Books
The 16 Best Nonfiction Books Of January Will Prepare You To Fight Back
Here we go again, entering yet another new year and kicking off fresh reading resolutions. Whether you’re turning over a new leaf by getting into nonfiction or you’re already a regular reader of the genre, you’ll enjoy the books that are coming in 2018. January, in particular, is ushering in some excellent titles.
With the month bringing the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump becoming president, you’ll find multiple tomes on politics today. Yes, some of the books issue scary warnings about how his presidency has impacted American values like truth and democracy, but they also provide calls to action and messages of hope. Meanwhile, there are other options that are similarly motivating but without a political focus. They’ll help inspire you as we move into the new year.
January’s highlights include books that serve a variety of purposes, including helping you get more done, live better, or, of course, learn. They’re also bound to keep you enthralled and entertained. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be another good year for readers. In fact, I predict your resolve to up your book count in 2018 will be especially strong, in part thanks to the 16 January nonfiction new releases below.
'How to Get Sh*t Done' by Erin Falconer (Jan. 2; North Star Way)
If you’re looking to be more productive this year, Erin Falconer might be able to show you the way. The two-time startup founder aims to help women accomplish more by doing less in her new book, How to Get Sh*t Done: Why Women Need to Stop Doing Everything so They Can Achieve Anything. Since many books on productivity are written by men, Falconer offers a unique perspective.
'Walk It Off' by Ruth Marshall (Jan. 2; Simon & Schuster)
Ruth Marshall shares a difficult but comedy-filled journey in Walk It Off: The True and Hilarious Story of How I Learned to Stand, Walk, Pee, Run, and Have Sex Again After a Nightmarish Diagnosis Turned My Awesome Life Upside Down. After having a rare tumor surgically removed, Marshall’s legs and feet lost the ability to do basically everything they’d been able to do before. Through months of rehabilitation, she slowly relearned what she needed to, along with life lessons.
'Tell Me More' by Kelly Corrigan (Jan. 9; Random House)
Kelly Corrigan is back with the new essay collection Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say. Each essay is inspired by a common relationship phrase — such as “I was wrong” or “I don’t know” — that ties into Corrigan’s exploration of life and love.
'Single State of Mind' by Andi Dorfman (Jan. 9; Gallery Books)
Former Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman has penned another book. The reality star’s sophomore title, Single State of Mind, covers her dating adventures in New York City. She even opens up about freezing her eggs and seeing her ex-fiancé get engaged.
'Getting Off' by Erica Garza (Jan. 9; Simon & Schuster)
In Getting Off: One Woman’s Journey Through Sex and Porn Addiction, Erica Garza shares her own story. Her memoir tackles where her addiction began, how it impacted her, and her path to self-acceptance.
'Grief Works' by Julia Samuel (Jan. 9; Scribner)
Much as we might not want to think about it, we’ll all experience a loved one’s death at some point in our lives. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel looks to reframe our attitude toward loss and bereavement in her new book, Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death, and Surviving. She uses stories of loss as well as theory to demonstrate how to get to a point of healing.
'When They Call You a Terrorist' by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Asha Bandele (Jan. 16; St. Martin’s Press)
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors teamed up with Asha Bandele to write about the movement and her life. The result is When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. The book corrects misconceptions and highlights changes the group is working to achieve.
'The Girl on the Velvet Swing' by Simon Baatz (Jan. 16; Mulholland Books)
In The Girl on the Velvet Swing: Sex, Murder, and Madness at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century, Simon Baatz delves into a high-profile crime and trial. At the center of it is Evelyn Nesbit, a chorus girl whose husband, Harry Thaw, murdered another man after she told him he had raped her when she was 16 years old.
'How Democracies Die' by Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt (Jan. 16; Crown)
Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt look at failed democracies across the decades and the globe in their new book, How Democracies Die. By using what they’ve learned in more than 20 years of research, they show threats such governments face (including electing leaders like President Donald Trump) and how they can be saved.
'Trumpocracy' by David Frum (Jan. 16; Harper)
David Frum also looks at the precarious state of the Union in Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic. The former White House speechwriter delves into how U.S. presidents’ power has in part been checked by longstanding traditions and values, making our democracy vulnerable. In that vein, Frum looks at the long-term impact of a Trump presidency and the role of the public.
'Together We Rise' by Women’s March Organizers, Condé Nast (Jan. 16; Dey Street Books)
The organizers of the Women’s March and Condé Nast look back at the landmark protest in Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World. Readers get to see the march through the experiences of the people behind it, as well as some of its famous speakers and supporters.
'DIY Rules for a WTF World' by Krista Suh (Jan. 16; Grand Central Publishing)
PussyhatProject creator Krista Suh writes about living with purpose in DIY Rules for a WTF World: How to Speak Up, Get Creative, and Change the World. Her book draws on her own experiences and also provides the “rules” she has learned along the way, plus even some knitting patterns.
'So You Want to Talk About Race' by Ijeoma Oluo (Jan. 16; Seal Press)
Ijeoma Oluo offers a guide many of us need in her new book, So You Want to Talk About Race. Throughout, she delves into charged issues, including privilege, intersectionality, and police brutality.
'Unf*ckology' by Amy Alkon (Jan. 23; St. Martin’s Griffin)
In Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence, advice columnist Amy Alkon injects science into self-help. Not only does she debunk common philosophies that are not supported by scientific evidence, she offers advice on what you can do to change your life.
'This Will Be My Undoing' by Morgan Jerkins (Jan. 30; Harper Perennial)
This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America by Morgan Jerkins writes about her own experiences and how they intertwine with feminist, racism, and misogyny at large and in pop culture.
'Brave' by Rose McGowan (Jan. 30; HarperOne)
Actress Rose McGowan continues putting the entertainment industry’s dark flaws under the microscope in her new memoir, Brave, in which she opens up about her experiences in Hollywood and her path to becoming an activist.
