5 nonfiction titles to to watch for in July

Summer reading doesn't have to be all breathless romance or action packed thrillers: there's still time for a bit of serious reading in the sunny days of summer. Why not try one of these books, each released in July.

Mick: the wild life and mad genius of Jagger (M)
by Christopher Anderson. (July 10)

I don't feel like this book needs much introduction, it's all there in the title. From the publisher: "Like its subject, this book is explosive and riveting—the definitive biography of a living legend who has kept us thrilled, confounded, and astounded."


Runaway Girl: escaping life on the streets, one helping hand at a time (M)
by Carissa Phelps (July 10).

Wow! This one sounds intense and ultimately uplifting. From the publisher: "Carissa Phelps was a runner. By twelve, she had run away from home, dropped out of school, and fled blindly into the arms of a brutal pimp, who made her walk the hard streets of central California. But even when she escaped him, she could not outrun the crushing inner pain of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. With little to hope for, she expected to end up in prison, or worse. But then her life was transformed through the unexpected kindness of a teacher and a counselor. Miraculously, by the time Carissa turned thirty, she had accomplished the unimaginable, graduating from UCLA with both a law degree and an MBA. She had left the streets behind, yet her path would eventually draw her back, this time working to help homeless and at-risk youth find their own paths to a better life."


Marilyn Monroe: the final years (M)
by Keith Badman (July 17).

Marilyn Monroe died 50 years ago this summer, so don't be surprised to see a jump in publications about the Hollywood star. From the publisher: Marilyn Monroe: The Final Years separates the myths and rumors from the facts as Keith Badman takes readers through the concluding months of 1960 up to that fateful day in August 1962. In this extraordinary book—the product of five years of exhaustive research—the author takes on the role of detective to uncover long-lost or previously unseen personal records, exclusive interviews, and eyewitness accounts that illuminate the final chapter of Marilyn’s life as she navigates weight gain, drug use, and personal turmoil, along with drama on the set of the ill-fated movie Something’s Got to Give. 


A Daughter's Tale: the memoir of Winston Churchill's youngest child (M)
by Mary Soames (July 24).

From the publisher: "In this charming and intimate memoir, Winston Churchill’s youngest daughter shares stories from her remarkable life—and tells of the unbreakable bond she forged with her father through some of the most tumultuous years in British history ... Through a combination of personal reminiscences and never-before-published diary entries, she describes what it was like growing up as the scion of one of the lions of twentieth-century statecraft."


The Violinist's Thumb: and other lost tales of love, war, and genius, as written by our genetic code (M)
by Sam Kean (July 17)

A fascinating read for both history and science buffs. From the publisher: "In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist’s Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA."