The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks (Knopf) is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.

DEBUT Actor Hanks’s sprawling and engaging debut novel (following his 2017 short story collection Uncommon Type) takes fictional worldbuilding to a new level. Ostensibly a Hollywood novel about the daunting process of developing, casting, and shooting a major motion picture (under COVID-precautionary guidelines), the book and its characters are bathed in so much backstory and idiosyncratic detail that Hanks often adds footnotes at the bottom of the page to squeeze in even more minutia. Sprawling across seven decades, the novel opens in 1947 with World War II veteran Bob Falls visiting his artistic nephew Robby Anderson, encouraging his drawing talents, and then abruptly abandoning him. When Falls resurfaces in the 1970s, Robby (now drawing under the pseudonym TREV-VORR) creates an underground comic book based on his uncle, who used a flamethrower during the war. Decades later, Robby’s comic is turned into a big-budget, high-profile superhero movie. VERDICT Hanks’s attention to detail and quirky, full-blooded characters make this novel an ideal choice for fans of both James A. Michener and John Irving. It’s an old-fashioned “big” novel that book clubs will love getting lost inside.—Kevin Howell

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo (Tor.com; LJ starred review)

Appeared on the May 2022 LibraryReads list

“Luli Wei is a rising star in the golden age of Hollywood, when the business is full of literal horrors and she must earn her fame by playing monsters. Vo’s weaving of magical elements into an otherwise realistic story is arresting in the best way, and Luli is a strong and determined character. Highly recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Alix E. Harrow.”—Kristine Magers, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City, OK

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Atria)

Appeared on the June 2017 LibraryReads list

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a delightful tale of old Hollywood, so full of detail, that you’ll swear Evelyn was a real actor. Monique Grant is tasked with writing an article about the famous woman, so she interviews Evelyn who tells us all about her career, starting in the 1950s—and her many marriages. This novel will enchant you, and Evelyn will stay with you long after you finish reading.”—Lauren McLaughlin, Wilton Library Association, Wilton, CT

I’ll Take You There by Wally Lamb (Harper; LJ starred review)

Appeared on the November 2016 LibraryReads list

“I’ll Take You There is delightfully entertaining, funny, and a bit mystical with wonderful connections to old movies and movie stars. Felix Funicello runs a Monday night film club which meets in an old theater. One evening, he is visited by the ghost of a female director from the silent film era. She takes him on a journey to his past where Felix sees scenes on the screen which help him gain an understanding of women who have been important to him throughout his life. This novel is insightful and inspirational in connecting scenes from the past with our present day society.”—Marilyn Sieb, L.D. Fargo Library, Lake Mills, WI