In the 10 best books of November, humility changes lives

1 Absolution, by Alice McDermott

Alice McDermott delivers a powerful novel of American wives stationed in Saigon, South Vietnam, with their husbands in 1963, shortly before the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Nearly 60 years later, two of the women try to sort out what happened and whether they did the right thing.

2 Above the Salt, by Katherine Vaz

Katherine Vaz’s satisfying multigenerational saga follows Portuguese immigrant John Alves and his lifelong soulmate, plantswoman
Mary Freitas, from 1840 Madeira through late 1910s America. Filled with poetic flights and freewheeling prose, the tale packs in thwarted love, the tug of family, the waste of war, and the satisfactions of art. 

3 The General and Julia, by Jon Clinch

The general at the helm of Jon Clinch’s affecting novel is none other than Ulysses S. Grant; Julia is the practical, perceptive young woman he marries. As the story shifts between Grant’s arduous final days penning his memoirs and scenes from his life as war hero and president, a portrait emerges of realization, regret, and newfound humility.

4 How To Build a Boat, by Elaine Feeney

To connect with his mother – a swimmer who died when he was born – a sensitive boy dreams of building a boat. The vessel will take him away from the bullying at school. Elaine Feeney’s honest prose pilots this creative boy and his whole Irish community toward renewal.

5 The Good Part, by Sophie Cousens

Lucy Young’s 20-something London life bums her out with its cringey dates, self-centered flatmates, and dead-end job. When a wish to “get to the good part” comes true, Lucy wakes up in midlife with a husband, children, and a high-powered career. Sophie Cousens’ rom-com portrays the confusion and delights of confronting one’s future.

6 The Liberators, by E.J. Koh

Korean American memoirist and poet E.J. Koh’s exceptional debut novel is full of delicately crafted snapshots of Korean history and the Korean diaspora. Spanning four generations, this epic gracefully embraces themes of colonization, loss, and immigration.

7 The Porcelain Maker, by Sarah Freethy

In 1940s Germany, a young couple – the woman a German Christian artist and the man an Austrian Jewish architect – decide to separate for safety. When the architect is snatched up and sent to the Dachau concentration camp, he is fortunate to be assigned to the camp’s porcelain factory. His figurines serve to connect his family across time. Sarah Freethy’s impassioned storytelling captures life in wartime while highlighting loyalty and the deep bonds of love. 

8 American Vikings, by Martyn Whittock

Were the Vikings the first Europeans to arrive and settle in the Western Hemisphere? It’s a long story that involves a little factual evidence and plenty of myths and legends. In this engaging book, Martyn Whittock analyzes what we can and cannot say for sure about the Vikings’ explorations as well as their deep, abiding presence in American culture.

9 Gator Country, by Rebecca Renner

Florida native Rebecca Renner delivers an engrossing account of wildlife officer Jeff Babauta’s two-year stint as an undercover agent for Operation Alligator Thief. The sting led to the arrest of 11 alligator poachers in the Everglades in a single day. Renner blends fine storytelling with Florida history, local lore, nature writing, and personal anecdotes.

10 In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl, by Merilee Grindle

Zelia Nuttall (1857-1933) was the first anthropologist to accurately decipher the Aztec calendar stone. In this first published biography of the pioneering social scientist, Merilee Grindle examines the then-new field of anthropology, which employed few women. She explores how Nuttall’s dogged research contributed to our understanding of the history and culture of ancient Mexico.