As readers look ahead to a new year shaped by rapid cultural shifts, deeper questions, and a hunger for truth, nonfiction continues to offer clarity, context, and connection. This carefully selected list of 9 Must-Read Nonfiction Books to Read in 2026, curated by Storizen, brings together powerful voices across true crime, memoir, science, culture, health, and philosophy. Each title goes beyond surface storytelling to explore what it truly means to live, question, heal, and find meaning in a complex modern world.
1. The Castle by Jon Ronson
From bestselling author and acclaimed podcaster Jon Ronson comes The Castle, his first book in eleven years—a darkly comic true-crime mystery rooted in the modern masculinity crisis.
When Ronson receives disturbing texts after his son is lured to a remote castle in the forests of New England under false pretenses, he is drawn into a strange and unsettling investigation. What was meant to be a party turns into something far more sinister, involving a wealthy heir, a wrongly accused online influencer, and a trail that leads to men searching desperately for meaning and power.
With his signature wit and psychological insight, Ronson explores the secret lives of unmoored men and the dangerous worlds they create. Gripping, disturbing, and often darkly funny, The Castle marks a compelling return from one of the most original voices in true crime today.
2. The Odyssey Effect by Erica Stevenson
Take a fascinating journey through the cultural legacy of one of the world’s greatest stories. The Odyssey Effect explores how Homer’s epic poem has shaped literature, film, art, and popular culture from its origins in the eighth century to today.
Recognizing that the poem’s ancient language can feel intimidating, author Erica Stevenson brings The Odyssey to life in a fresh, approachable way. Blending insightful commentary with striking visuals, the book traces how the story of Odysseus has been reimagined across centuries—and what those interpretations reveal about the societies that embraced them.
From film adaptations and literary retellings to lasting artistic influence, The Odyssey Effect celebrates the enduring power of a timeless tale, offering both classical literature lovers and pop culture fans an engaging new way to experience Homer’s masterpiece.
3. I Told You So! by Matt Kaplan
This lively work of popular science explores the scientists who changed the world—often while fighting fierce resistance from their own peers. From Darwin and Pasteur to modern Nobel Prize winners, Matt Kaplan reveals how groundbreaking ideas are frequently dismissed before they are celebrated.
Drawing on two decades covering science for The Economist, Kaplan shows how discovery often happens despite the scientific establishment, not because of it. At the heart of the book is the tragic story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the 19th-century doctor who proved that handwashing could prevent deadly childbirth infections—only to be mocked and rejected by the medical community.
Blending well-known stories with overlooked cases, Kaplan examines how innovation is stalled when conformity and hierarchy outweigh evidence. Insightful, engaging, and provocative, the book argues that science could move faster and work better with a few meaningful changes to how it supports new ideas.
Also Read: 9 Best Nonfiction Books to Read Based on True Stories
4. Famesick by Lena Dunham
In this raw and unfiltered memoir, Lena Dunham reflects on illness, ambition, fame, and the personal cost of chasing creative success. Best known as the creator of Girls and the author of Not That Kind of Girl, Dunham asks a difficult question: was achieving her dreams worth the pain that came with them?
Over the past decade, chronic illness has shaped every part of her life—even as she navigated red carpets, award shows, and the pressures of creating and starring in a cultural phenomenon at a young age. Juggling relentless health struggles with public scrutiny, she begins to question where passion ends and self-sacrifice begins.
Told with sharp honesty and dark humor, Famesick traces Dunham’s rise to fame and the shadows it cast on her relationships, sense of self, and well-being. Ultimately, it’s a story about reckoning, resilience, and learning to live with what cannot be changed—while finding meaning, love, and wisdom along the way.
5. Life After Ambition by Amil Niazi
Drawing on the sharp, self-aware voice that made her The Cut essays go viral, Amil Niazi takes a witty and honest look at what happens when ambition fades—and what comes after.
