For Readers: Blog

New reads from your favorite nonfiction writers

Have no fear: the latest books from your favorite nonfiction authors are here! These long-awaited releases span from science writing to memoir to history writing, and make the perfect fall reads for dedicated fans and new readers alike.

Mary Roach is back with her signature wit and curiosity in Replaceable You. This time, Roach explores the world of biomedicine, looking at what happens when body parts fail and how we replace or regenerate them. From remarkable technological advancements to complex ethical dilemmas, this is an intriguing and accessible dive into the science, weaknesses, and potential of the human body. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Equally admired for her fiction and nonfiction writing, Arundhati Roy breaks a stretch of publishing silence with her emotional memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me. Roy paints a candid portrait of life with her difficult mother, and the turns her life took as she sought to build a life free from her mother’s influence. This is a moving and raw meditation on motherhood, grief, and how our families shape our future. [e-book | print]

We the People by Jill Lepore is a timely addition to her repertoire of thoughtful and well-researched American history books. This comprehensive history of the U.S. Constitution focuses on the power of amendments. Lepore traces our country’s history through the success and failure of various amendments, and posits that our constitutional power has drifted off course from its initial intentions. This is a lengthy but rewarding read. [e-book | print]

Short but powerful, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s extended essay The Serviceberry is a refreshing read about nature, reciprocity, and consumption. Kimmerer turns to nature and her Indigenous heritage to model how shifting to a gift economy and values of sharing and generosity would provide respite from the uneven burdens many of us carry in a capitalist system. Through the example of the bountiful serviceberry, she shows us that nature often has the solutions we’ve been seeking. [e-book | print | audiobook]

History Matters is a slim posthumous collection of essays by noted historian David McCullough, including some works being published for the first time. Written throughout his long career, these pieces all revolve around McCullough’s core belief that understanding history is imperative if we want to understand our present and future. McCullough’s many fans will appreciate the blend of personal anecdotes and reflections on historical figures he felt captured the true American spirit. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Michael Lewis turns to the dedicated everyday characters that keep the public sector afloat in Who Is Government?, featuring his writing as well as that of beloved writers such as Dave Eggers and Geraldine Brooks. This impassioned book profiles federal workers, from the IRS to a manager at the National Cemetery Administration, shining a light on their critical yet often overlooked or maligned efforts to keep our country running smoothly. [e-book | print | audiobook]

⏤Laura