Leila MeachamIn 'Tumbleweeds,' one of this week's new books, a love triangle unfolds in a small town.
Leila MeachamIn 'Tumbleweeds,' one of this week's new books, a love triangle unfolds in a small town.
1. American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama by Rachel L. Swarns (Amistad, $27.99, non-fiction, on sale June 19)What it's about: A book-length expansion of a New York Times story that staff reporter Swarns co-wrote on the first lady's ancestors, who survived slavery and the Jim Crow South.The buzz: It's a doubleheader in bookstores for the Obamas as American Tapestry goes on sale the same day as David Maraniss' biography, Barack Obama: The Story. Publishers Weekly calls Tapestry a "layered, scrupulously researched, and wrenching chronicle."2. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow (Simon & Schuster, $25, fiction, on sale June 19)What it's about: In this prequel, Winslow tells the back story of the three characters from Savages, best friends and pot dealers Ben and Chon, who risk everything to save O, the girl they both love.The buzz:The Kings of Cool is primed to get fans hot and bothered for Oliver Stone's film version of Savages, due in theaters July 6 and starring Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively.3. Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham (Grand Central, $25.99, fiction, on sale June 19)What it's about: A love triangle unfolds in a small town in the Texas Panhandle that loves Friday night football.The buzz: Meacham made a splash two years ago with her novel Roses, which earned comparisons to Gone With the Wind and went on to become a USA TODAY Top 50 best seller.4. An American Son by Marco Rubio (Sentinel, $26.95, non-fiction, on sale June 19)What it's about: A memoir by the junior senator from Florida and rising Latino star in the Republican Party.The buzz: Will he be Mitt Romney's pick for No. 2?5. Never Tell by Alafair Burke (Harper, $24.99, fiction, on sale June 19)What it's about: The wealthy family of a New York prep school student who drowns in the bathtub doubts she killed herself (despite a suicide note) and forces a police investigation.The buzz: Burke brings back popular NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher (Dead Connection) to investigate a juicy Gossip Girl-style case.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
