Noteworthy Nonfiction for Right Now

Harvard historian Jill Lepore delivers a revelatory, timely history of America's hardest-to-change document. Published for the 250th anniversary of U.S. founding, this compelling work traces the rarely told story of amendment attempts—almost all unsuccessful—and what that failure means for democracy today. "It is impossible to imagine a more instructive text on a more timely subject by a more accomplished historian," praised author Timothy Snyder.

This posthumous collection from the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner gathers unpublished and classic essays on Truman, Washington, art, and the mentors who shaped him, showing how history can guide the present. Edited by his daughter Dorie McCullough Lawson and longtime researcher Michael Hill, with a foreword by Jon Meacham, it offers a final portrait of McCullough’s enduring legacy.

Ever wonder why housing costs so much or why we can't build enough clean energy? Two leading journalists explain how we got here—and, more importantly, how to fix it. New York Times Opinion columnist David Brooks calls their vision "spectacular" for showing the "good things actually within our grasp."

From “unalive” to “rizz,” social media has unleashed a linguistic revolution—and a new era of etymology shaped by algorithms, influencers, and platform-specific code-switching. In Algospeak, linguist and viral creator Adam Aleksic blends original research with internet-savvy insight to chart how communication is being warped and reimagined online. “Aleksic is more than a worthy guide through the complexities of algospeak… a fun, illuminating read,” says BookPage. “No cap.”

Pulitzer Prize winner Grandin offers a comprehensive narrative that redefines our understanding of the Americas, from colonial conquests to contemporary politics. For Foreign Affairs, Richard Feinberg wrote, "Grandin makes a compelling case for the intricate connections tying the United States to its southern neighbors. In bright, fluid prose, the historian argues that Latin American political thought and diplomatic ideals have mightily influenced the more powerful northern country."

During Argentina’s brutal military regime, hundreds of babies were taken from their imprisoned mothers and secretly adopted by junta loyalists. This riveting narrative nonfiction debut follows the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo—relentless women who risked everything to expose the truth, recover their grandchildren, and challenge state-sanctioned silence.

Bestselling author and perennial thorn in the side of the world’s financial elite, Rutger Bregman, returns with a new book that challenges our mainstream notions of “success.” Bregman calls on our world’s best and brightest to measure their ambition by the amount of positive change they strive to make in the world, rather than the amount of wealth they accumulate. The book is both a wake-up call and a roadmap—showing how to build a career rooted in impact, not ego, and to join a growing movement of people working for something bigger than themselves.

In 2019, Karen Hao, a reporter with the MIT Technology Review was given rare access to a niche technology company that few outside of the world of AI reserach had heard of. Six years later, OpenAI, and its CEO Sam Altamn, have become one of the most powerful forces and best known companies in the world. This is the inside story of OpenAI's rapid rise which has been met with fierce hostility from the company itself.

Award-winning journalist Olga Khazan set out to hack her own neuroticism—and discovered the cutting-edge science behind real personality change. From improv classes to behavioral rewiring, she road-tests the research showing that we can become more confident, resilient, and fulfilled. A witty, bracing guide to becoming the self you actually want to be.

From the author of Lawrence in Arabia comes a vivid chronicle of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, one of the most momentous events in modern times. "An exceptional and important book," writes The New York Times Book Review. "Scrupulous and enterprising reporting rarely combine with such superb storytelling."