non fiction

Paul Kalanithi - a Stanford neurosurgical resident in his sixth and final year of training, with a Stanford BA in English literature and human biology, a Stanford MA in English, a Cambridge master's in history and philosophy of science and medicine, and a Yale medical degree - was diagnosed in May 2013 with stage IV non-small-cell EGFR-positive lung cancer at thirty-six; his daughter Cady was born on July 4, 2014; he died on March 9, 2015, at thirty-seven, with Cady eight months old; the memoir he had been writing in the time he had left was published posthumously in January 2016 with a foreword by Abraham Verghese and an epilogue by his wife Lucy covering the last weeks of his life, spent sixty-eight weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Biography.

Anna Newell Jones, the creator of the AndThenWeSaved.com blog, wiped out $23,605.10 of personal debt in fifteen months by going on what she calls a Spending Fast - a near-total freeze on non-essential spending - and turned the method into this 2016 personal-finance book aimed not at minimalists or budget-spreadsheet people but at the audience the genre usually scolds: spenders.

Russian-Kazakhstani guide Anatoli Boukreev's firsthand account of the 1996 Everest disaster - co-written with G. Weston DeWalt, published the same year as Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, and offering the Mountain Madness team's perspective on the storm that killed eight climbers and the three trips into it that Boukreev made alone to bring three of his clients back alive.

A memoir of growing up in a remote Kentucky holler in 1980s Appalachia, surviving an alcoholic, drug-dealing father, falling into her own cycles of abuse, and finding a path out through Berea College and graduate school.

The true story of the secret World War II operations between Shetland and Norway. A gripping account of courage, danger, and resistance during the Nazi occupation.

The riveting story of Alex Honnold's historic free solo climb of El Capitan's 3,000-foot Freerider route, and the obsessive pursuit of perfection in one of the most dangerous athletic achievements ever attempted.

The extraordinary true story of Jan Baalsrud, a Norwegian commando who survived alone in the Arctic wilderness for months after a failed sabotage mission during World War II.

Amy Schumer delivers brutally honest essays about relationships, body image, and growing up, combining her signature humor with surprising vulnerability and insight into modern womanhood.

A deeply personal memoir about one woman's year-long shopping ban and her journey toward mindful consumption and intentional living.

A modern approach to job searching that emphasizes relationship-building and personal storytelling over traditional resume-focused strategies.

A practical guide to personal and professional development from leadership expert John C. Maxwell, exploring the habits and mindset that drive continuous growth.

A thoughtful exploration of the emotional and psychological aspects of clutter. Richardson goes beyond simple organizing tips to examine what our possessions reveal about our inner lives and relationships.

A motivational self-help book that encourages women to stop believing lies about themselves and start living authentically. Rachel Hollis shares personal stories and practical advice for overcoming self-doubt.