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I don’t know about you, but I’m still in full-on recovery mode from the holidays. How do you even begin getting ready for the new year? I need to set aside some time to put away holiday decorations, set my New Year’s resolutions, and plan my 2025 reading goals. But I do have some motivation. One of the best things about the new year is the new books!
Of course, as a fan of true stories, nonfiction is always at the top of my to-be-read pile. What an incredible year of new releases we have in store, too! I could start with Imani Perry’s exploration of the color blue’s connection to Black history and culture. Or I could read a graphic memoir about starting over in New York City. Or maybe I’ll learn more about the first—and last—king of Haiti. Or what about a humorous collection of essays from comedian and entertainer Josh Gad?
In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected 10 of some of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in January. You might be new to nonfiction or a true stories pro, but whatever the case, there’s sure to be something on this list that catches your eye.
Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser by Amy Wilson (January 7)
Throughout her life, Amy Wilson has always been everyone else’s go-to gal, the one always happy to help. But at what cost? In this humorous collection of essays, Wilson explores the tension between being the helpful one and the emotional toll it takes, ultimately questioning if the real problem is not her, but the expectations placed on her.
In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art and Public Space by Irvin Weathersby Jr. (January 7)
Irvin Weathersby Jr. examines what it means to confront monuments to white supremacy in public spaces. Across the country, monuments stand to slave owners, segregationists, and the Confederacy. Weathersby travels across the U.S. looking at these different sites and challenges the myths behind these landmarks while engaging with artists and planners working to confront this painful history.
The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe by Marlene L. Daut (January 7)
In The First and Last King of Haiti, Yale scholar Marlene L. Daut explores the life of Henry Christophe, a complex figure in Haitian history. Born to an enslaved mother in Grenada, Christophe would go on to be a key leader in Haiti’s revolution for independence. Eventually, he would go on to declare himself King of Haiti, only to die by his own hand nine years later.
In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some by Josh Gad (January 14)
Actor and entertainer Josh Gad has done a little bit of everything. He voices Olaf in Frozen, and he played Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. Now, in his new essay collection, Gad delves into personal topics like the long-lasting impact of his parents’ divorce, his first big break, and his own take on fatherhood.
The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North by Michelle Adams (January 14)
Legal scholar Michelle Adams explores the story behind the case of Milliken v. Bradley, a key supreme court decision that helped desegregate the North. But how did this vital supreme court decision come about in 1974? What led to this important moment? Adams lays it all out for readers, sharing information about key figures and important moments throughout the case.
Unassimilable: An Asian Diasporic Manifesto for the Twenty-First Century by Bianca Mabute-Louie (January 14)
In Unassimilable, scholar and activist Bianca Mabute-Louie challenges traditional understandings of race, class, and citizenship in relation to Asian American communities. Mabute-Louie grew up in San Gabriel Valley, America’s first ethnoburb, and she uses her perspective in her approach to her radical perspective on Asian American identity and political activism.
How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty by Bonny Reichert (January 21)
Raised by a father who survived Auschwitz on potato peelings and coffee grounds, Reichert grew up with a deep respect for food. But she never wanted to dwell on her father’s experience. Through recipes and personal stories, she explores her childhood in the restaurant business, the complexities of motherhood, her decision to become a chef, and her search for identity.
Take My Name But Say It Slow: Essays by Thomas Dai (January 21)
Thomas Dai has never used his Chinese name, never really wanting to explore his feelings about being Chinese American. In these personal essays, Dai explores the meaning of “returning” to China, a homeland that never felt fully his, offering a fresh, lyrical perspective on the ache of wanting to belong but not knowing where to even begin.
Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry (January 28)
Imani Perry, author of South to America, delves into the historical connection between Blackness and the color blue. From the indigo trade in West Africa to blues music, Perry examines the historical and cultural significance of the color with all of her characteristic insight and attention to detail.
This Beautiful, Ridiculous City: A Graphic Memoir by Kay Sohini (January 28)
In her new graphic memoir, Kay Sohini shares her experience of leaving her family and friends behind in India to live in New York City. There, she tries to pull herself back together, working through the memory loss she experienced that stems from the trauma she experienced in her past.
If you’re looking for even more nonfiction new book recommendations, check out 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of December and 10 New Nonfiction Books of November.
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