Those summertime sunny evenings and relaxing vacations call for a great book—especially a standout memoir or thought-provoking nonfiction read. Summer’s most anticipated releases in this genre include memoirs from authors Jesmyn Ward and Patricia Cornwell, insightful—and funny—reflections from TV creators like Mike Schur and Taylor Sheridan, and compelling looks at politics and public life, including a memoir from Jill Biden. With all that and even more, there’s something for everyone. These are the nonfiction books we’ll be reaching for all summer long.

True Crime: A Memoir by Patricia Cornwell (5/5)

She’s the bestselling author of the Dr. Kay Scarpetta novels (now a television series starring Nicole Kidman), and her memoir holds nothing back. From her traumatic childhood to her own near-death accident, she shares the obstacles that drove her to a career in police work—and how she went from forensic expert to publishing phenom.

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Mother Tongue by Sara Nović (5/5)

The New York Times bestselling author of True Biz traces her journey from trying to pass in the hearing world to fully embracing life within the Deaf community. Now a mother to both a hearing son and a deaf son, Nović reflects on identity, family, and what it means to choose authenticity over assimilation—and finding power in the space between worlds.

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On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward (5/19)

Two-time National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jesmyn Ward shares an essay collection reflecting on the fiction that has moved her and the life she has lived so far. Respair is an obsolete word meaning fresh hope after despair, and Ward examines this concept in one essay about her partner’s sudden death in 2020. With themes of resilience and hope, the lyrical writing in this collection is just as moving as her fiction.

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Big Fan by Mike Schur and Joe Posnanski (5/19)

TV writer Mike Schur (Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99) and sportswriter Joe Posnanski are bestselling authors and podcast cohosts. In this hilarious yet heartwarming travelogue, the two set out on a bucket list adventure to see how fans cheer on their teams at a variety of events. It’s a heartwarming look at how fandom connects us—even when nothing else seems to.

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The Land and Its People by David Sedaris (5/26)

Bestselling humorist David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day) has a new collection of essays, with his signature acerbic playfulness and profound insight at work. He reflects on relationships of all kinds, travel, even his address book—which provides more material for humor and writing than you might guess!  For the opportunity to marvel at what is good in the world, The Land and Its People offers an entertaining balm.

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View from the East Wing by Jill Biden (6/2)

Jill Biden shares her story of life in the White House in this heartfelt memoir. She reflects on her work advocating for women and military families and other causes close to her heart, while making history as the first-ever First Lady to hold an outside job. Her story captures the quiet, determined work behind a very public role—an ordinary woman living an extraordinary life.

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The Hormone Loop by Dr. Gillian Goddard (6/2)

Renowned endocrinologist Dr. Gillian Goddard offers women clear, accessible information about their hormonal health in this comprehensive guide. She focuses on four hormone loops—reproductive, thyroid, growth hormone, and adrenal—and how they affect women’s lifelong health. The Hormone Loop is a practical guide to knowledge about and self-advocacy for your body.

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Transcendent by Laverne Cox (6/9)

Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood. She reflects on a difficult childhood and life leading up to her big break in Orange is the New Black—which didn’t happen until she was turning forty. With behind-the-scenes stories and life challenges shared openly, Cox’s journey of healing is inspirational and aspirational.

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Freedom: Essays by Zinzi Clemmons (6/9)

In this incisive essay collection, author Zinzi Clemmons examines freedom through a personal and global lens. With experiences from her upbringing in Pennsylvania to her interactions with post-apartheid South Africa, Clemmons meditates on race, gender, and inheritance—with a reminder that freedom is a continuous pursuit.

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How Not to Die in Prison by Taylor Sheridan and Tom Nelson (6/23)

Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) created a darkly funny survival guide to prison life, co-written with ex-con Tom Nelson. What started out as research for a television series led to a quite practical guide for those facing a maximum-security prison sentence. This look into the American prison system from a specific perspective will both entertain and educate.

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Your OCD Will Hate This Book by Nathan Peterson (7/7)

From Nathan Peterson, LCSW and #1 OCD content provider on YouTube, this empowering guide offers practical tools to manage intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsion. With clear, step-by-step strategies, Peterson breaks down what actually works—offering both clarity and hope for those navigating OCD.

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Catch the Devil by Pamela Colloff (7/14)

In this gripping true story, Pamela Colloff unravels the decades-long deception of a master con man who manipulated not just the people around him, but the justice system itself. The result is a chilling, meticulously reported account of power, corruption, and the lives shattered in the wake of one man’s lies.

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Seasons of Fury by Rozina Ali (8/25)

Award-winning New York Times Magazine journalist Rozina Ali traces the U.S. government’s long, fraught relationship with its Muslim citizens—well before and far beyond 9/11. Through the stories of four families across decades, she reveals how surveillance, suspicion, and policy have shaped everyday lives in ways both personal and profound.

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