2021 Holiday Gift Guide: The 15 Best Nonfiction Books to Gift This Holiday Season
December 10, 2021
With the holidays front and center, finding the perfect gift for avid readers can be tricky. After all, there are many great titles out there. However, there are some other not-so-good ones, too.
So, how can one separate the wheat from the chaff?
Unlike fiction, nonfiction books combine wonder and enlightenment within a real-world context. Great nonfiction titles take readers on an exploration of the world and the self.
Ultimately, the best nonfiction works help readers learn more about themselves and their surrounding environment.
In this article, we will explore the 15 best nonfiction books to gift avid readers this holiday season. These titles range from social justice and inequality to a profound analysis of how humans have impacted the planet. Above all, there is something for everyone, even those with highly discriminating tastes.
The titles on this list are in alphabetical order. Thus, there is no specific ranking or criteria for which ones are better than others. They are all equally powerful as well as entertaining.
The 15 Best Nonfiction Books to Gift This Holiday Season
1. “All In: An Autobiography” by Billie Jean King. Publisher: Knopf.
Former tennis star Billie Jean King leads the way with her eye-opening autobiography.
“All In” is a great choice for anyone interested in how remarkable women have shaped today’s society.
2. “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life” by George Saunders. Publisher: Random House.
3. “An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination” by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia King. Publisher: Harper.
New York Times journalists Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia King take a deep look into Facebook’s seeming fall from grace.
4. “Crying in H Mart: A Memoir” by Michelle Zauner. Publisher: Knopf.
5. “Dog Flowers: A Memoir” by Danielle Geller. Publisher: One World.
As far as emotional stories go, “Dog Flowers” is a must-read.
6. “How the World Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America” by Clint Smith. Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company.
7. “London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency: A Memoir” by Kate MacDougall. Publisher: William Morrow & Company.
“London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency,” tells Kate MacDougall’s story as she transitioned from a post-college rut into a full-fledged business owner.
This title is an inspirational story suitable for those readers seeking an uplifting and entertaining tale.
8. “Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir” by Ashley C. Ford. Publisher: Flatiron Books.
“Somebody’s Daughter” is a complex tale of self-discovery.
In the end, Ford comes out with a profound understanding of herself, her parents, her community, and the world around her.
It is ideal for those looking inward on their path to self-discovery.
9. “Seeing Ghosts: A Memoir” by Kat Chow. Publisher: Grand Central Publishing.
10. “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War” by Craig Whitlock. Publisher: The Washington Post.
11. “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant. Publisher: Viking.
12. “The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet” by John Green. Publisher: Dutton.
13. “The 2000s Made Me Gay” by Grace Perry. Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin.
14. “You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism” by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. Publisher: Grand Central Publishing.
15. “What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing” by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Publisher: Flatiron Books.