Books to Look For (December): History, Comics/Graphic Novels, & Travel

History

Inside the Dream Palace: The Life and Times of New York's Legendary Chelsea Hotel by Sherill Tippins (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 480 pages, December 3)

If those walls could talk- WELL. They would speak of the artists who lived and worked there since its founding in 1884. They would tell us about the private lives of artists like John Sloan and Andy Warhol; of singers like Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and Patti Smith; of poets like Edgar Lee Masters and Allen Ginsberg. And what of the Chelsea now? You'll just have to read it to find out.






Comics/Graphic Novels

The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by Isabel Greenberg (Little, Brown and Company, 176 pages, December 3)

NOW I know why I kept seeing this title in the twitterverse every other day. I kept thinking, "encyclopedia of early whaaa?" as I continued scrolling. But enough about my tweeting life. This tidy little book looks intriguing. It tells the story of a young man during Earth's early history- his travels, his romance with a South Poler (he's a North Poler, so clearly there'll be issues), and the civilization that once thrived in this world. Illustrated fables of an imaginary lost world- sign me up.





Travel

My Venice and Other Essays by Donna Leon (Atlantic Monthly Press, 240 pages, December 3)

Known for her bestselling mystery series featuring Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti, Leon here shows off her extensive knowledge of this beautiful, waterlogged city. Venetian real estate, opera, and "the idea of the Italian man" are just some of the subjects Leon explores. Did I just say opera? Well, I guess this book's right up my alley...