November 2025 list by Donalee Jacobs |
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Against the Wind
by Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is one of history's greatest mountaineers, a man who pushed the frontier of what is possible for a whole generation of climbers and beyond. In his new memoir, Against the Wind, Messner looks back on a life of accomplishments and recounts some of the most important episodes after turning eighty in 2024. He also addresses darker times and infamous controversies–including being discredited as a young mountaineer, his divorce and remarriage, Guinness stripping him of his world records in 2023, the recent revisions to measurements of 8000-meter summits, and the discovery of his brother Gunther's remains on Nanga Parbat.
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The Art of Spending Money
by Morgan Housel
Focuses on the psychology behind financial choices rather than tactics or budgets to explore how self-awareness, values, and expectations shape spending habits, offering a framework for using money to create satisfaction rather than status.
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Autocrats Vs. Democrats
by Michael McFaul
From a New York Times bestselling author and former ambassador to Russia comes a clear-eyed look at how the rise of autocratic China and Russia are compelling some to think that we have entered a new Cold War—and why we must reject that thinking to prevail.
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Be Good To Your Body
by Jordan Lee Dooley
The bestselling author of Own Your Everyday and Embrace Your Almost leads you on a journey of health and faith as you pursue wellness as a way to worship God without turning wellness into a god you worship.
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Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta
by John Boessenecker
Through meticulous research and never-before-told stories of the bloody trail Murrieta and his band left in their wake, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta chronicles their infamous escapades in this brilliant examination of the American story. Award-winning author and definitive Wild West historian John Boessenecker tells the story of Murrieta's sensational exploits and paints an absolutely gripping portrait of the California Gold Rush era.
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Episodes
by Gucci Mane
In Episodes, Gucci revisits his life and shares what was really going on for the first time. The mental anguish, the pitfalls, the triggers no one speaks about. Each episode is Gucci experiencing something—something you may remember from the news or even heard in his music—and giving you the background of where he was mentally. He reveals how his fascination with money got the worst of him, why he committed certain crimes, the story behind his ice cream cone tattoo, and how his wife felt watching him overdose. Along the way, he interviews medical professionals and mental health experts to provide insight into mental health awareness.
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The Gales of November
by John U. Bacon
For three decades following World War II, the Great Lakes overtook Europe as the epicenter of global economic strength. And no ship represented that better than the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald — the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Lakes. But on November 10, 1975, during a superstorm on Lake Superior, the ship found itself in peril. When she sank, she took all 29 men onboard down with her. In this definitive account the author draws on more than 100 interviews with families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost, relating the uncommon lives the sailors led, the sinking's most likely causes, and the heartbreaking aftermath for those left behind.
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The Genius Bat
by Yossi Yovel
With nearly 1500 species, bats account for more than twenty percent of mammalian species. The most successful and most diverse group of mammals, bats come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Yossi Yovel, an ecologist and a neurobiologist, is passionate about deciphering the secrets of bats. In The Genius Bat he brings to vivid life these amazing creatures as well as the obsessive and sometime eccentric people who study them. From muddy rainforests, to star-covered night deserts, from guest houses in Thailand, to museum drawers full of fossils in New York, this is an eye-opening and entertaining account of a mighty mammal.
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Heart of a Stranger
by Angela Buchdahl
A moving account of a Korean Jewish woman's journey from outsider to trailblazing rabbi, offering reflections on identity, faith, and leadership while confronting racism, sexism and crisis through an unwavering commitment to community, compassion and spiritual purpose.
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Kicking the Hornet's Nest
by Daniel E. Zoughbie
In an eye-opening study of U.S. presidential decision-making and foreign policy, the author reveals the essential information necessary for anyone seeking to understand eight decades of U.S. foreign policy and its profound impact on billions of lives worldwide.
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Life After Cars
by Sarah Goodyear
Hosts of the podcast The War on Cars unpack the damage that cars cause, the forces that have created and perpetuate our current crisis, and how fighting for better transportation is linked to fighting for an equitable and just society.
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The Man of Many Fathers
by Roy Wood Jr.
Reflecting on his own upbringing and the many unconventional mentors who shaped him — from ex-cons and comedians to co-workers and celebrities — man explores the lessons that guided Roy Wood Jr.'s journey into fatherhood with humor, vulnerability and purpose.
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The Monsters We Make
by Rachel Corbett
Criminal profiling—the delicate art of collecting and deciphering the psychological "fingerprints" of the monsters among us—holds an almost mythological status in pop culture. But what exactly is it, does it work, and why is the American public so entranced by it? What do we gain, and endanger, from studying why people commit murder? In The Monsters We Make, author Rachel Corbett explores how criminal profiling became one of society's most seductive and quixotic undertakings through five significant moments in its history.
