10 Must-Read New Nonfiction Releases for June 2024
June days here in the South are filled with buckets of iced tea and evenings spent on your deck or front porch. As an introvert, I must admit I am more likely to be seen with a book than to be spotted chatting with a neighbor. If you’re an early riser, you may catch glimpses of other early birds listening to audiobooks as they hike through nature preserves or ride their bikes on the local trials. On hot and humid afternoons, folks scurry into coffee shops and sit with a drink as they pore over their new bookish purchases.
Of course, true stories are my jam and the love of my book-obsessed life. There’s nothing like opening up a biography of one of my favorite disabled Black historical figures. Or maybe I’ll dive into a memoir of a Korean American woman searching for her biological mother back in South Korea. Or perhaps I’ll fall headlong into a history of the diverse explorers who began to map out North America. The possibilities are endless.
In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected ten of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in June. 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.
Everything and Nothing at Once: A Black Man’s Reimagined Soundtrack for the Future by Joél Leon
As a kid in the Bronx, Joél Leon learned that you had to be tough and ignore your gentler emotions to survive. Now Leon has unlearned those traits of toxic masculinity and is encouraging other Black men to do the same. Everything and Nothing at Once encourages a new form of Black masculinity that uplifts men and their communities. (June 4th)
Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section by Rachel Somerstein
After her own C-section went terribly wrong, Rachel Somerstein was left traumatized both physically and emotionally. To better understand her own experience, Somerstein sets out to learn the history of America’s most common invasive surgery, where it originated, and how it’s used today. (June 4th)
The Explorers: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions by Amanda Bellows
When we imagine early American explorers, we often imagine rugged white men like Daniel Boone. But Amanda Bellows wants to change the narrative. In The Explorers, Bellows presents the diverse group of people who explored North America, creating maps and recording the natural world. (June 4th)
We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson
Kellie Carter Jackson recounts the history of forceful Black resistance, giving examples like the American and Haitian Revolutions. She also contextualizes violence as one tool among many, describing the many ways that Black people have fought for liberation. (June 4th)
Shadow Men: The Tangled Story of Murder, Media, and Privilege That Scandalized Jazz Age America by James Polchin
Over one hundred years ago, Clarence Peters, a working-class man, was found dead. Later, Walter Ward confessed to the murder as an act of self-defense against a group of men that was blackmailing him. The court case swept through the country, drawing the attention of the masses as everyone seemed to be weighing in on the case. (June 11th)
Out of the Sierra: A Story of Rarámuri Resistance by Victoria Blanco
Through decades of interviews and research, Victoria Blanco details the history of the Rarámuri people’s resistance to colonization and their efforts to preserve their language and culture. One of the largest Indigenous tribes in North America, the Rarámuri people in Chihuahua, Mexico, have endured immeasurable loss as they have refused to leave their sacred land. (June 11th)
Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People by Tiya Miles
Tiya Miles presents a new look at Harriet Tubman, the woman who led enslaved Black people to freedom time and time again. Miles centers around the context of Tubman’s life and her spiritual connections to the other women around her. (June 18th)
Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership by Brea Baker
Author Brea Braker examines the question, why is only 1% of rural land owned by Black people? To find her answer, she looks back at the history of Black and Indigenous land ownership and follows it through to the present day. (June 18th)
Make It Count: My Fight to Become the First Transgender Olympic Runner by CeCé Telfer
In Make it Count, CeCé Telfer tells the story of how she became the first trans woman to win an NCAA championship. In spite of the endless transphobia and racism she experienced online, Telfer pushed herself to be the best time and time again. (June 18th)
Woman of Interest: A Memoir by Tracy O’Neill
In 2020, Tracy O’Neill learned that her biological mother might be dying in South Korea. O’Neill hires a private investigator, only to have him ghost her. Picking up the pieces herself, O’Neill becomes determined to find the mother she’s never met. (June 25th)
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 and 10 New Nonfiction Book Releases of April.
As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors and organized by genre and release date.
