May means that summer weather is just around the corner, and there are about to be hours spent at graduations, long road trips, and Memorial Day cookouts. As a book nerd, I can’t help but think that this gives me oodles of time to sit in a car or in the back of the room with a book. And heaven knows I can’t resist an afternoon on a warm spring day with my latest book obsession.
When it comes to my TBR, it’s full of new, must-read spring nonfiction releases. But there are so many—where do you even begin?! You could start with Isaac Fitzgerald’s genre-bending travelogue following the path of the American legend Johnny Appleseed. Or you could choose the new essay collection from Jesmyn Ward, a writer who never misses. You could dive into Patricia Cornwell’s new memoir that gives us a personal look at the life of the bestselling thriller writer. Or maybe you could check out Sara Nović’s memoir about finding a home in the deaf community. If you’re a biography fan, you have to check out this fresh look at the younger years of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected some of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in May. 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.
Lerone Martin: The Making of Martin Luther King Jr. by Lerone Martin (May 5th)
Long before he was a pastor and civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. was a young man trying to find his place in the world. Faculty Director of the Martin Luther King Institute at Stanford University, Lerone Martin, gives us an immersive portrait of a young man just coming into his power. Readers will love this behind-the-scenes look at King’s middle-class upbringing in Atlanta.
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Backtalker: An American Memoir by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (May 5th)
A force to be reckoned with, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw is known for being one of the most influential academic minds of our time. She helped establish “critical race theory” and coined the term “intersectionality.” Now she’s telling her own story. Backtalker follows a girl from Canton, Ohio, known for talking back. Once she found her voice, she never stopped using it.
Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging by Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez (May 5th)
Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez spent years in conversion therapy, trying to pray away the gay from his identity. After years of Christian “therapy,” Rodriguez began to explore the idea of being both queer and Christian. Conversion Therapy Dropout follows his experience of better understanding his identity as a gay man and as a person of faith.
American Rambler by Isaac Fitzgerald (May 12th)
Since he was a kid, Isaac Fitzgerald has been obsessed with Johnny Appleseed. So, naturally, he jumped at the chance to follow Appleseed’s path from Massachusetts to Indiana. In a unique blend of travelogue and history, American Rambler follows Fitzgerald on his journey through America and diving into his favorite American myth.
On Witness and Respair: Essays by Jesmyn Ward (May 19th)
From two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward, On Witness and Respair collects years of essays into a single volume. In her signature stunning prose, Ward shares her wisdom and gift for storytelling, much of which she learned from her childhood in Mississippi. Readers won’t want to miss this brilliant essay collection from one of America’s greatest living writers.
Mother Tongue: A Memoir by Sara Nović (May 5th)
When Sara Nović failed her school’s hearing test, her world—her sense of self—was turned upside down. For a while, she tried to hide her deafness from the hearing world, but after she discovered the deaf community, she found a warm and welcoming space that accepted her as she was. She didn’t have to pretend anymore. Later, she became a mom—to both a hearing and a deaf child—and her understanding of self evolved once again. In this must-read memoir, Nović challenges the systems that plague deaf and disabled Americans while also celebrating her community’s strength and resilience in the face of ongoing marginalization.
True Crime: A Memoir by Patricia Cornwell
Bestselling thriller writer Patricia Cornwell turns her gaze towards a new protagonist: herself. In her new memoir, Cornwell shares the story of her traumatic childhood, where her father abandoned the family on Christmas day, and her mother struggled with her mental health. Cornwell pushed through, becoming an award-winning police reporter and forensic expert, experiences that would eventually lead her to becoming a #1 NYT bestselling author.
There are so many good books—I don’t know where to start! If you’re looking for even more nonfiction book recommendations, check out 8 of the Best New Nonfiction Books of March 2026 and 8 of the Best New Nonfiction Books of April.
English (US) · 