New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers
May 17, 2026 

1. Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About
by Isabel Klee

Klee helps foster dogs overcome challenges while she faces her own complications.
2. Strangers
by Belle Burden

Burden retraces her marriage of 20 years in search of clues to help shape her understanding about its demise and to find a way forward.
3. Famesick
by Lena Dunham

The author of Not That Kind of Girl evaluates the effects that pursuing her creative endeavors had on her.
4. When We See You Again
by Rachel Goldberg-Polin

A mother recounts the capture of her son, Hersh, from the Nova Music Festival and his subsequent execution.
5. London Falling
by Patrick Radden Keefe

The author of Say Nothing details the efforts by the parents of a 19-year-old Londoner to uncover the truth about his mysterious death and secret life.
6. Stripped Down
by Bunnie Xo

The host of the Dumb Blonde Podcast shares how redemption was an important part of her journey toward reaching her goals.
7. The Anxious Generation
by Jonathan Haidt

A co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.
8. Broken Plea
by Christopher Whitcomb

A re-examination of the story of the murder of four University of Idaho students in their off-campus home on Nov. 13, 2022.
9. Driven
by Susie Wolff

The managing director of F1 Academy and former professional racing driver chronicles her time in the sport.
10. The Story of Birds
by Steve Brusatte

The paleontologist gives an evolutionary history of birds that explains how they began to fly and survived millenniums.
11. When the World Sleeps
by Francesca Albanese

A look at the past, present and future of Palestine told through the stories of 10 people; translated by Gregory Conti.
12. Israel on Trial
by Roy K. Altman

A judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida presents arguments regarding Israel.
13. This Is Not About Running
by Mary Cain

The elite runner describes the toll that training and injuries took on her, and the pervasiveness of abuse in youth sports.
14. Trump 2.0
by Sean Spicer

The former communications director of the Republican National Committee and White House press secretary assesses Trump’s second term.
15. The Future Is Peace
by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon

A Palestinian and an Israeli share reflections from the journey they took together over the course of a week.
©2026 All rights reserved by New York Times Syndication Sales Corp. This material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
 
A version of this list appears in the May 17, 2026 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending May 2, 2026.
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