Books
The 25 Nonfiction Books You Won't Be Able To Stop Talking About In 2018
Set aside your New Year’s resolutions and get out your TBR. I have nothing against goal-setting, but right now, it’s time to talk about books that will arrive in 2018. We’re leaving one year behind and starting another, but the steady stream of quality work has kept on flowing. That is definitely true when it comes to 2018’s most anticipated books — especially when it comes to nonfiction. I already have my eye on 25 upcoming titles.
The year to come is set to bring so many awesome reads that I have no doubt all of us readers will find whatever suits our fancy. In the next 12 months, we’ll have the chance to read numerous nightmare-inducing true crime books, thought-provoking essay collections, and mesmerizing memoirs, among other options. If nonfiction new releases are anything to go by, it’s possible that 2018 will be an improvement over 2017. Some of the authors making it so are Sloane Crosley, Zadie Smith, Franchesca Ramsey, and powerful yet polarizing figures like Cecile Richards and James Comey.
Check out Bustle’s 25 most anticipated nonfiction books of 2018 below, and get a head start on updating your TBR. Then you can work on your New Year’s resolutions.
'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, along with Asha Bandele, writes about the movement in her new book. Called When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, it sheds light on the origins of the group and debunks some of the prevailing myths.
'Together We Rise' by Women’s March Organizers and Condé Nast (Jan. 16; Dey Street Books)
A year after the Women’s March, the minds behind the event are celebrating with Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World. The book revisits the march, including through interviews with the organizers, as well as essays from some of the high-profile activists who participated.
'So You Want To Talk About Race' by Ijeoma Oluo (Jan. 16; Seal Press)
If you don’t always feel comfortable discussing race, Ijeoma Oluo can help. In her new book, So You Want To Talk About Race, Oluo answers questions you might not have the guts to ask and offers her take on relevant issues like Black Lives Matter, privilege, intersectionality, and more.
'This Will Be My Undoing' by Morgan Jerkins (Jan. 30; Harper Perennial)
Morgan Jerkins weighs in on burning issues in her new essay collection, This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America. Specifically, she addresses her experiences with racism as a black woman in America, commenting on subjects ranging from pop culture to patriarchy.
'BRAVE' by Rose McGowan (Jan. 30; HarperOne)
Rose McGowan has been one of the strongest voices calling for change in Hollywood since the Harvey Weinstein scandal blew up, and she continues speaking out in Brave. The memoir details the worst of what she has faced working as an actress and how she has fought against the industry’s damaging status quo.
'The Line Becomes a River' by Francisco Cantú (Feb. 6; Riverhead Books)
With huge swaths of the country at odds over the potential construction of a border wall, Francisco Cantú’s book comes at the right time. Called The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border, the book shares the unique insight he gained both growing up along the border and later working as a Border Patrol agent.
'Text Me When You Get Home' by Kayleen Schaefer (Feb. 6; Dutton)
It used to be that female friendships got a bad rap, but times are changing. Kayleen Schaefer explains how in her new book, Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship. She highlights how such relationships have become increasingly prized, both in fiction and real life.
'Brotopia' by Emily Chang (Feb. 6; Portfolio)
Emily Chang takes on the male-dominated world of tech in Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley. She paints a picture of a damaging culture in which sexual harassment often goes unpunished and women are excluded. Fortunately, she has ideas for change, and she shares those as well.
'Feel Free' by Zadie Smith (Feb. 6; Penguin Press)
Zadie Smith returns with more of her interesting reflections in Feel Free: Essays. The collection covers a wide range of topics, including the beauty of libraries and the impact of global warming on future generations.
'How to Fix a Broken Heart' by Guy Winch (Feb. 13; Simon & Schuster/TED)
Psychologist Guy Winch encourages us to reconsider emotional pain in How to Fix a Broken Heart. He examines how we treat such suffering and supplies advice for healing — applying scientific evidence along the way.
'What Are We Doing Here?' by Marilynne Robinson (Feb. 20; Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson provides commentary in the areas of religion, politics, and more in What Are We Doing Here?: Essays. We’ll be challenged to do some serious reflecting of our own.