In Losing My Ambition, Niazi reflects on adulthood, motherhood, aging, identity, and the quiet reckoning that arrives when the goals that once drove us no longer fit. With humor and insight, she explores life “post-ambition,” questioning what success means once we stop chasing it—and whether letting go can be a form of freedom.
Relatable, funny, and unexpectedly hopeful, this book speaks to a generation learning to embrace uncertainty, reclaim contentment, and choose lives that feel true rather than impressive. At its heart, Losing My Ambition is a reminder that it’s okay to stop striving—and still find joy, meaning, and optimism.
6. Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! by Liza Minnelli
Fasten your seatbelts—this is Liza Minnelli, in her own words.
In her first and only memoir, the legendary performer opens up about a life lived boldly in the spotlight. Born to Hollywood icons Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, Liza grew up surrounded by brilliance and turmoil in equal measure. In this candid account, she reflects on her meteoric rise to Broadway and film stardom, her high-profile relationships, private heartbreaks, battles with addiction, and the friendships that shaped her—spanning Studio 54 nights, activism, and encounters with cultural legends.
Now, as she turns 80, Liza sets the record straight, sharing stories she’s never told before and reclaiming her truth from decades of tabloid myth-making. Honest, funny, fearless, and unapologetic, this memoir is a celebration of survival, self-belief, and star power—proof that Liza Minnelli remains one of the most magnetic performers the world has ever known.
Also Read: 9 Best Nonfiction Books to Read in July 2025
7. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
From the award-winning author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing, Patrick Radden Keefe delivers a powerful true story of wealth, deception, and tragedy at the heart of modern London.
In 2019, a London teenager, Zac Brettler, died after falling from a luxury apartment building overlooking the Thames. As his devastated parents searched for answers, they uncovered a shocking truth: Zac had been living a double life, posing as the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.
With his trademark investigative depth and narrative drive, Keefe traces the path that led Zac into London’s shadowy world of money, influence, and illusion. London Falling is at once a heartbreaking family story, a gripping true-crime investigation, and a searing critique of a city reshaped by unchecked power and greed.
8. The New Perimenopause by Mary Claire Haver
From pioneering women’s health advocate and #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr Mary Claire Haver comes the definitive guide to navigating perimenopause with confidence and clarity.
Perimenopause is inevitable — suffering is not. In The New Perimenopause, Dr Haver explains what’s really happening in your body, from shifts in hormones and menstrual cycles to changes in mood, energy, and sexual health. Drawing on the latest science and real-world experience, she shows why addressing these changes early is a powerful form of preventive medicine.
Practical, evidence-based, and deeply reassuring, this book equips women to advocate for themselves, prepare for informed medical conversations, and understand the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. The New Perimenopause is an essential guide to midlife health — and a roadmap to long-term vitality.
9. The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur C. Brooks
From #1 New York Times bestselling author and happiness expert Arthur C. Brooks comes a powerful guide to finding meaning in a world that makes it increasingly hard to feel it.
Modern life has left millions feeling empty, disconnected, and unsure of their purpose. In The Meaning of Your Life, Brooks explains why rapid cultural and technological change has dulled our sense of meaning — and how to reclaim it. Blending cutting-edge science with insights from philosophy and faith traditions, he offers practical, evidence-based strategies to rediscover purpose, love, and spiritual depth.
Clear, grounded, and deeply hopeful, this book shows that the question “What is the meaning of my life?” isn’t the end of the search — it’s where the journey truly begins.
Together, these Must Read Nonfiction Books to Read in 2026 reflect the concerns, curiosities, and conversations defining our time — from identity and ambition to power, truth, and personal well-being. Curated by Storizen, this list isn’t just about staying informed; it’s about reading with purpose. Whether you’re drawn to investigative journalism, deeply personal memoirs, or science-backed life guidance, these books promise to challenge your thinking, expand your perspective, and stay with you long after the final page.
Also Read: 9 Must-Read Books in 2026 That Everyone Will Be Talking About
Books are love!
Get a copy now!
