“Going Solo” examines a dramatic demographic trend: the startling increase in adults living alone. Along the way, the book navigates some rough and complicated emotional terrain, finding its way straight to questions of the heart, to the universal yearning for happiness and purpose. In the end, despite its title, “Going Solo ” is really about living better together — for all of us, single or not.

The dedication is fair warning: Rachel Simon’s “The Story of Beautiful Girl” is for “those who were put away,” for the generations of people with disabilities who for many years were locked in institutions, away from families, out of sight of society and, in some cases, far away from basic human decency. In short, this novel is the author’s gift to those who never had a chance to speak for themselves. . .

One family. Nine children. Countless stories. Readers of Melissa Fay Greene’s “No Biking in the House Without a Helmet” will find plenty of hilarity in this romping account of her boisterous brood.

Let’s eat! No two words could be more universal
or — according to three new books — more controversial. These authors have different stories to tell, different flags to wave, but they’re all marching forward in agreement on one thing:
The food we eat is in danger, and so is our environment. Readers who open these covers will hear the shouting on every page: It’s time to take action! It’s time, in short, for a food fight.

Tim Page’s short memoir, “Parallel Play,” might just as easily be called “The Mysterious and Disconcerting World of Tim Page — and How He Survived to Tell the Story.”

Noah Greenfeld sits huddled on the floor, rocking and humming. He twiddles his fingers incessantly, or flaps his hands near his ears. He does not speak; he rarely responds when spoken to. He can smile like an angel and devours his favorite foods. But mostly he is a heartbreaking mystery. . . .

The simple facts are enough to exhaust you right off the bat: a 28,000-pound, 23-foot-long boat. Two oars. One woman. A 3,600-mile journey.

Voters who go to the polls today carry with them their hopes and fears for the future. This election, perhaps more than any that has come before it, offers stark evidence of all that is right with American democracy — both its power and potential — as well as what has gone terribly wrong. Three new books — primers on how to become a citizen activist — are for anyone who cares about living in a democracy that works.