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Unforgettable Non-Fiction Books for your Fall 2025 TBR List
22
items Riveting true stories that read like fiction: from political exposés and cultural critiques to gripping historical narratives and investigative deep dives. These are the non-fiction books that will keep you turning pages late into the night and leave...
Sections
6
Power, Politics, and the American Experiment
True Crime + Historical Mysteries
War, Espionage, and Global Conspiracy
Family Secrets + Personal Reckonings
Modern Culture + Social Analysis
Gender, Faith, and Power Structures
Power, Politics, and the American Experiment
Essential reads on how power really works in America, from urban planning to political manipulation.
Please join me and the fellow members of the Robert Moses Haters Club. This book is LONG, but it feels like the non-fiction equivalent of The Count of Monte Cristo. Just strap in, you know it will be worthwhile.
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The counter-narrative to The Power Broker, Jane Jacobs was ahead of her time. This is one of the most important books ever written on urban design and how it impacts us all.
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Have we been hurdling towards 2025 since the Civil War? Possibly! Heather Cox Richardson, now beloved for her Substack and podcast, makes a compelling case that the South actually won the war when we zoom out to the bigger picture.
How the South Won the Civil War: Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America
A detailed and compelling history that brings the past to life and connects to the remnants of a system hiding in plain sight.
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
The LAST time we dealt with Fascism is a surprisingly unknown period in US history, and Rachel Maddow is the right storyteller for the job of enlightening us.
Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism
True Crime + Historical Mysteries
Gripping investigations that read like thrillers but reveal dark truths about human nature.
The grand-daddy of narrative non-fiction. This book is a must-read, plain and simple. It reads like a thriller and absorbs you from the opening sentences. Erik Larson supremacy!!!!
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
An exceptional book about The Troubles in Northern Ireland and their aftermath.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Patrick Radden Keefe does it again. He also does this story justice with his deep and meticulous writing.
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Let me de-influence you from thinking JFK, Jr. was presidential material in the slightest.
Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed
War, Espionage, and Global Conspiracy
Secret operations and covert programs that shaped world history from the shadows.
A non-fiction that reads like a crime caper. Cannot recommend enough!
The Bastard Brigade: The True Story of the Renegade Scientists and Spies Who Sabotaged the Nazi Atomic Bomb
POV: Uh oh, we're the bad guys, y'all.
The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World
Kim Jong-Il really liked this South Korean director and actress, and so he kidnapped them and forced them to make movies for him. No, literally.
A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power
Family Secrets + Personal Reckonings
Intimate portraits of how larger forces—illness, trauma, and social change—impact individual lives.
A powerful look at how schizophrenia ravaged one family, leaving a generational impact.
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Was your childhood special interest The Oregon Trail? This gripping book takes you into real life on the trail and looks at the infamous Donner Party in particular. It's an amazing read.
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party
Modern Culture + Social Analysis
Sharp examinations of contemporary life, from digital media to social movements.
A captivating look at reality television history and how it actually gets us to the Trump presidency. Yes, a book on reality television won the Pulitzer, and for good reason.
Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV
Amanda Montell's refreshing style keeps you entertained while you're actively learning. This reflective read made me feel like a friend was giving me excellent advice over a glass of wine.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality
Everyone's talking about this book for a reason.
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
Raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by a Cybertruck on the road in the last week.
Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter
Gender, Faith, and Power Structures
Unflinching looks at how institutions and ideologies shape—and often harm—women and marginalized communities.
This book will bum you out, but you NEED to read it.
Men Who Hate Women: From Incels to Pickup Artists: The Truth about Extreme Misogyny and How It Affects Us All
Required reading to understand how we got to Christian Nationalism in 2025.
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
An excellent investigation into how the far Christian Right's influence has shaped our current political landscape.
Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America
I'm sorry in advance for the rage you'll feel after reading this book.
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men