NON-FICTION BOOKS THAT LITERALLY CHANGED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY. PROBABLY.
- Brittanee Black
- Apr 8
- 7 min read
Updated: May 26
I think I'm in my nonfiction era. The section of the book store I used to stay the furthest from now seems to command my attention like never before. It could be because the last few years have unleashed a new generation of memoirists, essayists, journalists (or inventive blends of all three) who've given me a new way of understanding not just my own world, but windows into the lives of others. Or it could be because the truth is often stranger—and more fascinating—than fiction.
Either way, I've gathered up some empowering personal narratives, investigative deep dives, and cultural reckonings that've irrefutably opened my eyes and altered my mind.... Probably.
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love is the acclaimed first volume of feminist icon bell hooks' Love Song to the Nation trilogy. All About Love aims to reveal what causes a polarized society, and how to heal those very divisions that cause suffering.
Honestly, this book is a bit dangerous. hooks has a way of looking at love that’s intensely idealistic and pure. But, maybe fostering some idealism about love is apt in today's world of cynics. And you may find other people’s definitions of love—or their supposed practice of it—lacking once you’ve learned what hooks has to teach.
Growing up during the Depression in the segregated coal town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, Doris Payne was told her dreams were unattainable for poor black girls like her. Surrounded by people who sought to limit her potential, Doris vowed to prove them wrong. Her solution: robbery.
Using her southern charm, quick wit, and fascination with magic as her tools, Payne began shoplifting small pieces of jewelry from local stores. Over the course of six decades, her talents grew until she eventually become a world-class jewel thief, pulling off numerous diamond heists and celebrity robberies. Diamond Doris is bold and vibrant and living proof that sometimes you've got to be a little bad to live a good life.
In her ELLE interview with Ketanji Brown Jackson, Jacqueline Woodson described Jackson’s mind as “at once well-read and enchantingly creative, while at the same time steadfast and sure in its practicality.”
Jackson’s memoir, Lovely One, demonstrates these traits on every page, guiding you through the justice’s childhood in Washington, D.C., to her history-making appointment as the first Black female Supreme Court justice. It's basically impossible not to be inspired.
Acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates originally set off to write a book about writing—think, Orwell's classic Politics and the English Language. But then he found himself grappling with deeper questions about how our stories—our reporting and imaginative narratives and mythmaking—expose and distort our realities.
The Message takes readers through Coates’ journey all over the world, recounting his experiences in places like Dakar, Senegal; Columbia, SC; and Palestine’s West Bank. Each location is a springboard for reflecting on topics like white supremacy, colonialism, and what it means to be a Black writer today. Above all, the book is a call to action, urging us to see writing as a powerful tool for change. By the end, the impact of this book is undeniable.
On October 25th, 2023, just three weeks into the bombardment of Gaza, Omar El Akkad put out a tweet: "One day, when it's safe, when there's no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it's too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this." This tweet, viewed more than ten million times, became a book. And this book is El Akkad's heartsick breakup letter with the West.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is a cathartic savaging of western hypocrisy over Gaza. Omar El Akkad delivers an incredibly passionate indictment of complacent responses to Israel’s brutal campaign. And this is a book for anyone who wants something better than what the West has served up. This is the book for our time.
Have you ever wondered why less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. is owned by Black people? Acclaimed writer and activist Brea Baker sure has. In her book, Rooted, she explores the impact of land theft and violent displacement on racial wealth gaps, arguing that justice stems from the literal roots of the earth.
A testament to the Black farmers who dream of feeding, housing, and tending to their communities, Rooted bears witness to their commitment to freedom and reciprocal care for the land. It's a moving, insightful, and intimate account of the overlooked history of land theft in the United States. And a must-read for anyone interested in advancing racial justice and equity.
After Amanda Nguyen was sexually assaulted, she chose to have her rape kit registered under the name "Jane Doe" only to later find out that because she chose to remain anonymous, she only had six months to take action against the man who assaulted her. Horrified by this law, she decided to fight to change it. This is her story.
Innovatively told by versions of herself at different ages, Saving Five is such a brave and imaginative memoir. While the book details her healing journey and groundbreaking activism in the aftermath of a horrific experience, it also underscores the lasting power of speaking your truth and building a movement. It's the kind of story that'll remind you that even in the face of tragedy, hurtles, and life lifing the sh*t out of you, you can never lose sight of your dreams.
Just like the rest of us, Marine biologist Ayana Johnson knows that things look bleak. Reports on climate change and the environmental impact of modern life show a planet in crisis, seemingly in a freefall toward an unlivable future. In her research on coral reefs, Johnson has seen firsthand the rapid deterioration and outright destruction of our most precious resources. And yet, she still believes in a way forward, where we hold ourselves accountable, yes, but we still operate with innovation and hope.
In What If We Get It Right?, Johnson gives us a vision of a new climate future we can create through community and creative problem-solving. But this is no guidebook; it's a rallying call for us to step out of the shadow of hopelessness and into the light of a climate future that allows all people to thrive.
At age 14, Nemonte Nenquimo decided to leave her home to study with an evangelical missionary group. After more than a year away, she was shocked by what she found when she returned to the Amazon rainforest: oil companies had moved in, destroying local habitats and polluting the waterways that Indigenous communities relied on.
We Will Be Jaguars follows her life and her journey to protect her people and indigenous lands. Alongside her husband and writing partner Mitch Anderson, Nenquimo emphasizes one important message: Indigenous communities are not asking to be saved. They're demanding to be respected.
We Will Be Jaguars is absolutely fearless.
Remember that moment you first encountered a character who seemed to be written just for you? That feeling of belonging remains with readers the rest of their lives, but not everyone regularly sees themselves in the pages of a book. In this timeless anthology, Glory Edim brings together original essays by some of the best Black women writers to shine a light on how important it is that we all—regardless of gender, race, religion, or ability—have the opportunity to find ourselves in literature.
Whether it’s learning about the complexities of womanhood from Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison, finding a new type of love in The Color Purple, or using mythology to craft an alternative Black future, the subjects of each essay remind us why we turn to books in times of both struggle and relaxation. Just as she did with her book club–turned–online community, "Well-Read Black Girl", in this anthology, Glory Edim creates a space in which Black women’s writing and knowledge and life experiences are lifted up, to be shared with all readers who value the power of a good story.
If you're the kind of person who devours books, Well-Read Black Girl is soul food.
In 1968, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer called for Americans to "wake up" if they wanted to "make democracy a reality." Today, as Black communities continue to face challenges built on centuries of discrimination, her plea is increasingly urgent. And in this exhilarating anthology of original essays, Keisha N. Blain brings together the voices of Black women politicians, grassroots activists, and intellectuals to offer critical insights on how we can all learn to wake the ef up.
These women draw on their diverse experiences and expertise to speak to three core themes: claiming civil and human rights, building political and economic power, and combating all forms of hate. Featured are Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza, EMILYs List president Laphonza Butler, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, to name a few.
In addressing our most pressing issues and providing key takeaways, Wake Up America is the blueprint—steps we can take right now and in the years to come.
Which books are you adding to your list?
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