5 of the best new books to read in April: Chosen Ones, The New Parisienne, and more

April’s new releases are all about fresh starts, including a nonfiction debut from one of the cofounders of NPR’s beloved science podcast Invisibilia, and a popular YA author pens her first novel for adults.

Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington by Ted Widmer

Available April 7

Not to be confused with the fictional Lincoln in the Bardo, historian and professor Ted Widmer shines a light on a little-addressed section of Lincoln’s professional history. That would be the time Lincoln was President-elect—and specifically the 13 days it took the 16th U.S. President-to-be (at the time) to travel by train from Illinois to Washington, D.C. Bankrupt and divided, the country was already on the brink of its worst crisis to date, requiring the incoming President to muster all the mental and physical strength (including fighting off a prophetic assassination attempt during the trip) ahead of his Inaugural Address.

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

Available April 7

If you’re looking for an escape, consider the latest work from the author of the YA dystopian hit Divergent. In her debut novel for adult audiences, Roth leaps over the traditional hero’s journey saga, instead questioning what happens after you’ve already saved the world. In Chosen Ones, a group of teens were deemed critical to defeating an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. It’s no spoiler to say mission accomplished, but being a hero probably takes more of a toll on one’s physical and mental health than comic books would let you believe.

Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller

Available April 14

Lulu Miller is one of the cofounders of NPR’s popular Invisibilia, a podcast and radio show about the invisible forces shaping human behavior. So it’s no surprise that her new book is described as “part biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure.” That adventure was inspired by what she thought was an off-the-cuff anecdote about a taxonomist who first lost his life’s work during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, only to find the resolve to start over and rebuild his collection of specimens and experiments. Miller use his experience to propose a blueprint for how to go on when all seems lost.

Make Change: How to Fight Injustice, Dismantle Systemic Oppression, and Own Our Future by Shaun King (Foreword by Bernie Sanders)

Available April 21

As a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement, activist and journalist Shaun King reflects on events that shaped his life, including his work fighting police brutality, while considering the ways social movements can grow and evolve in the social media era. King goes behind the scenes with his effort leading the Raise the Age initiative, which campaigned for legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18 as New York was previously one of only two states that automatically prosecuted 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. And through it all, King remains optimistic for the future, offering a road map for how to stay sane, safe, and motivated even in the worst of political climates.

The End of October by Lawrence Wright

Available April 28

One more fictional entry to consider—although it might feel too real or close for comfort these days given the subject matter. New Yorker staff writer Lawrence Wright has already written 10 nonfiction books, including the insider look at Scientology, Going Clear. So it’s no surprise that Wright would be able to write about a mysterious new deadly virus sweeping the planet. What is a surprise is how prophetic the novel is given that it was in development well before the outbreak of COVID-19 in late December.