It would not be inaccurate to call Eli McCann the Mormon version of David Sedaris, since he writes hilariously about his Salt Lake City daily life with his husband, just as Sedaris uses his for comic fodder. McCann writes a monthly column for The Salt Lake Tribune and hosts a podcast called Strangerville, and now has written his first novel, Stitched, about the vicious world of competitive quilting. Yes, you read that right. McCann got the idea from his own mother and her adventures in the sewing-machine wars. Stitched is a charmer that wears its heart on its quilted sleeve, and who doesn’t need a book like that right now? ($18.95, barnesandnoble.com) —Jim Kelly

Where would we be without Charles and Ray Eames? Their incredible partnership, both personal and professional, gave us some of the most beautiful, innovative, yet simple designs of the 20th century. They’re best known for their chairs and furniture—the leather Lounge Chair, the plastic DSR Chair, the wooden Molded Plywood Chair—and for their funky short films. But the couple also drew houses. All eight of them, designed between 1945 and 1955, are the subject of a breathtaking new volume from Phaidon. Several of the photographs of the buildings, along with the sketches, drawings, and letters behind them, have never been published before. It’s a delightful peek at yet another facet of the couple’s limitless creativity. ($59.95, phaidon.com) —Jeanne Malle

There’s a calming sweet spot between the time when beach clubs close and the year-end ski craze ramps up: hiking season. Whether it’s the Dolomites or the Rockies, the weather’s temperate, the hills are lush, and the scenery is peaceful enough to make you forget, at least for a moment, about any and all responsibilities. This year, Auberge Collection’s Hotel Jerome in Aspen and Moncler have curated the ideal experience to immerse oneself in the mountains. Two guided hikes—one 3 miles, another more strenuous at 5.6—offer a snapshot of Colorado’s natural beauty, through mining settlements, wildflower meadows, and remote lakes, with a custom Moncler field kit to match. With a scenic private picnic and 10 percent of the proceeds going to the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, the trip makes for a worthy endeavor on all ends. (auberge.com) —Maggie Turner

The third album from R&B and soul singer Wilson Pickett, The Exciting Wilson Pickett, from 1966, captures his transition from Stax Records, in Memphis, to FAME Studios, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with exactly half of the album recorded in each place. The track list mixes covers of songs by Fats Domino, Robert Parker, and Don Covay with originals like the quintessential, bombastic “In the Midnight Hour.” Patti LaBelle contributed backing vocals to “634-5789,” while opener “Land of 1000 Dances” became Pickett’s first Top 10 hit. A deep swing and groove run through the album, amplified by bursts of horn and the occasional electric guitar. Pickett’s commanding voice makes clear why the record ranks among the essential soul albums of its era, placing him alongside Sam Cooke and the genre’s finest singers. Just wait for the high note he hits on “Danger Zone.” (spotify.com) —Cassidy Sollazzo

This month, Body Heat celebrates its 45th anniversary with a sultry end to another hot summer. Lawrence Kasdan’s directorial debut is an erotic neo-noir thriller starring Kathleen Turner as the beguiling femme fatale Matty alongside William Hurt as an unscrupulous lawyer, Ned. After Matty and Ned’s seemingly chance encounter, the two quickly fall into a steamy romance, secretly meeting when Matty’s wealthy husband (Richard Crenna) is away. As Ned becomes increasingly obsessed with Matty, they devise a plot to kill her husband and live luxuriously on his money; however, as their plan unfolds, Ned realizes he is not privy to Matty’s true intentions. Primarily shot on location in Florida, the 1981 filmradiates sex and intrigue, capturing fervid passion and crime through dark shadows, a dynamic jazz score, and hypnotic performances, most of all by Turner, who is truly magnetic as a scheming damsel in distress. (apple.com) —Eve Eismann

Rose Hartman used her trusty Olympus 35-mm. camera with black-and-white film one May night in 1977 to take a picture of Bianca Jagger riding a white horse inside her New York City midnight haunt, otherwise known as Studio 54. And the rest, ladies and gentlemen, was photography history. A new exhibition at Bergdorf Goodman (who says shopping can’t be enlightening?) chronicles five decades of New York’s fashion, nightlife, and cultural elite, as captured by the indomitable Hartman. It all makes the trip to Midtown worthwhile. (toddmerrillstudio.com) —Carolina de Armas