44 Highly Anticipated New and Upcoming Nonfiction Books

Posted by Cybil on January 29, 2020
It's time to freshen up your Want to Read shelf with some of the most highly anticipated new and upcoming nonfiction. For this roundup, we looked at the books readers can't wait to crack open, then divvied up the selections into some of the top nonfiction genres, including history, memoir, and true crime.

From a new history from Erik Larson (author of The Devil in the White City) to laugh-out-loud essays from Samantha Irby, you'll find a book for every reading mood. And, of course, be sure to add the books that pique your interest to your Want to Read shelf.
 
History
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Essays
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Memoir
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True Crime
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Personal Development
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Parenting
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Which new nonfiction books are you excited to read? Let us know in the comments!

Check out more recent articles, including:
February's Most Anticipated New Books
33 Highly Anticipated Books of 2020
The 28 Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020

Comments Showing 1-50 of 85 (85 new)


message 1: by Let (new)

Let (Our Library at Midnight) There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :(


message 2: by Ankit (new)

Ankit Saxena Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

Right.


message 3: by Faith (last edited Jan 29, 2020 05:08AM) (new)

Faith Jones Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries Agreed. There are 199 countries in the world, presumably also well stocked with authors and readers. This is a US-owned website though, so who pays the piper...


message 4: by Elentarri (new)

Elentarri No science?


message 6: by Elke (new)

Elke Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

I was thinking the exact same thing.


message 7: by Alfred (new)

Alfred Weber I'm always up for a new Erik Larson book. American Sherlock and The Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria also look interesting to me.


message 8: by Laura (new)

Laura Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("


How do I like this?? Because this Brit is getting fed up of goodreads not knowing other countries exist.


message 9: by Let (new)

Let (Our Library at Midnight) Faith wrote: "Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries Agreed. There are 199 countries in the world, presumably als..."

Of course, but what I like about Goodreads is that, usually, I think they offer pretty diverse recommendations, even in their own articles.


message 10: by Yaaresse (new)

Yaaresse Wait...what? Theses are not ALL celerity memoirs of how "cool" they are for being a walking mess? Goodreads, what has gotten into you? There's actually some serious non-fiction here. Kudos.

Yes, I'd love to see more of a global view represented and a wider representation of content, maybe some food writing, travel, current events, hard sciences. But this is better than the usual offering of a dozen books with only one non-fic or a tiny list of non-fic that's 90% fluff. There are several books on here that look pretty good.

Now, as a followup, how about putting together a similar list, but comprised of non-fic by non-American writers and about global events or topics? There's a challenge for you.


message 11: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine Robyn wrote: "Man, I love me some nonfiction, particularly a good memoir, but nothing is really grabbing me here...."

Same. But just as well; my TBR list is already too long.


message 12: by Libby (new)

Libby I'm SO EXCITED about Samantha Irby's book. She writes in such a fun and refreshing way.


message 13: by Meghan (new)

Meghan Would be nice to see something besides American history in the history section (minus Larson). I mean, you could have even gone with some general world history books, I'm sure the U.S. is probably even featured in those! Also, if anyone has any good non-American recs, please share!


message 14: by Beth (new)

Beth Gea Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

My thoughts, precisely.


message 15: by Nina (new)

Nina Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

Agreed :(


message 16: by Vojtěch (new)

Vojtěch Tatra Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("
I have to agree, same at Audible and other sources, America dominate this market. But I read about some laws n EU which demands more non-US titles - maybe they can do something similar in books.


message 17: by Diana (new)

Diana Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

Very true.


message 18: by Kayla (new)

Kayla Elentarri wrote: "No science?"

