Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, by Jon Meacham, $35.00, Random House. A big (800 page) new biography by a Pulitzer Prize winning author takes on the political genius of Jefferson. Great reviews.

The Black Box, by Michael Connelly, $27.99, Little Brown. My favorite fictional detective, Harry Bosch, reopens a cold case of a young photographer murdered during the LA riots. What a can of worms—plus he’s having issues with his moody teenage daughter. Never disturb me when I’m reading Connelly!

Dear Life: Stories, by Alice Munro, $26.95, Knopf. Nobody can write the short story like Munro. Her brilliance lies in finding the importance of life in the very ordinariness of it. Vivid and breathtaking writing.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Complete and Annotated, by Luke Dempsey, $50.00, Black Dog. Do you need every script, every set-up, every snide remark, every silly walk? Of course you do!

The Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers, $24.99, Little Brown. A deeply absorbing, amazing first novel from a young Iraqi war vet tracing the story and friendship of two very young American soldiers caught in fighting during the Iraq war.

Bouchon Bakery, by Thomas Keller, $50, Artisan Publishers. A beautiful, yet practical cookbook with mouthwatering recipes and coffee table status. Autographed copies available!