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Here in the American South, the trees have just started to turn a deep orange at the very edges of their canopies, drawing your eyes up and into the sky. The temperature is slowly (oh, SO slowly) dropping, and my favorite grocery store is now covered in pumpkin EVERYTHING. It’s my favorite time of year by far. And, naturally, I have to plan for an autumn-appropriate TBR.
Of course, as a fan of true stories, nonfiction is always at the top of my to-be-read pile. With new books, there are so many options — where do you even start? I could read an essay collection by Sarah Smarsh, a personal favorite of mine. Or I could peruse an entire cookbook of soup. (Who doesn’t want more soup in the fall?!) Or maybe I’ll be in the mood for some nature writing. Or what about a memoir of an environmental activist from the Amazon rainforest?
In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected ten of some of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in September. 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.
All publication dates are subject to change.
Life and Death of the American Worker: The Immigrants Taking on America’s Largest Meatpacking Company by Alice Driver (September 3rd)
Arkansas-based reporter Alice Driver reports on a horrific chemical accident that happened at the Tyson meatpacking plant back in 2011. Drive details the long-term impacts of the accident on employees and Tyson’s refusal to take responsibility for the harm caused to its workers.
Soup Meals: Soups to Feed Body, Soul & Friends by Emily Ezekiel (September 10th)
Soup season is upon us! There’s nothing like a warm cup of soup on a cold, blustery day, and Soup Meals gives readers dozens of recipes — Minestrone, French Onion Soup, Matzo Ball Soup — that can be easily edited depending on readers’ preferences.
Bone of the Bone: Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class by Sarah Smarsh (September 10th)
This new collection of essays from National Book Award and Kirkus Prize Finalist Sarah Smarsh features a decade’s worth of writing about working-class America, rural life, and politics. As a huge Sarah Smarsh fan, I can’t wait to get my hands on this one in particular.
By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land by Rebecca Nagle (September 10th)
In By the Fire We Carry, Cherokee writer Rebecca Nagle delves into the history of a Muscogee reservation in Oklahoma that the American government decided no longer existed. The results of this decision had a large impact on the Muscogee and other Native Nations.
Ordinary Disasters: How I Stopped Being a Model Minority by Anne Anlin Cheng (September 10th)
In her new collection of essays, Anne Anlin Cheng writes about race, gender, colonialism, migration, and so much more. Her work also integrates her own identity as an Asian American immigrant who’s in a relationship with a white man. Cheng asks, how do these things impact her life, and how does her identity change her view of the world?
We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson (September 17th)
Originally from a remote village in the Amazon rainforest, as a teenager, Nemonte Nenquimo decides to go to the city to study with a missionary group. But after her ancestors appear in her dream, warning her of the devastation to come, Nemonte Nenquimo returns to her people. There she helps organize against big oil and protect the place that she calls home.
Everything to Play For: An Insider’s Guide to How Videogames are Changing the World by Marijam Did (September 17th)
After years spent in the field of video games, Marjam Did is here to argue that video games can be used for good. From the early days of Pong to the current world of online gaming, Did believes the role of video games is more than entertainment. Video games can illustrate and bring out the best in humanity.
Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark by Leigh Ann Henion (September 24th)
Nature lovers rejoice! Leigh Ann Henion’s new book Night Magic gives us a tour of the creatures that only come out in the dark. She often writes about her home in North Carolina, giving readers a look into her life in the Appalachian Mountains.
Come By Here: A Memoir in Essays from Georgia’s Geechee Coast by Neesha Powell-Ingabire (September 24th)
In her debut memoir, journalist Neesha Powell-Ingabire examines her life growing up in Brunswick, Georgia. As a Black, queer, and disabled kid, she always felt on the edge. Now, she uses her unique perspective to inform her writing and her activism.
A Little Less Broken: How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole by Marian Schembari (September 24th)
For years, Marian Schembari thought she was broken. But then, at 34, she learned she was autistic. Suddenly, everything clicked: she wasn’t broken at all. Her brain just works differently. Schembari shares her thoughts on her journey to diagnosis and how better understanding herself helped her feel whole.
If you’re looking for even more nonfiction book recommendations, check out 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of August and 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of July.
As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.
