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True Story

15 New Nonfiction Books Out Now

Hello, nonfiction lovers! This week I decided to borrow a phrase from super-reader Liberty Hardy and put together a megalist of early August nonfiction new releases. If I read the calendar correctly (which can be questionable), then all of these books should be out and available for your hot little hands. Let’s dive in!


Sponsored by Amy B. Scher, author of This Is How I Save My Life.

Sometimes, you only find everything when you are willing to try anything …

The true story of a fiery young woman’s heartwarming and hilarious journey that takes her from near-death in California to a trip around the world in search of a cure for late-stage Lyme disease. Along the way, she discovers a world of cultural mayhem, radical medical treatment, an unexpected romance, and, most importantly, a piece of her life she never even knew she was missing. Praised by Vikas Swarup, New York Times bestselling author of Slumdog Millionaire as “an inspiring story that will change the way you look at life.”


Dopesick by Beth Macy – A deep dive to the epicenter of America’s opioid addiction, from the introduction to OxyContin in 1996 to the first responders, families, and victims of opioid use today.

A Deal with the Devil by Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken – A investigation into a decades-long con that involved a French psychic targeting the elderly and emotionally vulnerable.

Nothing Good Can Come From This by Kristi Coulter – A “frank, funny, and feminist” essay collection by a woman who quit drinking alcohol and finally noticed the world around her.

Judas by Astrid Holleeder – A memoir, first published in the Netherlands, about a young woman who decides to testify against her brother, a crime kingpin, and what came after that.

All Happy Families by Jeanne McCulloch – At a 1983 wedding in East Hampton, the bride’s father dies from an alcoholism-related stroke… yet the wedding goes on.

The Black and the Blue by Matthew Horace and Ron Harris – A cop with more than 30 years on the force writes about his experiences and criticizes law enforcement culture and institutions.

Ticker by Mimi Swartz – An investigation and medical mystery looking at the 50 years of “false starts, abysmal failures and miraculous triumphs” in the quest to create an artificial heart.

Maeve in America by Maeve Higgins – A collection of essays by an Irish comic coming to America that ranges from everyday awkwardness to her immigrant experience.

Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf – A cognitive neuroscientist explores what a digital world is doing to the magic that happens to create our reading brain.

Life in Code by Ellen Ullman – A life-long coder and Silicon Valley expert tells the story of “digital technology’s loss of innocence as it entered the cultural mainstream.”

She Begat This by Joan Morgan – A deep dive into The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the artist, and her legacy 20 years after the release of that influential album.

A Girl’s Guide to Missiles by Karen Piper – A memoir about growing up “on one of the most secretive weapons installations on earth,” the China Lake missile range.

The Tangled Tree by David Quammen – An exploration of diversity at the molecular level and how genes have moved across species throughout history.

Be Everything at Once by Dami Lee – A collection of four-panel comics exploring everything from navigating identity as a South Korean kid in Texas to finding a voice drawing comics online.

Sons of Cain by Peter Vronsky – A history of serial killers that is probably too creepy for me to read… but might be good for you?

Don’t forget! You can win 16 awesome books featured on the Recommended podcast! Enter here by August 31. You can find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!