Educate and empower yourself by checking out our favorite nonfiction book picks of 2023...so far. The list includes the best books on science, history, and biographies. These books teach us how to live longer, learn from crime experts, and dive into some of history's ups and downs.
True Crime Reading List
Dear Jacob: A Mother's Journey of Hope by Patty Wetterling - Joy Baker
A kidnapper at gunpoint took eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling in a small town in Minnesota. Twenty-seven years later, on September 2, 2016, Danny Heinrich led authorities to the boy's remains.
In this powerful memoir, Patty Wetterling finally tells readers what happened. She shows how, in searching for Jacob, she found her purpose.
Lay Them to Rest: On the Road with the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless by Laurah Norton
Take a fascinating deep dive into the dark world of forensic science as experts team up to solve the identity of an unknown woman by exploring the rapidly evolving techniques being used to break the most notorious cold cases.
Engrossing, informative, heartbreaking, and hopeful, LAY THEM TO REST is a deep dive into the world of forensic science, showing readers how far we've come in cracking cases and catching killers, and illuminating just how far we have yet to go.
Behind the Door: The Dark Truths and Untold Stories of the Cecil Hotel by Amy Price
The disturbing true story of the notorious Cecil Hotel in downtown LA, by its general manager for a decade and star of the controversial Netflix documentary series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.
For the first time, Amy delves into her experiences at the Cecil Hotel. Behind the Door is essential to understanding one of America's most enigmatic hotels.
Best Science books to read in 2023
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? by Kelly Weinersmith - Zach Weinersmith
From the bestselling authors of Soonish, a brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into space settlement
With deep expertise, a winning sense of humor, and art from the beloved creator of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, the Weinersmiths investigate perhaps the biggest questions humanity will ever ask itself--whether and how to become multi-planetary.
Get in, we're going to Mars.
Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - THE REAL ORIGIN OF OUR SPECIES: a myth-busting, eye-opening landmark account of how humans evolved, offering a paradigm shift in our thinking about what the female body is, how it came to be, and how this evolution still shapes all our lives today
"A smart, funny, scientific deep-dive into the power of a woman's body, Eve surprises, educates, and emboldens."
--Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Lessons in Chemistry
How did the female body drive 200 million years of human evolution? - Why do women live longer than men? - Why are women more likely to get Alzheimer's? - Why do girls score better at every academic subject than boys until puberty, when suddenly their scores plummet? - Is sexism useful for evolution? - And why, seriously why, do women have to sweat through our sheets every night when we hit menopause?
To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery by Neil Degrasse Tyson - Lindsey Nyx Walker
This enlightening illustrated narrative by the world's most celebrated astrophysicist explains the universe from the solar system to the farthest reaches of space with authority and humor.
For science junkies and fans of the conundrums that astrophysicists often ponder, To Infinity and Beyond is an enlightening adventure into the farthest reaches of the cosmos.
Find Out How to Live Forever
Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well by Gabrielle Lyon
Learn how to reboot your metabolism, build strength, and extend your life with this accessible new guidebook that demonstrates the importance of muscle for health and longevity from the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine®.
Dr. Lyon offers an easy-to-follow food, fitness, and self-care program anchored in evidence and pioneering research that teaches you how to optimize muscle--no matter your age or health background.
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia - Bill Gifford
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A groundbreaking manifesto on living better and longer that challenges the conventional medical thinking on aging and reveals a new approach to preventing chronic disease and extending long-term health, from a visionary physician and leading longevity expert
Aging and longevity are far more malleable than we think; our fate is not set in stone. With the right roadmap, you can plot a different path for your life, one that lets you outlive your genes to make each decade better than the one before.
How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older by Michael Greger
Uncover the evidence-based science to slowing the effects of aging, from the New York Times bestselling author of the How Not to Die series.
Inspired by the dietary and lifestyle patterns of centenarians and residents of "blue zone" regions where people live the longest, Dr. Greger presents simple, accessible, and evidence-based methods to preserve the body functions that keep you feeling youthful, both physically and mentally. Brimming with expertise and actionable takeaways, How Not to Age lays out practical strategies for achieving ultimate longevity.
Top Memoirs
How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair
A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!
With echoes of Educated and Born a Crime, How to Say Babylon is the stunning story of the author's struggle to break free of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing, ruled by her father's strict patriarchal views and repressive control of her childhood, to find her own voice as a woman and poet.
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER National Indie Bestseller
What if you woke up one morning and found you'd acquired another self--a double who was almost you and yet not you at all? What if that double shared many of your preoccupations but, in a twisted, upside-down way, furthered the very causes you'd devoted your life to fighting against?
Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education by Stephanie Land
From the New York Times bestselling author who inspired the hit Netflix series about a struggling mother barely making ends meet as a housecleaner--a gripping memoir about college, motherhood, poverty, and life after Maid.
Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture? In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class grapples with these questions, offering a searing indictment of America's educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother's triumph against all odds.
Best History Books With Ups and Downs
Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune by Anderson Cooper - Katherine Howe
The number one New York Times bestselling authors of Vanderbilt return with another riveting history of a legendary American family, the Astors, and how they built and lavished their fortune.
The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story--of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention.
In this unconventional, page-turning historical biography, featuring black-and-white and color photographs, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe chronicle the lives of the Astors and explore what the Astor name has come to mean in America--offering a window onto the making of America itself.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on The Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.
The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers. Grann's recreation of the hidden world on a British warship rivals the work of Patrick O'Brian, his portrayal of the castaways' desperate straits stands up to the classics of survival writing such as The Endurance, and his account of the court martial has the savvy of a Scott Turow thriller. As always with Grann's work, the incredible twists of the narrative hold the reader spellbound.
Economics in America: An Immigrant Economist Explores the Land of Inequality by Angus Deaton
From the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times bestselling coauthor of Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, candid reflections on the economist's craft
Blending rare personal insights with illuminating perspectives on the social challenges that confront us today, Deaton offers a disarmingly frank critique of his own profession while shining a light on his adopted country's policy accomplishments and failures.
Where will you start?
These nonfiction gems remind us of the power of storytelling and the importance of expanding our horizons. Whether you're seeking knowledge, inspiration, or simply a captivating read, these books are sure to leave a lasting impact on your mind and heart. So, grab a cozy spot!