Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Here are ten nonfiction titles I’ve recently added to my TBR list. If you’ve read any of them or have other suggestions for great titles in this genre, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
1. Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent by Kim Bowes
Why I’m interested: As I’ve mentioned here before, I prefer reading about the lives of ordinary people in the past. It’s interesting to find out what they ate and wore and what their daily lives were like.
2. The Crown’s Silence: The Hidden History of the British Monarchy and Slavery in the Americas by Brooke N. Newman
Why I’m interested: This is an aspect of the transatlantic slave trade that I wasn’t aware of.
3. Believe You’re Made for More: 7 Steps to Break Free from Low Self-Esteem, Remember Your Worth and Claim Your Quiet Confidence
by Natasha Page
Why I’m interested: It sounds helpful. (I don’t have a great track record with self-help books, though, so no promises that I’ll actually finish it).
4. Ferns: Lessons in Survival From Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants by Fay-Wei Li and Jacob S. Suissa.
Why I’m interested: Botany is such an interesting subject.
5. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic by Mia Bennett, Klaus Dodds
Why I’m interested: Cimate change frightens me, but I am also intrigued by how it alongside geopolitical conflicts are shaping the future of this continent. Will humans someday live there for non-scientific purposes, for example?
6. The Great Shadow: A History of How Sickness Shapes What We Do, Think, Believe, and Buy by Susan Wise Bauer
Why I’m interested: I couldn’t read about contagious diseases back when Covid first emerged, but now I can occasionally explore how previous generations handled similar crises and how epidemics and pandemics e can permanently affect a culture in all sorts of interesting ways.
7. The Flowers of Good: The Science and the History of Marijuana Liberation by Sidarta Ribeiro, Daniel Hahn
Why I’m interested: For the record, I don’t drink, smoke, or do any sort of drugs, including this one. I also do not judge you if you’ve made other choices in life. My interest in the topic is rooted firmly, pun intended, in how this plant can be used to treat pain and nausea from all sorts of various illnesses. The less suffering in the world, the better if you ask me! Such things should never be politicized.
8. When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. Montgomery
Why I’m interested: Can you tell I love reading about plants, especially during the cold months of the year when nothing grows? This is another topic I know nothing about but would like to.
9. Why Not Me: Living with Invisible Illness by Lindsay Ireland
Why I’m interested: I don’t have multiple sclerosis, but I do like reading about the lives of other people living with chronic, invisible illnesses. We often share a lot in common, and it’s rewarding to learn about the aspects of other diseases that are generally only known to those who are quietly dealing with them. Having empathy and/or sympathy for others is a good thing that I think should be encouraged more often than many parts of western society currently do.
10. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others by Stephanie Dalley
Why I’m interested: I was lucky enough to learn a little about this topic in college, but there’s still so much I don’t know about it. Mythology is fascinating, so this is definitely something I’ll be checking out sometime.
Such a great list, and I love your focus on the natural world. I’m interested in Unfrozen the most!
Thank you!
Surviving Rome and the Mesopotamian book both sound interesting!
May you enjoy them if you read them. 🙂
Myths from Mesopotamia sounds really interesting!
Agreed!
These all look interesting. Given your first comment I recommend The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr Jess Venner which is coming out soon
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
You’re welcome. I’ll keep an eye out for that book!
Anytime someone makes a list like this is always a reminder that I’ve probably read only a handful of non-fiction titles. I know there are some good ones out there though, and I hope you enjoy all of these! 🙂 Thanks for visiting my list today.
You’re welcome. I like the way we broaden each other’s horizons. 🙂
Why Not Me sounds like one I’d like to read 🙂
Woohoo! Enjoy.
NIce picks. Thanks for sharing your TTT. Have a great day. Here is my TTT. https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2026/03/03/top-ten-tuesday-21/
You’re welcome.
I love healthcare books, so I think I need to read The Great Shadow.
I hope you like it!
These all sound interesting, hope you’ll enjoy them!
Thank you.
I love reading about plants! I own so many house plants so that kind of goes hand in hand. When Trees Testify is one that caught my eye. Great list!
That is so cool. And thank you.
I’ve had my eyes on When Trees Testify. I hope we both like it.
Yay! Happy reading.
These look interesting. It’s not a genre I usually go for, but I keep trying!
Have a great week!
Thanks. Good for you for giving it a shot even if it’s not your cup of tea. 🙂
I’m always curious to learn about how our ancestors lived, and the lives of the not-so-famous.
Here’s my TTT: https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-historical-fiction-reads-of-2025/
Cool!
Great list. They all look so interesting.
Thank you.
Such an interesting list. The Crown’s Silence certainly catches my attention, but so do a few others.
Nice!
These all sound fascinating, Lydia, especially Ferns and The Great Shadow. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.
You are quite welcome!
Adding Unfrozen to my list – I love anything about the Arctic or the Antarctic!
May you enjoy it!
I only have a handful of nf titles on my to-read list, its my least favorite genre. but I’d like the book about ferns, i’m an avid gardener. I’d also probably like the myths of mesopotamia book, I find mythology and folklore to be really fascinating.
Cool. 🙂
Ferns looks like a good book, I have an interest in botany as well and so many plant-related books on my TBR that I haven’t gotten to yet! I hope you enjoy all of these!
Thank you. Happy reading!
This is a great genre freebie! I hope you enjoy all of these when you get a chance to read them. I think you’ve read Atomic Habits, but I loved that one earlier this year.
Thank you, and, yes, I did! Good book.
I do enjoy a good nonfiction book, especially narrative nonfiction. You have some interesting titles on your post. I am also interested in the Marijuana book for the same reasons.
Very cool. Happy reading!
What an interesting list! These titles are all new to me, but I think I’d like to check out Why Not Me and Unfrozen.
Nice. 🙂
Ooh. #1 and #6 are very tempting to me!
I’m always about nonfiction over fiction—I don’t know why!—and I thank you for this list of books. I hope you enjoy everything you try (though this never happens to me. lol)