Your weekly reading list spans genres, generations

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.

Icons such as Ida B. Wells and Cicely Tyson share the bookshelf next to a debut novel.

1. “Just As I Am”

by Cicely Tyson (HarperCollins, nonfiction, on sale Tuesday)

What it’s about: The awardwinning actress, nonagenarian and groundbreaking Black icon reflects on her life and long career in this meditative memoir.

The buzz: “A forthright selfportrait of a determined woman and iconic cultural figure,” Kirkus Reviews says.

2. “Let Me Tell You What I Mean”

by Joan Didion (Knopf, nonfiction, on sale Tuesday)

What it’s about: In this newly gathered collection of 12 essays, organized from 1968 to 2000, Didion offers insight on everything from a Gamblers Anonymous meeting to Martha Stewart.

The buzz: “The new book captures the essence of Didion in countless lapidary sentences,” says a ★★★★ review for USA TODAY.

3. “Burnt Sugar”

by Avni Doshi (Overlook Press, fiction, on sale Tuesday)

What it’s about: Shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, this debut novel set in India finds a grown daughter tasked with caring for the aging mother who never cared for her.

The buzz: “A landmark portrait of toxic parenting and its tangled aftermath,” says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

4. “Ida B. The Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells”

by Michelle Duster (Atria/One Signal, nonfiction, on sale Tuesday)

What it’s about: Wells’ great-granddaughter writes an accessible celebration of the journalist, suffragist and crusader enriched by vibrant illustrations and family history.

The buzz: “Enriched by family history, striking illustrations, and deep knowledge of the ongoing fight for racial justice, this is a worthy introduction to Wells’ life and legacy,” Publishers Weekly says.

5. “Cathedral”

by Ben Hopkins (Europa Editions, fiction, on sale Tuesday)

What it’s about: The design and construction of a lofty Medieval cathedral over the course of a century brings together a vast array of characters in a tale of ambition, obsession, desire, vanity and power.

The buzz: “This sweeping work is as impressive as the cathedral at its center,” says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.