with Morning Edition's Doug Tribou during his visit.
Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
In her debut novel, University of Michigan anthropology professor Ruth Behar tells the true story of an injury that changed her life. Behar discussed the book with Stateside in May.
Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father by Murray Howe
Nine Lessons gives a unique look at Gordie Howe, one of the most beloved and best players ever to lace up a pair of hockey skates. His son Murray lovingly recounts his experiences of growing up with Mr. Hockey as the ultimate role model. Murray Howe talked about the book and his father on Stateside in November.
The Odyssey of Echo Company by Doug Stanton
Traverse City-based author Doug Stanton is well-known for his work in historical fiction. His latest novel takes place during the Vietnam war, and chronicles the story of an Army recon platoon fighting its way through the Tet Offensive of 1968. Stanton discussed the novel and the Vietnam War's legacy with Stateside in October.
Playing Hurt: My Journey from Despair to Hope by John Saunders and John U. Bacon
John Saunders worked at ESPN for 30 years, becoming one of the nation's most popular sportscasters while battling depression all his life. When Saunders died suddenly in 2016, his friend, co-author and Michigan Radio sports commentator John U. Bacon was left to finish the story. Bacon discusses Saunders' life and legacy with Stateside in August.
Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count by David Daley
Stateside spoke with author and former Salon editor David Daley during the 2016 presidential campaign about Ratf**ked, which analyzes the power of gerrymandering. The book's second edition was released this year with an epilogue on the 2016 election, and Daley claims that gerrymandering affected 2016 election more than Russia or the Clinton scandals. Stateside caught up with him again in August.
Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes by Heather Shumaker
Author Heather Shumaker joined Stateside in June to talk about Saving Arcadia, which tells the story of the grassroots movement that protected thousands of acres of Lake Michigan shoreline.
See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
Canine Carl Sagan, rocket ships, and interstellar iPods are all featured in See You in the Cosmos, a YA novel by Detroit-resident Jack Cheng. The book follows the journey of an 11-year-old boy named Alex as he tries to make contact with intelligent life in other worlds. Cheng described his inspiration for the novel on Stateside in March.
The Scent of Jasmine: Coming of Age in Jerusalem and Damascus by Anan Ameri
Anan Ameri is the founder of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, an inductee into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame, and she is the founder of the Palestine Aid Society of America. Now, she's an author. Ameri joined Stateside in July to discuss her memoir about what it means to grow up in the Middle East.
X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
Chosen as 2017's Great Michigan Read, X: A Novel tells the story of Malcolm X's life, from his days of growing up in Lansing, to his role as one of the most important black leaders of the Civil Rights era. The book also won the 2016 NAACP Image Award. Shabazz sat down with Stateside in April.