'I’ll Be Gone in the Dark' by Michelle McNamara (Feb. 27; Harper)
Michelle McNamara’s book is coming, two years after her death. The late journalist’s lead researcher finished the tome, which is called I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. It centers on a mysterious and brutal rapist-turned-killer who was active in California during the ’70s and ’80s but never caught.
'Bachelor Nation' by Amy Kaufman (March 6; Dutton)
Amy Kaufman delves into a common addiction in Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure. She examines why we’re so hooked on the reality show and what goes on behind the scenes, weaving in interviews with producers, contestants, and fans alike.
'Look Alive Out There' by Sloane Crosley (April 3; Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Sloane Crosley is out to make us laugh again with Look Alive Out There: Essays, a collection that shares more of her adventures, from taking on outdoor feats to aging.
'True Stories from an Unreliable Witness' by Christine Lahti (April 3; Harper Wave)
Actress and director Christine Lahti shares pieces of her life in True Stories from an Unreliable Eyewitness: A Feminist Coming of Age. A collection of interconnected essays, the book spans different stages of her live and the highs and lows that have come along with them.
'Born Trump' by Emily Jane Fox (April 3; Harper)
The plot details of Born Trump: Inside America’s First Family by Vanity Fair’s Emily Jane Fox are still mostly unknown, but early reports have inspired our curiosity. Sources told Page Six in March that it would be a “behind-the-scenes story of the Trump children and family.” Love them or hate them, their drama and dynamics are interesting.
'Can’t Help Myself' by (April 3; Grand Central Publishing)
Even advice columnists don’t have it all figured out. That’s one takeaway from Meredith Goldstein’s new memoir, Can’t Help Myself: Lessons and Confessions from a Modern Advice Columnist. She writes candidly about her own uncertainties and how the column and her readers have helped her cope.
'Make Trouble' by Cecile Richards (April 3; Touchstone)
Cecile Richards continues her work in Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead—My Life Story. The Planned Parenthood president brings readers through her lifetime of activism and looks to spur them into action as well.
'Unwifeable' by Mandy Stadtmiller (April 3; Gallery Books)
In Unwifeable: A Memoir, Mandy Stadtmiller takes us along on her dating adventures. She chronicles her attempts to find love in New York City during her 30s and the personal growth she undergoes throughout the years.
'The Recovering' by Leslie Jamison (April 3; Little, Brown and Company)
Leslie Jamison tackles addiction at a time when it is a problem across the country. Her book, The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath, reexamines how we look at the condition, in part by using her experiences and those of others.
'A Higher Loyalty' by James Comey (May 1; Flatiron Books)
We’ve heard about James Comey keeping notes on his interactions with President Trump, and now we’re ready to see his memoir. The former FBI director writes about his career in A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, and he touches on topics like ethics, power, and decision-making.
'Not That Bad,' Edited by Roxane Gay (May 1; Harper Perennial)
The Roxane Gay-edited collection Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture deals with the sadly all too familiar issues of sexual violence and harassment, plus how they must be taken more seriously. Gay contributes, along with Gabrielle Union, Ally Sheedy, Amy Jo Burns, and others.
'Well, That Escalated Quickly' by Franchesca Ramsey (May 22; Grand Central Publishing)
Even if you don’t recognize her name, it’s very possible you know Franchesca Ramsey from MTV’s Decoded videos, in which she breaks down issues related to race, identity, and more. As she reveals in her new book, Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist, YouTube activism was never her vision for herself. Yet, she continues to do it, in spite of the trolls and hate mail. She writes not only about how it all came about, but also the lessons she has learned on this crazy path.
'Sick' by Porochista Khakpour (June 5; Harper Perennial)
Sick: A Memoir is the story of writer Porochista Khakpour’s longtime battle with Lyme disease. She recounts what a drawn-out, painful ordeal it was simply to have her disease diagnosed, and later the struggle to accept all that would come with the condition.
'Yes We (Still) Can' by Dan Pfeiffer (June 5; Twelve)
Friends of the Pod will be happy to learn that Pod Save America co-host and former Obama staffer Dan Pfeiffer is writing a book to give you a little hope. In Yes We (Still) Can: Politics in the Age of Obama, Twitter, and Trump, he scrutinizes the intersection of politics, technology, and the media. He also examines both President Obama’s work and the rise of President Trump.
