18 works of nonfiction from around the world to watch for in the first half of 2018
Mark your calendars! These works of nonfiction are coming soon to a bookshelf near you.
Getting Off by Erica Garza
What it's about: Journalist Erica Garza is the author of this memoir about a decades-long obsession with pornography and how it affected her life and relationships.
When you can read it: Jan. 9, 2018
When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
What it's about: Artist and activist Patrisse Khan-Cullors is one of the co-founders of the U.S.-based Black Lives Matter movement. Co-written with Asha Bandele, this memoir takes a look at how negative perception around the social activism movement has strengthened Khan-Cullors' resolve to change a culture that seemingly declares innocent Black life as expendable.
When you can read it: Jan. 16, 2018
A Kind of Mirraculas Paradise by Sandra Allen
What it's about: Sandra Allen's illuminative look at living with schizophrenia delves into the curious life of an hermetic uncle who mailed her his sprawling, often incomprehensible manuscript.
When you can read it: Jan. 23, 2018
The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers
What it's about: Dave Eggers pens this true story about young Yemeni American man, raised in San Francisco, who dreams of resurrecting the ancient art of Yemeni coffee but finds himself trapped in Sana'a by civil war.
When you can read it: Jan. 30, 2018
This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins
What it's about: Morgan Jenkins is an editor and pop culture critic. This Will Be My Undoing is a vibrant collection of linked essays that examine feminism, misogyny and what it means to be a Black woman in the United States.
When you can read it: Jan. 30, 2018
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
What it's about: The acclaimed writer and novelist is back with an essay collection that poses questions around the impact of social media, global warming and pop culture.
When you can read it: Feb. 6, 2018
The Rub of Time by Martin Amis
What it's about: This collection of novelist Martin Amis' essays and reportage throughout the decades reveals a critical eye on topics including politics, literature and celebrity.
When you can read it: Feb. 6, 2018
This Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantú
What it's about: Written by a former U.S. border patrol agent, This Line Becomes a River is an honest glimpse at those who police the U.S.-Mexico border and the migrants who risk — and lose — their lives crossing it.
When you can read it: Feb. 6, 2018
I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell
What it's about: I Am, I Am, I Am takes an intense look at death and near-death experiences.
When you can read it: Feb. 6, 2018
Educated by Tara Westover
What it's about: In this memoir, Tara Westover recounts her escape from a violent upbringing and her first day of school at the age of 17. From a childhood spent preparing for the apocalypse to winning a fellowship from the University of Cambridge, Educated looks to be a powerful story of triumph and perseverance.
When you can read it: Feb. 20, 2018
What Are We Doing Here? by Marilynne Robinson
What it's about: This look at life and the power of the human spirit by Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson is a collection of essays on theological, political and contemporary themes.
When you can read it: Feb. 20, 2018
Wrestling with the Devil by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
What it's about: This prison memoir details Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's experience as a political prisoner in Kenya and developing a novel while under constant surveillance.
When you can read it: March 6, 2018
See What Can Be Done by Lorrie Moore
What it's about: Novelist and short story writer Lorrie Moore presents more than 50 prose pieces that cover her reviews, essays, writing craft features and more.
When you can read it: April 3, 2018
And Now We Have Everything by Meaghan O'Connell
What it's about: Journalist Meaghan O'Connell describes her experience with an unplanned pregnancy and the existential impact of motherhood in this frank memoir.
When you can read it: April 10, 2018
The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya
What it's about: Clemantine Wamariya was six years old when she and her family fled the Rwandan massacre in 1994. Her memoir reflecting on the brutal nature of war and the innocents caught up in it is a reminder of the importance of love and empathy in a cold world.
When you can read it: April 24, 2018
Not That Bad by Roxane Gay
What it's about: Prolific writer and critic Roxane Gay shares views on the toxic effects of harassment and rape culture in this anthology of first-person essays.
When you can read it: May 1, 2018
Mothers by Jacqueline Rose
What it's about: British academic Jacqueline Rose highlights the importance of mothers and motherhood from a political, societal and culture perspective in this compelling work.
When you can read it: May 1, 2018
Sick by Porochista Khakpour
What it's about: Porochista Khakpour's battles with chronic illness is explored in this emotional look at health, wellness, anxiety and the uncertainty of life.
When you can read it: June 5, 2018