We’ve officially crossed into the summer months, so if you haven’t started on your summer reading list yet, the time is now. Given how many incredible books come out each month, you’ll find that it is best to stay abreast of the latest and greatest in your favorite genre. You don’t want to miss out, do you?
July is setting up to be yet another big month for nonfiction. New releases to look forward to include compelling coming-of-age stories, biographies focusing on fascinating figures, and timely Olympics-related explorations. You can opt for adventure, inspiring memoirs, pop culture analyses, or whatever else your heart desires.
Books featuring women doing extraordinary things are particularly bountiful in July. Some of the incredible feats featured in July’s upcoming new releases may not be ones you’d want to take on yourself, but they make for riveting reading material. One woman, for example, undertakes a 3,500-miles journey around the world on foot (yes, foot), while another manages a harrowing escape from ISIS. You’ll be amazed, moved, and eager to read more.
Below are 16 nonfiction books coming out in July 2016 that you should get your hands on as soon as possible. Get out your TBR and start adding.
1. The End of the Perfect 10 by Dvora Meyers (July 5; Touchstone)
With the Summer Olympics starting in Rio soon, now is the perfect time to read The End of the Perfect 10: The Making and Breaking of Gymnastics’ Top Score—From Nadia to Now. Dvora Meyers looks at the history of the popular sport with the help of experts and examines how recent changes to the scoring system will impact it moving forward. You’ll be able to spectate with a new perspective.
2. Run the World by Becky Wade (July 5; William Morrow Paperbacks)
Runners and those who want to be them (and even those who don’t) will be impressed with Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe. The memoir focuses on marathoner Becky Wade’s year-long adventure immersing herself into running communities overseas. As you would imagine, jogging through nine countries and racking up over 3,500 leaves a lasting mark, and Wade shares what she gains.
3. Seinfeldia by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (July 5; Simon & Schuster)
You don’t have to be a Seinfeld fan to appreciate Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything. The history of the show and its influence on television, as presented by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, are absorbing, even if you’ve never seen an episode. Fun facts, anecdotes, and insight into the iconic sitcom will keep you entertained.
4. The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith (July 5; TarcherPerigee)
Obsession with fictional characters is the subject of Kathleen Smith’s The Fangirl Life: A Guide to All the Feels and Learning How to Deal. A fangirl herself, she’s well-acquainted with the familiar phenomenon and how it can be beneficial to our lives. In her book, she shows how that enthusiasm can power personal accomplishments, leading you from Team Peeta to also Team You.
5. Oh, Florida! by Craig Pittman (July 5; St. Martin’s Press)
The title of Oh, Florida!: How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country says it all. Craig Pittman explores what makes the Sunshine State so unique, and how its impact is broader than you might expect. This is a state that has decided presidential elections, contains dangerous threats like sinkholes and pythons, and is the home of NASCAR, after all.
6. Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube by Blair Braverman (July 5; Ecco)
Blair Braverman details her adventures in Norway and Alaska in Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North. Although her journey takes place on frozen tundra most of us can only imagine, many themes will resonate, such as the experience of being a woman in a male-dominated culture. Braverman’s work is as thought-provoking as it is distinctive.
7. Kick by Paula Byrne (July 5; Harper)
The Kennedy family has long fascinated Americans, but one member of the family has often been overlooked. In Kick: The True Story of JFK’s Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth, Paula Byrne spotlights JFK’s sister Kathleen (aka “Kick”), who was known for her feistiness. Although her life was short, her story is eventful, from her role volunteering during WWII to her decision to marry against the wishes of her family.
8. The End of White Christian America by Robert P. Jones (July 12; Simon & Schuster)
The United States of America may have been founded largely by white Christian men, but our country has come a long way since its beginnings. In The End of White Christian America, Robert P. Jones looks at the current political and cultural climate and argues that WCA is losing its influence, creating the context in which the Tea Party rose, religious liberty debates have raged, and more. If you want some ideas as to how the United States will be affected moving forward, this is the book for you.
9. You’ll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein (July 12; Grand Central Publishing)
While many of us would like to forget our awkward adolescence, Jessi Klein uses it as inspiration in You’ll Grow Out of It. The memoir tells stories of the strange experience of going from girl to woman, inspiring laughs along the way. You may not want to revisit your own teenage years, but you’ll enjoy Klein’s.
10. Freedom by Jaycee Dugard (July 12; Simon & Schuster)
Jaycee Dugard lived through a nightmare when she was abducted as an adolescent and held captive for more than 18 years. Her drive to rebuild her life once freed, however, is the focus of Freedom: My Book of Firsts. Her moving memoir brings you along on everything from her first trip to the dentist to her first hangover.
11. Trying to Float by Nicolaia Rips (July 12; Scribner)
Nicolaia Rips shares engaging tales from her unusual childhood in Trying to Float: Coming of Age in the Chelsea Hotel. An outsider at school, she finds herself making better connections with the people of her Manhattan neighborhood than her classmates. Rips’ characters — family, peers, and neighbors — prove to be an eclectic bunch and provide ample entertainment.
12. The Girl Who Escaped ISIS by Farida Khalaf (July 19; Atria)
Farida Khalaf recounts the horrors of being sold into sex slavery by one of the world’s most infamous terrorist groups in The Girl Who Escaped ISIS: This Is My Story. Just a teenager when she was captured, she suffered atrocious horrors, but not only did she manage to survive, she managed to free herself. The subject matter is difficult, but her courage and resilience is powerful.
13. La Americana by Melanie Bowden Simón (July 19; Skyhorse Publishing)
Melanie Bowden Simón recounts her real-life love story in La Americana. This is no cut-and-dry romance, though; her memoir tells how she fell in love while on vacation abroad and explores the obstacles she and her now-husband overcame to make their cross-cultural relationship work. Castro’s Cuba serves as a particularly interesting backdrop.
14. Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky (July 26; Ten Speed Press)
STEM may be male-dominated, but women have been leaving their mark throughout the ages. Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World highlights some of the most notable innovators in history, using fun illustrations along the way. You’ll be proud of your predecessors’ amazing accomplishments.
15. The Age of Bowie by Paul Morley (July 26; Galley Books)
A beloved musician is paid tribute in Paul Morley’s The Age of Bowie: How David Bowie Made a World of Difference. The biography follows the iconic singer’s entire career, all the way to the end of his life. Just as importantly, the book highlights the indelible impact Bowie left behind on the music industry.
16. The Games by David Goldblatt (July 26; W. W Norton & Company)
The Games: A Global History of the Olympics by David Goldblatt will likely prepare you for any Olympics-related trivia you may encounter, but the book also examines how the Games are a reflection of cultural norms and attitudes. His book takes a fascinating look at how international conflicts, fights for equality, and more tie into the world’s biggest sporting event. On top of that, he includes iconic Olympic moments, from the Jesse Owens’ historic performance to the Miracle on Ice and beyond. You’ll definitely be ready for the Games to begin.
