New year, new books! With 2023 coming in hot, there’s a brand-new batch of books arriving to join in the fun. If you’re looking to add some fascinating nonfiction books to your collection, this list will not disappoint. Whether you like self-help, science, politics or history, these nonfiction finds are like catnip for the curious.
Sorry, Sorry, Sorry by Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy (1/10)
In this unique and insightful dissection of apologies, experts Ingall and McCarthy look at unsatisfactory apologies from celebrities, politicians, and others that have gone viral for their inadequacy, and explain why good apologies are important, transformative, and rare. Using extensive research from the psychology, sociology, law, and medicine fields, Ingall and McCarthy have created a six-step formula for satisfying and gracious apologies. They also share their expertise on how to respond to a bad apology, why it’s so hard to apologize, and how apologies are affected by race and gender. Most importantly, they teach us how to be better.
Attention Span by Gloria Mark (1/10)
Psychologist Gloria Mark has extensively studied the ways in which technology impacts our attention span and shares methods here for staying focused. She discusses common misperceptions, like how multitasking supposedly helps productivity and how social media intensifies short attention spans. Mark also explores the four types of attention we experience every day and shares techniques for refueling our mental resources. Using a new framework dubbed “kinetic attention,” she helps readers understand how we can control our focus to find success and happiness in our everyday lives.
What Do You Want Out of Life? by Valerie Tiberius (1/10)
What Do You Want Out of Life? is an excellent guide to discovering what is most important to you and how to organize your priorities. The things that we care about (family, friends, work, hobbies, etc.) can sometimes make it difficult to realize what matters the most to us and how to pursue it. Oftentimes, we don’t even question what it is we truly want. Using her own experiences as examples, Tiberius introduces a new way of approaching your goals, demonstrates the significant influence that others have on them, and discusses potential solutions to overcoming the obstacles that stand in the way. If you’re undergoing a big change or reconsidering your priorities, this book is a powerful tool to help discover what matters most to you, and how to bring it to the forefront of your life.
The Noise of Typewriters: Remembering Journalism by Lance Morrow (1/24)
In this memoir and study by one of Time magazine’s critics, Lane Morrow—the son of two journalists that got their footing interviewing the likes of Truman and Roosevelt—examines the ways journalism has changed over the last 100 years, and how it has the ability to shape and distort history. In the golden age of print journalism, The Noise of Typewriters offers a glimpse into the complex moral politics that go into journalism, providing an outstanding and detailed portrait of an era that is now extinct.
Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America by Daniel Black (1/31)
In a debut collection of essays, Daniel Black takes his talent for writing about inexplicable pain and tells the stories of the marginalized. From police brutality to queer representation in the Black church, Daniel Black gives voice to experiences that show the remarkable resilience that has taken place, a collective celebration of fortitude and survival. A cultural criticism with stories that must be told.
The Wise Hours by Miriam Darlington (2/7)
Nature writer Miriam Darlington takes readers on a journey into the avian world, where her fascination of owls leads her to France, Serbia, Spain, Finland and the Arctic. Alongside her son, Benji, Darlington studies and documents her encounters with various types of owls, hoping to gain a better understanding of these captivating creatures. But when Benji suddenly falls ill and there is no clear diagnosis, Darlington’s mission to learn more about the true nature of owls turns into a search to find a cure for her son. With vivid descriptions of wildlife and heartfelt notions on love and family, Darlington’s work is as unique and enchanting as its subjects.
You’re That Bitch: & Other Cute Lessons About Being Unapologetically Yourself by Bretman Rock (2/14)
What does a life as one of the first digital celebrities look like? Bretman Rock Sacayanan, original superstar influencer and everyone’s social media bestie, will have you laughing out loud with this deliciously chaotic collection of essays, recipes, and never before seen photos. A glimpse into Bretman’s early life in the Philippines and how Filipino culture shaped who he is today, we also see his journey as a first generation immigrant. At the young age of fourteen, Bretman was already becoming an internet sensation, while still managing high school, honor roll, and being a varsity track-star. The cutest person on the internet shows you how they’ve managed to navigate cancel culture, heartbreak, and creating a community that you adore.
The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg (2/14)
From one of the leading climate activists, wisdom from over one hundred experts is gathered with one purpose in mind – combating the climate disaster. Greta Thunberg gives us an informative and transparent view into issues like greenwashing, showcasing ways we have been led astray when it comes to helping the environment. By revealing the whole picture, Thunberg is hopeful we can create positive change when we know the truth and take action. In a time where action is imperative, truth is the inspiration we need.
Transitional by Munroe Bergdorf (2/21)
In this revelatory work, writer and activist Munroe Bergdorf explores the process of a fundamental aspect of human nature: transitioning. As we grow, we change and develop, though we never become someone else entirely. Using her own experiences alongside ideas from experts, changemakers and activists, Bergdorf explains how transitioning can be used as a powerful tool to restore, build and create a better world.
