Rachel’s Nonfiction Picks
Looking for your next nonfiction read?
Check out Rachel’s staff picks—out now and coming soon!
House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home by John T. Edge
The author of The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South tells his own story this time. Of growing up in a house wrecked by violence and a South haunted by racism. And of how his search for home led him to find escape and belonging through food. Until he realizes that gathering at the table is just one small step toward reckoning.
“This is a story of one Southern man who has become a trusted and beloved voice, but it landed on me as the story of all Southern men—me, and you, and everyone we’ve ever known. House of Smoke is ultimately a story for all Americans on a path to self-awareness, honesty, and love.”—Wright Thompson, author of The Barn
“John T. Edge refuses to allow himself or the reader the comfort of spectacle here. He does that Mississippi work and creates a lush, self-reflexive Southern monument that will last forever.”—Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy
Available September 16th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries by Samantha Highfill
From Entertainment Weekly writer and debut author Samantha Highfill, a definitive and deliciously nostalgic look into the creation and legacy of hit show The Vampire Diaries, as told by its cast, crew, and creators.
“Every day I’m reminded of the power of The Vampire Diaries and the community it built. With I Was Feeling Epic, Samantha has delivered the perfect deep dive into the world we worked so hard to create. If you love this show, you’ll love this book.”—Ian Somerhalder (aka Damon Salvatore), actor, The Vampire Diaries
“A wonderfully vivid trip down memory lane. Sam left no stone unturned and spoke to countless members of the TVD Family. Everyone shared all their best stories. A must-read for any fan.”—Julie Plec, Co-Creator, The Vampire Diaries
Available September 9th in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Dark Frontier: Unlocking the Secrets of the Deep Sea by Jeffrey Marlow
An awe-inspiring and panoramic investigation into the hidden world of the deep sea—a mysterious, unforgiving landscape whose secrets radically revise our understanding of life on earth.
The deep sea is one of our last frontiers. For most of human history, it was a vast, dark, and unknown realm that invoked awe and terror. Now, one thing we do know is that it is critically important and central to the future of life on this planet.
The Dark Frontier captures the awe and potential of the deep sea—teaching us lessons that bring us into the future–not just for the creatures that live there, but for those of us on the surface as well.
Available April 7th, 2026 in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Lone Wolf: Walking the Line Between Civilization and Wildness by Adam Weymouth
An illuminating account of a lone wolf journeying across the Alps into Italy, and what the resurgence of wolves says about our connection to nature, immigration, and one another—from an award-winning journalist.
“Lone Wolf is a deeply fascinating story, grippingly told.”—Robert Macfarlane, New York Times bestselling author of Underland
“Weymouth is an uncommon brand of travel writer, weaving natural history with culture and politics . . . [Lone Wolf] is a vehicle for Weymouth to trace the fault lines splintering Europe and to examine how people respond when confronted by unwelcome change . . . To observe and absorb the natural-human interface, as Weymouth does, is an art.”—The Atlantic
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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