The Best Nonfiction Books of the Year (So Far), According to The New York Times

Now that we’ve rolled into June, the “Best Books of the Year (So Far)” lists are beginning to appear and clamor for attention. But for nonfiction lovers, finding a list that features nonfiction can be hit or miss, so I’ve included a couple that feature the best and buzziest true stories. Even this early in the year, a couple of titles stand out as crowd favorites. After perusing some of this year’s favorite new releases, we’ll round everything out with a biography award.

What a great time to be a nonfiction-loving nerd.

The 18 Best Books of 2026 (So Far) (Esquire)

In Esquire’s list, nonfiction had a decent showing, including Football by Chuck Klosterman, Island at the Edge of the World: The Forgotten History of Easter Island – A Provocative Archaeological Study of Colonial Legacy, Indigenous Reclamation, and the Collapse Myth by Mike Pitts, On Morrison by Namwali Serpell, and London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe.

The Best Books of 2026 So Far (The New York Times)

The New York Times rounded up a handful of nonfiction titles on their list, including On Morrison by Namwali Serpell and London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. These two are definitely clear favorites across the board. It’s so lovely to see a work of criticism getting its flowers, especially a stunning book like On Morrison. Other titles include Strangers by Belle Burden, Fear and Fury by Heather Ann Thompson, and Days of Love and Rage by Anand Gopal. Be sure to check out the article for the full list.

Francesca Wade Wins 2026 Plutarch Award for Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife

Award lovers, I haven’t forgotten about y’all. The Plutarch Award, an international prize that awards $3,000 for the best biography of the year, named Francesca Wade’s Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife as the winner for 2025. The award committee stated that Gertrude Stein was “a ground-breaking addition to the literary study of this iconic and controversial figure.” The other four finalists were James Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs, The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide by Howard W. French, Wakara’s America: The Life and Legacy of a Native Founder of the American West by Max Perry Mueller, and The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life by Graham Watson.

You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.