(Better) Books — July ‘26 Digest
Featured Books
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (1987 / Literary)
An iconic social satire about 1980s New York City that proves commercial timing and cultural resonance often matter far more than pure technical execution. It tackles greed, glamour, class, race, and media manipulation in a fun, somewhat soapy way.
“A lie may fool someone else, but it tells you the truth: you’re weak.”
🎙 LISTEN on the podcast: Apple / Spotify
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014 / Historical Fiction)
A lean legal thriller that turns a murder investigation into a trial by public opinion. Matsumoto bypasses procedural tropes to dissect circumstantial bias and media sensationalism, exposing the danger of obsessive belief and the cost of being wrong.
“‘Is it right, ’ Jutta says, ‘to do something only because everyone else is doing it?’”
Deep Dive
Revisiting Letters of Note by Shaun Usher
A return to the list for a look at a 22-year-old Hunter S Thompson's letter to a friend on how to live a life defined by choice rather than circumstance. A poignant model for living toward a way of life (not a goal) and apropos for the podcast's 300th episode!
“A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.”
Off-Script
The #1 Problem with So Many Novels
A hot take on why so many novels falter, even published ones, ones that are supposed to be "good." I know, I know, novels can be so many things—but by using classic and modern examples, I share one of the defining characteristics of a good story.
From July’s Reading Pile
Cool for America by Andrew Martin (2020 / Short Stories): A loosely linked collection through the themes of artistic dreams, decay, and disappointments. Super clean prose.
Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter (1939 / Novella): A feverish, biblical take on mortality through the lens of World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.
Until next month, fellow readers. Godspeed.
Douglas Vigliotti, 2026
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Five book recommendations worth your time—featuring sharp takeaways and key quotes.