Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
Appalachia is a region full of insightful literature and rich storytelling traditions. And when it comes to true tales, we have a diverse range of perspectives. From literary icon Nikki Giovanni to indie bookstore owner Mandi Fugate Sheffel, our writers have seemingly endless stories to share. Here are a few of Appalachia’s must-read nonfiction titles of 2025.
The New Book: Poems Letters Blurbs and Things by Nikki Giovanni
Affrilachian poet Nikki Giovanni was a national treasure who passed away in 2024. The New Book is her last collection, and it should be savored. It’s full of poetry and short pieces of prose, letters, and even a recipe. Giovanni was a truth-teller and a woman who fought for a better world. Her work is full of her wisdom, love, and passion for life.
Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance by Denali Sai Nalamalapu
While Denali Sai Nalamalapu isn’t originally from Appalachia, they have come to call the region home. As a climate activist, Nalamalapu worked with activists to resist the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which spans around 300 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia. Holler is a graphic memoir that follows a handful of people through their experience of resisting the pipeline and illustrates how the project deeply impacted their lives.
Queer Communion: Religion in Appalachia edited by Davis Shoulders
Pastor’s kid Davis Shoulders knows what it’s like to grow up queer in a religious household. This experience drew them into conversations about how queer and trans identities intersect with religious communities in Appalachia. Now Shoulders has gathered LGBTQ+ writers with a range of backgrounds and experiences, each with their own perspective on spirituality. Queer Communion is a moving essay collection that doesn’t shy away from the hard conversations around faith and queer identity.
The Nature of Pain: Roots, Recovery, and Redemption amid the Opioid Crisis by Mandi Fugate Sheffel
Mandi Fugate Sheffel has supported hundreds of authors’ stories through her bookstore Read Spotted Newt. Now she’s here to tell her own story. Fugate Sheffel grew up in a holler in Kentucky, raised next to trees and streams. But when the opioid crisis hit Appalachia, she found herself in a cycle of addiction she never thought she’d break. The Nature of Pain is a story of love, family, and the bonds that stay with us through our darkest moments.
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Cipher: Decoding My Ancestor’s Scandalous Secret Diaries by Jeremy B. Jones
When Jeremy B. Jones first found his ancestor’s journals written in a strange sort of code, he found it amusing to learn the random details of how a 19th-century man spent his days. But soon, the journals became so much more. He began researching his ancestor’s history and putting together a fuller picture of his life. Told in alternating chapters between memoir and his ancestor’s story, Cipher delves into bigger questions around knowing his family history and how that impacts him in the present.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy Reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
English (US) · 