5 new books to read in August

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A gripping biography of a 19th century robber baron, a new novel about the cost of greatness among elite professional athletes, and a droll but sincere collection of essays about the expectations of being a woman.

Here’s a selection of new books being published this month.

Courtesy of St. Martin’s Press

Available August 2

There’s no blueprint on how to live your life, but there are no shortage of books that will tell you how to do so. But not all books are alike, and How to Navigate Life stands out by addressing stress and anxiety for readers as young as those coming out of high school, aiming to help them get a better, more secure footing with their mental health before embarking on their collegiate and post-collegiate careers.

Courtesy of Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Available August 9

Francine Parham, founder and CEO of her own eponymous consulting firm dedicated to women’s leadership and the advancement of women of color in the workplace, shares her experience and knowledge learned as a Black woman—not to mention a former global executive of two major corporations—on how to move up in the workplace while maintaining a sense of sanity. According to Parham, the key skill that Black women are rarely taught is understanding power dynamics within the organization and learning how to “shift the power” to one’s advantage. Thus, Parham outlines how to build the right relationships and how to use your voice—as well as how to pay it forward once in a position of power—to build a more fulfilling career.

Courtesy of Ballantine Books

Available August 30

Publishing right in the heat of the U.S. Open, the latest novel from lauded and bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones & The Six, and Malibu Rising) is sure to have people talking—again. Main character Carrie Soto won 20 Grand Slam titles before retiring at the height of her career. But years later, when her record is shattered (or taken from her, depending on how you see it), Soto makes the controversial decision to come out of retirement (at a much older age as far as professional tennis goes) in a bid to reclaim her crown.

Courtesy of Simon & Schuster

Available August 30

Jay Gould started his career on Wall Street at the age of the 24, becoming notorious when he paralyzed the economy during the Black Friday market collapse of 1869 while attempting to corner the gold market—an event that remains among the darkest days in Wall Street history.

Courtesy of HarperOne

Available August 30

Author Mia Mercado ponders the meanings behind the assumptions and expectations of not only being a woman, but an Asian American woman living in the Midwest, where there already lots of preconceptions about being “nice,” a concept that truly lives in the mind of the beholder. Mercado reflects on everything from her body and reality television to her dog and her high school teachers, and how all of these things influence our self-worth and identity.