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.
For me, July means watermelon festivals with watermelon dishes of all kinds, and you can’t forget the watermelon eating contest. It means evenings spent searching for fireflies under the tree canopies at the dog park. And PLEASE bring me all of the peach tea lemonades that I can stand.
As a fan of true stories, my summer reading leans towards seafaring adventures and sharp-witted essays. And July delivers! It’s full of incredible new releases, with everything a nonfiction girlie could ever want. But where to begin? I could start with Maris Kreizman’s new memoir, which is definitely near the top of my list. Or I could read a book about the history of conjure women in America. Or maybe I’ll check out the new memoir about growing up Muslim in America after 9/11. Or what about a braided memoir about what it means to be Indigenous in contemporary Turtle Island?
In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected eight of some of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in July. 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.
I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays by Maris Kreizman (July 1)
Literary and cultural critic Maris Kreizman is an icon in bookish media spaces. Now she’s got a book of her own. In her first collection of essays, Kreizman ruminates on her life as someone who used to believe that if she did everything society told her—get good grades, attend a good college, land the perfect job—she’d live a fulfilled life and have all of her needs met. But before long, she realized that wasn’t the whole truth, to say the least.
*All Access members read on for more recommendations*
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.
Becoming Baba: Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Meaning in America by Aymann Ismail (July 8)
After 9/11, Aymann Ismail’s entire world changed. A series of bomb threats at his Islamic school prompted his parents to move him to public school, hoping that he would just be able to blend in. But Ismail went from fitting in to being one of the only Muslim kids at his school. From there, Ismail navigates never completely feeling himself at home or at school, always navigating his multiple identities.
No Sense in Wishing: Essays by Lawrence Burney (July 8)
Starting with his home city of Baltimore, cultural critic Lawrence Burney examines Black life around the world. As Burney moves from place to place, he learns more about the diversity of the African diaspora, their cultures, histories, and creativity. Always, there’s the search for belonging, a quest that emotionally moves Burney in ways he never expected.
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst (July 8)
In 1972, Maurice and Maralyn sell everything and hit the open sea. Everything goes well until a tragic incident sets the couple adrift, fighting for their lives in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity by Joseph Lee (July 15)
We all live on Native land, even on Martha’s Vineyard. Aquinnah Wampanoag journalist Joseph Lee has had to watch as his people increasingly can’t afford to live in their ancestral homeland. In Northing More of This Land, Lee parallels his people’s experience with a broader look at what being Indigenous means for Native Peoples in the twenty-first century.
The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic by Lindsey Stewart (July 29)
Black feminist philosopher Lindsey Stewart examines the history of conjure women: enslaved women who used their skills to treat illnesses. From their first appearances on plantations to the practices people still use today, Stewart follows the long-lasting impact of these women and the traditions they shared with their communities.
The Trembling Hand: Reflections of a Black Woman in the Romantic Archive by Mathelinda Nabugodi (July 29)
Coleridge, Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley—Mathelinda Nabugodi is looking at the legacy of the much beloved romantic writers in a whole new way. She believes that romanticism cannot be properly viewed without the context of racial violence in which it was complicit. Through her arguments, she reframes this time period and the treasured art its creatives produced.
You Were Made for This World: Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People edited by Stephanie Sinclair and Sara Sinclair (July 29)
Every young person across Turtle Island should feel like they belong, no matter who they are or where they live. To that end, over forty Indigenous people have written letters or provided photographs, all with the goal of encouraging young people to believe in who they are and to be able to confidently move through the world.
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 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of May 2025 and 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of June 2025.
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