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We talk a lot about the most anticipated nonfiction, but which books live up to the hype? Which books are being featured on “Best Of” lists? Which titles are showing up on longlists and shortlists for the yearly prizes? I’ve combed the internet looking at the different titles, and have noted that some of the same titles keep showing up. So today, let’s jump into some of the buzziest, most praised nonfiction of 2025.
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs
In the first major biography on James Baldwin in 30 years, Nicholas Boggs organizes the happenings of Baldwin’s life through the lens of the love Baldwin experienced. Baldwin was an instant New York Times bestseller, was named a finalist for Kirkus Prize, and made The New York Times’ “Best Books of the Year (So Far).” The audiobook, performed by Ron Butler, has also received AudioFile Magazine‘s Earphones Award.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
From his perspective as an immigrant who came to the West, El Akkad argues that while America claims to be the land of the free, its funding of violence in Palestine is one of many examples of America treating others as less than human. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This became a New York Times bestseller, was shortlisted for the 2025 Palestine Books Awards, and was longlisted for the National Book Award in Nonfiction.
A Marriage At Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
Everyone seems to be talking about A Marriage at Sea. It’s a New York Times bestseller, and even former president Barack Obama included it on his 2025 summer reading list. But while it was quite popular, did the writing hold up? Kirkus, known for its curmudgeonly nature, said it does, including it as a finalist for their Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction.
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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.