What I've Been Reading Lately (May 2026)

Quick hits for month's worth of reads

Hello, readers! In today’s edition, I’m giving you short and sweet reviews of the handful of books I read in the last month. I also did some writing for the Art of Manliness (my day job) . . .

• Homemade Yogurt: Cheaper, Better, and Easier Than You Think

• A Field Guide to Common Edible Plants

• How to Use an Elevator Like a Gentleman

. . . as well as for Dad of All Trades (the ~100 subscriber newsletter I write with with my buddy Jonny Craig):

• Maypocalypse Now (essay by Jonny)

• Enough With the Subscriptions (essay by me)

To the books!

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

I flew through this mystery/thriller as eagerly as just about anything else I’ve read this year. Mega successful podcasters Benny and Joy (best friends, not lovers) are on the cusp of a media deal worth millions. But then Joy goes missing, old secrets come out of the woodwork, and nobody can be trusted to be telling the truth. Told in alternating chapters of character POVs and Joy’s unpublished memoir, Crum weaves together the past and present in a way that’s incredibly compelling, even if it ends up a touch outlandish by the end. I loved this one and am recommending it far and wide to mystery fans!

The Searcher by Tana French

I really enjoy Tana French but hadn’t read her for about a decade before grabbing The Searcher this month. Kicking off a trilogy featuring Cal Hooper, a Chicagoan ex-pat in rural Ireland, this book typifies a slow burn mystery. We don’t even find out the central plot until about 100 pages in. That doesn’t always work, but French is such a good writer that I had no problem getting to know the characters and landscape before settling into to the meat of the story. There are some great twists, a satisfying ending, and it’s all very believable — I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

After taking a few months off from my Pulitzer Project, I dove back in with Junot Diaz’s 2007 prize-winning novel. Woof — I did not like this one. It was really horny (culos and tatas everywhere) and really bleak, which made for a very strange combination. I actually didn’t mind the writing style (which is why I finished it), but I hated the story. Your mileage may vary, of course, but this lauded book was not even close to my cup of tea.

—NON-FICTION—

History Matters by David McCullough

I’ve been a huge fan of David McCullough for most of my adult life. He had a way of making history come alive in a way that few other historians could match. I’m finally reading (and loving) Truman, a biography that many folks consider his masterwork. While slowly making my through it (I’m about halfway now), I decided to also read his small collection of essays called History Matters. It offers lovely chapters on the importance of history and storytelling, McCullough’s favorite authors and books, some writing tips, and more. If you’re a fan of his, it’s well worth reading.

Comedy Sex God by Pete Holmes

I really enjoy smart comedy — stand-up and sketch shows (SNL, Key & Peele, etc.) have always been part of my media diet. And comedian memoirs, when done well, are so easy to listen to, especially because they’re almost always narrated by the author. Unlike other types of celebrities, successful comedians are generally good writers and storytellers; it’s kind of a core part of their job. So I wasn’t at all surprised by how much I enjoyed Pete Holmes Comedy Sex God — I think he’s one of the smartest in the biz. I was surprised, in a good way, by much philosophy and spirituality Pete got into. For example, I didn’t expect to find the great Richard Rohr in this book. Great stuff, but probably only if that mix sounds fun to you like it did to me.

Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green

Many authors in recent years have taken a niche topic and used it to explain how that thing has had an outsized impact on world history. Salt, soccer, maps . . . and now tuberculosis. It makes for a compelling cover description, but I’ve found it doesn’t always work as tidily as the author hopes. John Green is obviously passionate about tuberculosis and gives readers an interesting history of the disease and its treatments. I just wasn’t as convinced or as eager to keep reading as I was hoping; this one was more in the 3-star range for me.

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Thanks for reading and be good to each other. Until next time,

Jeremy