I’m pleased to share what I consider the most promising, must-read nonfiction titles scheduled for release in May 2024. These titles make up our third group of nominees for Season 24 of the Next Big Idea Club (the first group was announced here, and second here).
Our Next Big Idea Club curators—Susan Cain, Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink—will narrow the list down to a handful of finalists and, ultimately, two official season selections.
Authors will also be invited to create a “Book Bite”, a 15-minute audio self-recording that features five key insights from their book. Imagine chatting with a stranger on an airplane—only that person just happened to write a fascinating nonfiction book!
And now, the May 2024 titles are…
Fair Shake: Women and the Fight to Build a Just Economy
By Naomi Cahn, June Carbone & Nancy Levit
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A stirring, comprehensive look at the state of women in the workforce—why women’s progress has stalled, how our economy fosters unproductive competition, and how we can fix the system that holds women back. View on Amazon
Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life
By Jeff Wetzler
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A hands-on approach to discovering what others think, know, and feel, for the sake of making smarter decisions, finding creative solutions, and building deeper relationships. View on Amazon
Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics
By Ernesto Londoño
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A riveting look at the tremendous promise and inherent risks of using psychedelics in mental health treatment, through the lens of a New York Times reporter whose journalistic exploration of this emerging field began with a personal crisis. View on Amazon
The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government
By Brody Mullins & Luke Mullins
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Two veteran investigative journalists trace the rise of the modern lobbying industry through the three dynasties—one Republican, two Democratic—that have enabled corporate interests to infiltrate American politics and undermine our democracy. View on Amazon
Everything Is Predictable: How Bayesian Statistics Explain Our World
By Tom Chivers
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A captivating and user-friendly tour of Bayes’s theorem and its global impact on modern life from the acclaimed science writer and author of The Rationalist’s Guide to the Galaxy. View on Amazon
Math-ish: Finding Creativity, Diversity, and Meaning in Mathematics
By Jo Boaler
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
From the Stanford professor—an expert in the field of mathematics education—and author of Limitless Mind, a groundbreaking guide to finding joy and understanding by adopting a diverse approach to learning math. View on Amazon
Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs
By Johann Hari
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it—from Hari’s personal experience on Ozempic to our ability to heal society’s dysfunctional relationship with food, weight, and body image. View on Amazon
15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …And the Truth We Need to Succeed
By Bonnie Hammer
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
What holds women back at work? Bonnie Hammer, one of the most powerful women in corporate America, debunks the bad advice that too many women get—and reveals the surprising, yet straightforward truths that will help all of us succeed. View on Amazon
The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning
By A.J. Jacobs
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
The New York Times bestselling author chronicles his hilarious adventures in attempting to follow the original meaning of the Constitution, as he searches for answers to one of the most pressing issues of our time: How should we interpret America’s foundational document? View on Amazon
Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It
By Christof Koch
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
The world’s leading investigator of consciousness argues that by understanding what consciousness does—cause change in the world—we can understand its origins and its future. View on Amazon
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
By Zoë Schlanger
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Award-winning Atlantic environment and science reporter Zoë Schlanger delivers a groundbreaking work of popular science that probes the hidden world of the plant kingdom and reveals the astonishing capabilities of the green life all around us. View on Amazon
But What Will People Say?: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures
By Sahaj Kaur Kohli
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A deeply personal, paradigm-shifting book rethinking traditional therapy and self-care, creating much-needed space for those left out of the narrative. View on Amazon
Is Your Work Worth It?: How to Think About Meaningful Work
By Jennifer Tosti-Kharas & Christopher Wong Michaelson
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
What is work that’s worth doing in a life worth living? A revealing exploration of the questions we ask and the stories we tell about our work. View on Amazon
The Problem with Change: And the Essential Nature of Human Performance
By Ashley Goodall
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Drawing on two decades spent leading HR organizations at Deloitte and Cisco, Ashley Goodall reveals the truth about human performance and offers a radical new alternative to the constant turbulence that defines corporate life. View on Amazon
Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World
By Jen Psaki
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Former White House Press Secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki shares the surprising lessons she’s learned on her path to success and offers unique yet universal advice about how to be a more effective communicator in any situation. View on Amazon
You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets
By Jodi Wellman
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
A kick-in-the-pants wake-up call to start living meaningfully in light of how many Mondays you have left from longtime coach, positive psychology expert, and Penn Resilience Program instructor Jodi Wellman. View on Amazon
Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America
By Luis Miranda Jr.
