USA TODAY International Edition
New and noteworthy
USA TODAY’s Jocelyn McClurg scopes out the hottest books on sale each week.
1 George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Jones ( Little, Brown, non- fiction, on sale Tuesday)
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A biography of the filmmaker behind the iconic Star Wars franchise, who has passed the torch on to a new generation.
THE BUZZ: Arrives on the heels of Carrie Fisher’s kiss- and- tell memoir, The Princess
Diarist, and just before the Dec. 16 release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story starring Felicity Jones. 2 Island of Glass by Nora Roberts ( Berkley, fiction, on sale Tuesday) The WHAT IT’S ABOUT: third book in the Guardians Trilogy concludes with the story of Riley, an archaeologist who studies Ireland and is targeted by a “dark goddess.” Bay of THE BUZZ: Sighs, the last book in the trilogy, landed at No. 1 on USA TODAY’s Best- Selling Books list in June.
3 The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis ( Norton, non- fiction, on sale Tuesday)
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Tells the story of the groundbreaking studies of Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky that led to the field of behavioral economics.
THE BUZZ: Lewis’ many best sellers include Liar’s Poker, Moneyball and The Big Short. 4 Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson ( Grove, fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Twelve stories for the “12 days of Christmas” from the English author ( Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit). THE BUZZ: Winterson’s collection is one of many little books of Christmas tales being released for the holiday.
5 Tom Clancy True Faith and Allegiance by Mark Greaney ( Putnam, fiction, on sale Tuesday)
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: President Jack Ryan must come to the rescue as a worldwide security information breach threatens the nation.
THE BUZZ: John Krasinski has signed to play Ryan ( as a CIA operative) in a new Amazon series; Greaney’s three previous “Clancy” novels were all top 10 USA TODAY best sellers.