Glow in the F*cking Dark by Tara Schuster (2/28)
Unflinching and uplifting, Glow in the F*cking Dark is about healing and rediscovering yourself so that you may live life to the fullest. After losing her job and having to isolate during a global pandemic, Tara Schuster was not in a good place. Childhood traumas resurfaced, her purpose was lost, and she felt unbearably lonely. In this book, she describes one of the darkest times of her life and explains how she was able to reflect and reclaim her sense of self when all seemed lost. Amongst other things, she discusses how to acknowledge reactions to trauma and respond in healthier ways, how to discover the source of your anxiety, be one with your body, and find comfort through perspective. With useful and practical advice, Tara shares baby steps that will help those who may be in a dark place rediscover their spark.
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May (2/28)
It’s easy to feel trapped into the cycle of constant change—changing relationships, rolling news cycles, perpetual social media chatter all add up to an exhausting spin of depletion. Katherine May sets out to find what the cause is of her empty cup, foggy brain, and low moods by examining the ways we can balance the seismic changes of life around us with inner peace. Through warmth and humor, May invites us to reawaken the little child within by allowing wonder and awe back into our lives. Through the natural world, May explores the elements and the many ways the earth restores itself, inviting us to do the same by reconnecting with our environment.
Who Gets Believed? by Dina Nayeri (3/7)
As a former refugee, Dina Nayeri begins with the question: Why are honest asylum seekers dismissed as liars? Peeling back layers on shocking case studies and illuminating research, this book is as deeply personal as it is profound in its reflections on morals, language, human psychology, and the unspoken social codes that determine how we relate to one another. From the author of The Ungrateful Refugee—finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Kirkus Prize—Who Gets Believed? asks troubling questions about lies and truths, persuasion and performance, and the difference between being believed and being dismissed in situations.
Black Ball by Theresa Runstedtler (3/7)
It’s the 1970’s and the resistance to racial segregation is ongoing, the call for Black power strong. When a new generation of Black players enters the NBA, right away Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Spencer Haywood are blamed for the supposed decline of professional basketball. Rewriting the “Dark Ages” of the NBA, Runstedtler shows how this time was pivotal to modern day basketball, weaving together expert knowledge of the game and eye-opening social analysis.
The Body Liberation Project by Chrissy King (3/14)
The Body Liberation Project examines a framework of connected systems of prejudice that influence diet culture and set harmful body and beauty standards. Chrissy King demonstrates the powerful concept of body liberation—a crucial step beyond body positivity and acceptance. Body liberation acknowledges that no one is free until everyone is free. King discusses the importance of finding strength and freedom within your body by discovering healthy habits that work for you, with the goal of understanding that we are so much more than how we appear.
Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin (3/14)
Self-care has become an incredibly prevalent topic in modern society, but the work involved in caring for oneself is often understated. It’s more than buying a day planner or taking yoga lessons. As mental health specialist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin reveals, real self-care is a process of reflection, and often involves making hard choices that better align with our values. Full of case studies, research, and practical strategies, Lakshmin demonstrates how to set boundaries, move past guilt, treat yourself with compassion, know your power, and better understand yourself. A thought-provoking and essential addition to health and wellness literature, Real Self-Care is an inspirational guide to self-love and healing.
Life in Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin (4/18)
Life in Five Senses is an important book that describes the path to a life of happiness, creativity, acceptance and love. Gretchen Rubin illustrates the revitalization that comes from escaping your head and tuning in to the physical world using sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Drawing on her own experiences as well as learnings from science, philosophy and literature, Rubin aptly demonstrates the power of the five senses and how they can lead to a happier, more mindful existence. With valuable advice and thoughtful insight, Rubin’s work eloquently encapsulates the beauty of life’s simple pleasures.
Mott Street by Ava Chin (4/25)
Ava Chin, child of a single mother in Queens, grew up with a mysterious family history. Having never met her father and struggling to understand her grandparents past, Chin sets out with determination to uncover the truth about her Chinese American family, starting with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. As she traces the lineage of her family’s immigration, she eventually finds out who her father is, and the building her family lived and worked in for generations. Following their path to New York she uncovers the brutal racism they faced, the crucial and difficult work they did on the transcontinental railroad, all while resisting the weight of Exclusion laws.
Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper (5/9)
Christian Cooper has been birdwatching since he was ten. It’s what he was doing when he recorded a video of an encounter with a dog-walker that turned into a tense racial confrontation. In the most uncanny of ways, Cooper reveals the ways birdwatching has prepared him for being a gay, Black man in America today. An invitation to discover the simple pleasures that the natural world has to offer, Better Living Through Birding is also about defending and claiming your own space in the world, and how birds can teach us to do just that if we take the time to learn.
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