• “Cups Up” by George T. Malvaney

Combine a young Klansman from Mississippi, an armed coup attempt in the Caribbean, a stay in prison, and a life-changing epiphany, and you have but half of this true, swashbuckling tale. The worst man-made ecological disaster in the history of the United States unleashes Malvaney’s full life story, as he transforms into a renowned leader of the Mississippi Gulf Coast cleanup effort in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In this memoir, Malvaney chronicles his lifetime of adventure–and misadventure.

• “Connections” by Elizabeth Guider

Spanning the last 50 years, this family saga focuses on three generations of women who grapple with sex and marriage, the elusiveness of success and the power of love to get them through tough times. Told from the alternating points of view of two sisters who come of age in the 1960’s, the story takes us from Princess phones and prom dresses to the Vietnam War, women’s lib, the lure of Hollywood, 9/11 in Manhattan — and a family emergency like no other. When real crisis arises, they are challenged to summons their better angels. But can they?

• “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society”

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows

This tale from the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation brings us fictional writer Juliet Ashton, looking for her next book subject. A letter from a man she’s never met draws Juliet into his world and that of his friends in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island. Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

• “Jim Carmody, Big Nasty: Mississippi’s Coach” by Ronald Borne

Renowned as a defensive wizard known to many as “Big Nasty,” Jim Carmody was part of many of the most monumental college football victories in Mississippi history. Carmody was an “old school” football coach who consistently put the toughest teams on the field. But he was also innovative and knew how to squeeze the maximum out of each player. A coach ahead of his time in the way his teams played and competed, Carmody was the type of coach you wanted to play for and the type of man who taught you how to be successful in life. His stamp on Mississippi athletics is undeniable.

• “The Mannings: The Fall and Rise of a Football Family” by Lars Anderson

Two generations have produced three NFL superstars: Archie, his son Peyton, and Peyton’s younger brother, Eli. Growing up, Peyton, Eli and their brother Cooper dream of playing side by side on the gridiron. But with Cooper forced to the bench before his prime, Peyton must fight to win glory for them both. Meanwhile, Eli is challenged by his college coach to stop trailing in the footsteps of others and forge his own path. With Archie’s achievements looming over them, the brothers climb to football history. This is an epic, inspiring saga of a family of tenacious competitors from longtime Sports Illustrated writer Lars Anderson. His story of this singular athletic dynasty shows us how finding strength in the face of catastrophe can be the key to success on and off the field.