This also surprises me!


message 19: by L (new)

L Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

You're right. 2020 should be about reading voraciously and diversely.


message 20: by Ashes (new)

Ashes Came here looking for science, nature, and interesting, little-known stories. Found the history of America written in 10 different ways and memoirs that we could definitely live without.


message 21: by louise singleton (new)

louise singleton Spiritual book I enjoy reading books from Goodreads does have to many they just need little more Christian books but I like Goodreads


message 22: by Meredith (new)

Meredith What Robyn said.


message 23: by Verena (new)

Verena Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

Agree!!!


message 24: by Erin (new)

Erin Thank you, some authors and titles I'd never heard of before that I am now excited for!


message 25: by Kat (new)

Kat Well, as a historian of the US, I loved these picks, but I'm obviously biased. ;) Like seeing nonfiction recs, anyway.


message 26: by Antigone (new)

Antigone Additional (non-US) upcoming titles:

Dressed for a Dance in the Snow: Women's Voices From the Gulag - Monika Zgustova/Julie Jones

A Delayed Life: The True Story of the Librarian of Auschwitz - Dita Kraus

Shadow on the Mountain: A Yazidi Memoir of Terror, Resistance, and Hope - Shaker Jeffrey/Katharine Holstein

A Map Is Only One Story: Twenty Writers on Immigration, Family, and the Meaning of Home - Nicole Chung/Mensah Demary

Chanel's Riviera: Glamour, Decadence, and Survival in Peace and War - Anne de Courcy



message 27: by Yaaresse (new)

Yaaresse Meghan wrote: "Would be nice to see something besides American history in the history section (minus Larson). I mean, you could have even gone with some general world history books, I'm sure the U.S. is probably ..."

I know they aren't books, but if you want some great history, most libraries offer The Great Courses as either streaming video or audio. I just finished two really good ones. One was a history of ancient civilizations and the other was on Imperial China. Just started one on India. They usually have between 24-48 half hour segments. Goodreads keeps trying to delete mention of them, which seems counterproductive given they are available through their parent (Amazon.)

Here are some non-fictions I am anticipating. Sorry I don't know the authors for all of them. They're just random notes I've taken when I hear about new books from friends or various media:

New Thinking: From Einstein to AI
The Well-Gardened Mind - Sue Smith
The Poet Who Changed the World (About Wordsworth)
The Future We Choose (about climate crisis by one of the UN workers who was involved with the Paris Accord)
A Year of Music by Clemency Burton-Hill
A Death in the Rainforest (about cultural change in Papua New Guinea)

I've heard there will be new biographies of the Churchill family and Sir Frances Bryan coming out this year, but I don't know the titles.

I'd like to find a good history of Portugal, although one of the Iberian area in general would work. If someone can recommend one, please send me a PM via my profile page.


message 28: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Nothing about science, nature, or medicine?


message 29: by Charles (new)

Charles Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("

Exactly my thinking. I know the term "must read" is overrated, but I really feel it applies to I Am Not Your Slave by Tupa Tjipombo. Her memoir of surviving a human trafficking network in Africa and the Middle East is just unbelievable - such powerful descriptions of issues and places we just don't get to hear about in the US.


message 30: by Blu (last edited Feb 18, 2020 02:20AM) (new)

Blu ThunderButt Charles wrote: I know the term "must read" is overrated, but I really feel it applies to I Am Not Your Slave by Tupa Tjipombo.

Funny...I just read this book and I second your recommendation. Its a horrific read but wow...talk about eye opening...


message 31: by Patrick (new)

Patrick II Check out:

Fear is Fuel
Learn from the latest neuroscience research how to never let fear get in your way again. If you want to be a courageous leader, live deep and meaningful relationships, find your passion and purpose you first have to harness the power of fear.
This book gives you a framework to do just that!


message 33: by Twakoseka (last edited Feb 18, 2020 03:29AM) (new)

Twakoseka Oh please, no more self help books...they're worse than celebrity memoirs. I've had enough of the implicit, self-aggrandizing arrogance of this type of non-fiction. Go away!

Real, substantive non-fiction books that help you learn about other people and other places! I think the comments about science, nature, medicine, history, culture, and issues around the world are all right on!


message 34: by Catherine (new)

Catherine Patrick wrote: "Check out: Fear is Fuel
Learn from the latest neuroscience research how to never let fear get in your way again. If you want to be a courageous leader, live deep and meaningful relationships, f..."