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Essential reading from an expert voice: Luis Miranda Jr.’s personal and political memoir reveals a deep understanding of Latino culture and how to build community to change our world for the better. View on Amazon
Coming Home
By Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
From the nine-time women’s basketball icon and two-time Olympic gold medalist—a raw, revelatory account of her unfathomable detainment in Russia and her journey home. View on Amazon
The Way of the Champion: Pain, Persistence, and the Path Forward
By Paul Rabil
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
From lacrosse legend Paul Rabil, lessons on becoming a true champion— in sports, business, and life. View on Amazon
Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World
By Craig Foster
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
How can we reclaim the soul-deepening wildness that grounds us and energizes us when so much of the modern world seems designed to tame us? View on Amazon
Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
By Salman Khan
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
From the founder of Khan Academy, the first book written for general audiences on the AI revolution in education, its implications for parenting, and how we can best harness its power for good. View on Amazon
May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases―And What We Can Do About It
By Alex Edmans
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
A groundbreaking book that reveals why our human biases affect the way we receive and interpret information. View on Amazon
The Devil’s Best Trick: How the Face of Evil Disappeared
By Randall Sullivan
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Melding cultural and historical commentary, Randall Sullivan takes on a bold task that is both biography of the Devil and a look at how evil manifests in the world. View on Amazon
The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in the Age of Intolerance
By Africa Brooke
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
In our deeply divided, binary world, honest discussion is stressful for all sides. International thought leader Africa Brooke says there is another way: the Third Perspective. View on Amazon
Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy
By Craig Whitlock
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
A masterful account of one of the biggest public corruption scandals in American history—exposing how a charismatic Malaysian defense contractor bribed scores of high-ranking military officers, defrauded the US Navy of tens of millions of dollars, and jeopardized our nation’s security. View on Amazon
American Bloods: The Untamed Dynasty That Shaped a Nation
By John Kaag
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
A history of a family spanning centuries and continents—one that unfolds into a new portrait of America. View on Amazon
The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite, Terror, and the Rise of the Modern Detective
By Steven Johnson
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
A sweeping account of the anarchists who terrorized the streets of New York and the detective duo who transformed policing to meet the threat—a tale of fanaticism, forensic science, and dynamite. View on Amazon
Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
By Casey Means with Calley Means
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Dr. Casey Means explains how nearly every health problem we face can be explained by how well the cells in our body create and use energy. For the first time ever, we can monitor our metabolic health in great detail and learn how to improve it ourselves. View on Amazon
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
By Adam Higginbotham
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
The definitive, dramatic, minute-by-minute story of the Challenger disaster based on fascinating new archival research and in-depth reporting—a riveting history that reads like a thriller. View on Amazon
The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis
By George Stephanopoulos with Lisa Dickey
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
George Stephanopoulos, former senior advisor to President Clinton and (for more than 20 years) anchor of This Week and co-anchor of Good Morning America, recounts the crises that decided the course of history, from the place 12 presidents made their highest-pressure decisions: the White House Situation Room. View on Amazon
New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got It Wrong
By Stephanie Harrison
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Well-being expert and social media sensation Stephanie Harrison of @newhappyco reveals the counterintuitive secrets to happiness and provides a practical guide to help us all learn how to live a happy life. View on Amazon
The Klansman’s Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism
By R. Derek Black
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
From the former heir-apparent to white nationalism comes an astonishing memoir of a childhood built on fear, of breaking from a community of hate. View on Amazon
The Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profits and Socializes Costs
By Christopher Marquis
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
An exposé of how society pays for corporations’ “free lunch” and the cost of environmental damage, low wages, systemic discrimination, and cheap goods. View on Amazon
Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life
By Nicholas Kristof
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
From New York Times columnist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and best-selling author Nicholas D. Kristof, an intimate and gripping memoir about a life in journalism. View on Amazon
Quanta and Fields: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe
By Sean Carroll
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Beyond Newton, beyond Einstein, and all the intuitive notions that have guided homo sapiens for millennia, this book is a journey to a once unimaginable truth about what our universe is. View on Amazon
And Then? And Then? What Else?
By Daniel Handler
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
A bold, candid, vulnerable, and entertaining memoir of a literary life by the writer otherwise known as Lemony Snicket. View on Amazon
Team: Getting Things Done with Others
By David Allen & Edward Lamont
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
A groundbreaking book about how to harness the power of collaboration and work most effectively in groups. View on Amazon
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife
By Sebastian Junger
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
A near-fatal health emergency leads to this powerful reflection on death—and what might follow—by the bestselling author of Tribe and The Perfect Storm. View on Amazon
Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America
By Shefali Luthra
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
An urgent investigation into the experience of seeking an abortion after the fall of Roe v. Wade, and the life-threatening consequences of being denied reproductive freedom. View on Amazon
When We Are Seen: How to Come Into Your Power–and Empower Others Along the Way
By Denise Young
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
From one of the first and few women of color to reach the C-suite in Silicon Valley, Apple’s former chief of HR and first VP of inclusion and diversity, comes a heartfelt story of growing up Black and female in a world with little regard for either and a practical road map for embodying the best in yourself and emboldening others along the way. View on Amazon
Take Back Your Brain: How a Sexist Society Gets in Your Head–and How to Get It Out
By Kara Loewentheil
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
A bold new paradigm for breaking free from negative self-talk and creating a life of confidence, power, and joy, from Master Coach and host of the UnF*ck Your Brain podcast Kara Loewentheil. View on Amazon
The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism
By John Mackey
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
Whole Foods Market’s Cofounder and CEO for 44 years, John Mackey offers an intimate and provocative account of the rise of this iconic company and the personal and spiritual journey that inspired its remarkable impact. View on Amazon
Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life
By Robert Wolcott & Kaihan Krippendorff
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
An indispensable guide to the Proximity revolution, showing how it’s transforming every industry―and our lives. Proximity-driven delivery represents an entirely new way to serve customers, with critical implications for corporate strategy, investing, public policy, supply chain resilience, and even sustainability. View on Amazon
Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor
By Anne Kim
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
A devastating investigation into the “corporate poverty complex”—the myriad businesses that profit from the poor. View on Amazon
Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War
By Tom Steyer
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
Renowned investor and climate champion Tom Steyer gives us a unique and unvarnished perspective on how we can all fight climate change—joyfully, knowledgeably, and even profitably—at a time of unparalleled consequence and opportunity. View on Amazon
In This Economy?: How Money & Markets Really Work
By Kyla Scanlon
Publication Date: May 28, 2024
An illustrated guide to the mad math and terrible terminology of economics, from one of the internet’s favorite financial educators. View on Amazon
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