TOP SHELF

Recommendations of recent books from the staffs of a rotating list of Bay Area independent bookstores. This week’s list is from Orinda Books, 276 Village Square, Orinda. (925) 254-7606. www.orindabooks.com.

NONFICTION

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate, by Al Franken: Franken’s candor and wit make this insider’s view of modernday politics both informative and entertaining.

Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, by Jane Mayer: If you want to understand what’s going on in Washington, this is the book to read. A sobering read that underscores the corrosive effect of big money in politics.

My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward, by Mark Lukach: In this rare, desperately needed memoir, we learn of mental illness through the lens of love and resilience.

No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need, by Naomi Klein: Klein coherently lays out the historical and political context leading up to Trump’s election.

FICTION

Lucky Broken Girl, by Ruth Behar (ages 8-12): A semiautobiographical story of a Cuban immigrant family adjusting to life in New York. A thoughtful and hopeful look at cultural and religious awareness, through the eyes of a delightful and smart girl.

The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman, by Denis Theriault: A quirky, philosophical novel about a young postman who secretly steams open and reads letters before delivering them.

As Good as Gone, by Larry Watson: In this Western set in the 1960s, Calvin Sidey, an aging cowboy and absentee parent is asked to stay with his teenage grandchildren when their parents are away.

Golden Hill: A Novel of Old New York, by Francis Spufford: In this engaging romp, a young man arrives in Manhattan in 1746 with a $1,000 bank draft and a mysterious mission.