No thanks. Don't subject the rest of us to how you're working out your own problems.


message 35: by Mitch (new)

Mitch Joel Wish there was list for Business books here... why would that be missing?


message 36: by Radiantflux (last edited Feb 18, 2020 04:20AM) (new)

Radiantflux Do we have to have such a low-brow American-centric list? What about some basic science or technology? Or some politics outside of the USofA?

I always get the impression that some unpaid intern is given the job of creating these lists. It's clear that Goodreads doesn't really care about promoting an interesting, diverse set of new and upcoming books.


message 37: by Nora (new)

Nora Golden Gates by Conor Dougherty


message 38: by Marisa (new)

Marisa So it's not exactly science, but recently read a book called "The Secret Lives of Color". It's a list of different colors and the history of how they came to be. So like the color Absinthe actually was named and created because of the drink Absinthe. So essentially, the drink came before the color. It's just little snippets of facts.


message 39: by Marisa (last edited Feb 19, 2020 04:29AM) (new)

Marisa Mitch wrote: "Wish there was list for Business books here... why would that be missing?"

I read two pretty cool business books. One is called "The CEO Next door". And it's about different CEO's that accidentally fell into being CEO's when the company wasn't thriving and how they turned it all around and made a profit. The other is "The Reputation Game" and it's all about how important your reputation is and how to change it for the better. Just a thought. Not sure if you've read them or not.


message 40: by Neil (new)

Neil Connolly very American-centric list. centre of the universe...


message 41: by Lynne (new)

Lynne So little of real importance...


message 42: by Jenny (new)

Jenny Ashes wrote: "Came here looking for science, nature, and interesting, little-known stories. Found the history of America written in 10 different ways and memoirs that we could definitely live without."

I came to see if my sister-in-law's book was listed, as it is getting good praise. It's not, but maybe in part because it doesn't fit in these categories. However, based on your comment, you might enjoy it:

The Museum of Whales You Will Never See: and other excursions to Iceland's most unusual museums
By A. Kendra Greene
More info: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...


message 43: by Jenny (new)

Jenny Twakoseka wrote: "Oh please, no more self help books...they're worse than celebrity memoirs. I've had enough of the implicit, self-aggrandizing arrogance of this type of non-fiction. Go away!

Real, substantive non-..."


Check out my sister-in-law's book, being published by Penguin out this spring:

The Museum of Whales You Will Never See: and other excursions to Iceland's most unusual museums
By A. Kendra Greene
More info: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...


message 44: by Pat (new)

Pat Byrne Check out this memoir: Epic Solitude by Katherine Keith

It is getting great reviews!! Heartfelt story


message 45: by Chris (new)

Chris Jordan Look for this book soon... it will be more sociologically significant than Martin Luther's 95 Thesis...


Christianity in Crisis

An atheist challenges the authenticity of the Christian understanding of Jesus, his words & mission

Written by: The Last Spiritual Samurai


message 46: by Donald (last edited Feb 18, 2020 07:23AM) (new)

Donald Curtis Anyone in this forum read "Bullets,Blades & Badges" by D. L. Curtis?
The title does not give a hint at the humorous situations ,acts of God and just plain dumb luck that the life of an adventure junkie lives.


message 47: by Rhonda (new)

Rhonda I suggest reading the book written by me - who is NOT an author and just wanted to share my story?????


message 48: by Susan Selbe (new)

Susan Selbe You forgot to put Boots in the Ashes on this list!


message 49: by Pixie-Ann (new)

Pixie-Ann Healy Robyn wrote: "Man, I love me some nonfiction, particularly a good memoir, but nothing is really grabbing me here. Seems to be a lot of middle class women writing about banal problems with a dash of liberal polit..."

Be on the lookout for "The Rumi Prescription" by Melody Moezzi. I found it inspiring and will keep it handy for sure


message 50: by Patty (new)

Patty Arlette wrote: "There is SO much on America, I can't imagine that there are not equally anticipated reads on other topics and countries :("
I was thinking that too


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