5 books not to miss: Jane Fonda writes about climate change, plus new Chuck Palahniuk

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

1. “What Can I Do? My Path from Climate Despair to Action,” by Jane Fonda (Penguin, nonfiction, on sale Sept. 8)

What it’s about: The Oscar Award-winning actress and committed activist sounds the alarm on looming climate disaster, providing readers with actions they can take to create positive change in a world on the brink.

The buzz: Publishers Weekly calls it “a useful and appealing primer on environmental activism.”

2. “A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom,” by Brittany K. Barnett (Crown, nonfiction, on sale Sept. 8)

What it’s about: In this riveting memoir, Barnett, an award-winning attorney dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system, shares her harrowing fight to free jailed victims of draconian drug-sentencing laws.

The buzz: “Considering her youthfulness, Barnett has accomplished more reform than most individuals could accomplish in two lifetimes,” says a starred review in Kirkus Reviews.

3. “What Are You Going Through,” by Sigrid Nunez (Riverhead, fiction, on sale Sept. 8)

What it’s about: In the National Book Award-winner’s latest novel, an unnamed narrator is asked by her dying friend with cancer to be her companion through euthanasia.

The buzz: “‘What Are You Going Through’ prompts us to think about our own positions in the world, and the community we can offer to each other,” says a ★★★½ (out of four) review for USA TODAY.

4. “The Invention of Sound,” by Chuck Palahniuk (Grand Central, fiction, on sale Sept. 8)

What it’s about: A father searching for his long-lost daughter gets his first major lead in over a decade – but the truth threatens to expose the violent secrets beneath Hollywood’s gleaming façade.

The buzz:Publishers Weekly calls it a “wickedly playful spin on the mechanics of horror filmmaking” and “a wry, devilish delight.

5. “Anxious People,” by Fredrik Backman (Atria, fiction, on sale Sept. 8)

What it’s about: A desperate parent tries and fails to rob a bank, fleeing into an apartment’s open house – where all the attendees become hostages. The latest from the best-selling author of “A Man Called Ove.”

The buzz: “A story with both comedy and heartbreak sure to please Backman fans,” Kirkus Reviews says.