Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: American’t Dream

Stories about trying, and failing, to get ahead in America.

Chapter 2: The Audiophile’s Audio File

Audiobooks to get you through any situation.

Chapter 3: Daisy Dukes

Short story collections that will actually make you like short stories.

Chapter 4: The Graphic Self

Graphic memoirs and biographies that will leave their mark.

Chapter 5: Meta Textuals

Books about books, libraries, bookshops, and book nerds.

Chapter 6: My Family Is Weirder Than Yours

Fiction and nonfiction about totally dysfunctional families.

Chapter 7: Peculiarly True

Crazy true stories you just can’t make up.

Chapter 8: Reel Good Books

Books-into-movies that won’t make you gag.

Chapter 9: Southern Discomfort

Spooky reads set in the American South.

Chapter 10: Tales of Woe, Tales of Whoa

Tearjerkers that will make you snot all over the place.

Chapter 11: Too Cool for School

Titles your high school English teacher should’ve assigned or maybe did, but you were skipping class that week.

Chapter 12: Tricksters, Fakers, and Cheats, Oh My!

Books about con artists and the people they scam.

Chapter 13: Very Truly Yours

Books written in the form of letters, e-mail, diary entries, and more.

Chapter 14: What Not to Read While Drinking Milk

Humorous fiction, memoirs, and essays that will make milk squirt from your nose.

Chapter 15: YA for the Not So YA

Young adult books that everyone will dig.

Appendix: Master Checklist