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True Story

New Nonfiction + Diverse Books for the 4th of July

Greetings to all, I am Alice Burton, your nonfiction news provider this week, and co-host with Kim of For Real, Book Riot’s nonfiction podcast. I’m delighted to meet you all. Let’s explore some new releases and backlist picks!


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New Releases

What Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal by E. Jean Carroll — Columnist Carroll and her poodle head out on a road trip from Vermont to Louisiana to ask the women she meets: “what do we need men for?”

American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan — The story of serial killer Israel Keyes, how he planned murders across the United States, and the slip-up that led to his capture.

The Lie: A Memoir of Two Marriages, Catfishing & Coming Out by William Dameron — A shocking memoir of stolen identity, addiction, divorce, coming out, and healing.

Reading Behind Bars: A Memoir of Literature, Law, and Life as a Prison Librarian by Jill Grunenwald — Grunenwald recounts her time as a librarian at a minimum security prison in Ohio; what she learned; and which parts of a library remain the same, no matter where they are.

Backlist Picks

It’s the week of July 4th, so let’s check out some diverse books about the people who have contributed to what is now the United States.

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz — A story of over 400 years of history that “examines the legacy of Indigenous peoples’ resistance, resilience, and steadfast fight against imperialism.”

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson — The story of the decades-long migration of six million African Americans in the 20th century from the rural South to northern and western cities.

The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee — A history of Asian Americans, from sailors coming across the Pacific in the 16th century to the problematic 21st century label of “model minority.”

 

You can find me on Twitter @itsalicetime, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Last week, Kim and I shared some great reads about the ocean and what you can find in “mysterious fathoms below.” Happy reading! – Alice