This month’s best new popular nonfiction

Don’t miss the best new popular nonfiction from the past month, hand-picked by our editors! Check out this month’s buzziest popular nonfiction books — including a gripping New York Times bestseller about a 19th-century shipwreck, a fascinating glimpse at the role of chemistry in our daily lives, and more!

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	After JFK’s assassination, a group of women took the investigation into their own hands WHY IT’S READWORTHY: “An enthralling perspective on one of the most enduring American mysteries of all” (New York Times bestselling author Denise Kiernan) Meet Maggie Field, Shirley Martin, and Sylvia Meagher, who challenged the Warren Report — interviewing witnesses, reviewing evidence, and chasing new leads across the country “I’m never inspired; this book inspired me. It touched my soft spot for amateur sleuths, obsessive page-turning, and the outer limits of facticity” (Harper’s Magazine) Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers Ken Burns recommends this bold reassessment of the United States’ legacy WHY IT’S READWORTHY: From a New York Times bestselling author hailed as “the conscience of the nation” (National Book Award–winning author Imani Perry) Reflects on the contradictions between the country’s founding values and political reality — and how we can create a truly more perfect union “[Not] just a searing revisionist history but a stirring view of America as a place ‘worth fighting for’” (Publishers Weekly starred review) Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers A ‘magisterial work of natural history and reportage’ (The Wall Street Journal) WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Can the eastern wilderness of the US — once full of elk, bison, and wolves — make a comeback? Based on interviews with conservationists, hunters, biologists, and more, this “inspiring portrait of ecological recovery” features “deep research and often cinematic storytelling” (Publishers Weekly) A look at what we’ve lost over the centuries in the name of human progress — and how we can restore balance and biodiversity in the eastern ecosystems Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers A harrowing survival story for fans of Hampton Sides and Erik Larson WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Chronicling the Mentor’s shipwreck in 1832, this instant New York Times bestseller is “a dark adventure that must be read to be believed” (Booklist) Learn about the whaleship crew’s years in captivity in Palau — and the tense negotiations and risky naval mission that eventually led to their rescue One of the most highly anticipated books of summer 2026, according to The New York Times and Kirkus Reviews Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers An Irish journalist mines deeply human stories from around the globe WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Meet a couple separated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a mother in Nigeria risking everything to save her daughter from forced marriage, and more “Deeply moving and necessary… The news may move from horror to horror, but Hayden pauses, returns, looks through violence and atrocity to find the greater, gentler forces that hold people together” (Anne Enright) “A vivid and affecting reimagining of both reportage and how its consumers are called to relate to its content” (Kirkus Reviews starred review) Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers An incisive history of vaccine skepticism and denial WHY IT’S READWORTHY: This “enlightening account” (Publishers Weekly) takes readers from the first smallpox inoculations in the 18th century up to public health discourse today An MIT professor explains the origins of the three most popular arguments against vaccines: that they are unnatural, that they’re dangerous, and that they deny people freedom of choice “An impassioned but reasoned look at the culture and commerce of vaccine denial” (Kirkus Reviews) Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers A New York Times reporter sets out to find the person who scammed his mom WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Dive into the astonishing world of Nigerian love scammers in this “outstanding debut” (Publishers Weekly starred review) Named one of this year’s most anticipated books by The New York Times and USA Today An “empathetic” (People) and “engrossing” exploration (The Economist) of the psychological tactics, moral dilemmas, and desperation behind online romance fraud Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers This behind-the-scenes look at the Oval Office is making waves in the news WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Two White House correspondents for The New York Times chronicle the first year of President Trump’s second term in this “exceptional” new release (The New Yorker) This eye-opening, real-time history of an unprecedented modern presidency is based on hundreds of interviews and deep access within the administration Get insight into deliberations on the war in the Middle East, the deployment of immigration agents, and other pivotal events Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers A cheeky look at the secret mating lives of animals WHY IT’S READWORTHY: “A surprisingly humorous graphic analysis of animals, sex, and how badly science has failed to understand the nuances of gender and sexuality within the animal kingdom” (Publishers Weekly) An artist and environmentalist reveals all when it comes to animal relationships, dispelling myths about gender roles and sexual diversity “Bears fascinating information and gorgeous, often hilarious, watercolor comics that impart wisdom, boost empathy, and induce awe all at once” (BookPage) Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers ‘An exuberant account of the role of chemistry in everyday life’ (Kirkus Reviews) WHY IT’S READWORTHY: Gain a new appreciation of the incredible chemical bonds we take for granted — from the ones in food and cosmetics to those in medicines and our own DNA Written by a distinguished research chemist who “combines expertise with accessible, relatable, and endlessly entertaining anecdotes drawn from her own experiences” (Booklist) Full of fun, fascinating facts that will engage even those who dreaded science class Learn more... MEDIA MENTIONS: GET EBOOK ON: Amazon Other formats and retailers
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