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My Name Means Fire
by Atash Yaghmaian
When she was a child, Atash Yaghmaian’s home life was unpredictable: a confusing mix of love and terror. Outside of her home, Iran was also on fire. Her reality of abuse, war, gender oppression, and religious superstition left her feeling unsafe everywhere. So, she left reality and disassociated into a place she called the House of Stone: a building in a magical forest full of peaceful creatures, kind talking trees, and volcanoes. Inhabiting this world are 9 beings, each different parts of Atash, who would be her salvation from the external horrors of her outer world.
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The Myth of Good Christian Parenting
by Marissa Burt
Combining cultural analysis, storytelling, and theological meditation, this book traces the historical and cultural development of evangelical parenting media, empowers readers to consider how these messages relate to the teachings of Jesus, and helps them heal and avoid repeating the same mistakes with their children.
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Next of Kin
by Gabrielle Hamilton
The youngest of five children, Gabrielle Hamilton took pride in her idiosyncratic family. She idolized her parents’ non-conformity and worshipped her siblings’ mischievousness and flair. Hamilton grew up to find enormous success, first as a chef and then as the author of bestselling books. But her family ties frayed until she was estranged from them all. In the wake of one brother’s sudden death and another’s suicide, Hamilton began investigating her family’s independence and individualism, discovering a sobering warning in their long-held self-satisfaction. By the time she was called to care for her declining mother, Hamilton had realized a certain freedom, one made possible only through a careful psychological autopsy of her family.
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Nobody's Girl
by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
The world knows Virginia Roberts Giuffre as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim: the woman whose decision to speak out helped send both serial abusers to prison, whose photograph with Prince Andrew catalyzed his fall from grace. In April 2025, Giuffre took her own life. She left behind a memoir written in the years preceding her death and stated unequivocally that she wanted it published. Nobody’s Girl is the riveting and powerful story of an ordinary girl who would grow up to confront extraordinary adversity.
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Playful
by Cas Holman
A designer, educator, and play expert draws on psychology, history, art, and design thinking to make a powerful case for the vital importance of play for grown-ups in a world obsessed with productivity.
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The Pursuit of Liberty
by Jeffrey Rosen
Traces the enduring conflict between Hamilton's vision of strong federal power and Jefferson's emphasis on states' rights, examining how their constitutional interpretations have influenced key historical moments and continue to shape contemporary debates over executive authority and American democracy.
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Racebook
by Tochi Onyebuchi
From the ever-changing nature of personal writing and free expression, to gaming, manga, fandom and virtual reality, the author examines the Internet alongside works of literature both classic and new, in an investigation of race through the lens of the modern Internet age.
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Rumors of My Demise
by Evan Dando
An alt-rock icon reflects on his rise from Boston's punk scene to'90s fame, his struggles with addiction and burnout, and his enduring love for music, capturing the raw spirit and fleeting innocence of the pre-internet era.
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The Secret World of Denisovans
by Silvana Condemi
In December 2010, scientists discovered a fragment of a finger bone in a cave in Siberia. To their surprise, the bone contained neither Homo sapiens nor Neanderthal DNA. The DNA came from a previously unknown species of hominids ― the Denisovans. But who were the Denisovans? Paleoanthropologist Silvana Condemi and science journalist François Savatier tell the Denisovans' story, leading us through the excavation of Denisova cave, the sequencing of the Denisovan genome, and recent research on Denisovan fossils. Condemi and Savatier uncover how the Denisovans migrated to Asia, who they interacted with along the way, and why traces of Denisovan DNA can be found in modern-day humans.
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The Seven Rules of Trust
by Jimmy Wales
Uses the unlikely success of Wikipedia as a case study, exploring how cultivating trust among strangers enabled a global knowledge project to thrive, while offering practical lessons for fostering collaboration, accountability, and resilience in communities of all kinds.
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There is No Other
by Ram Dass
An essential balm for these tumultuous times, this thoughtful and inspiring guide features never-before-published teachings to abandon the idea there is an "other," bridging differences and cherishing the beautiful Earth that is our home, from beloved spiritual leader Ram Dass.
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Thriving in a Relationship When You Have Chronic Illness
by Lisa Gray
Chronic illness can have a devastating impact on your life — especially your romantic relationship. You may be so focused on your health, that you often have to put your relationship second. You might feel guilty that you can't do the things you used to do together. And you may even worry that you are a burden to your partner. So, how can you come to terms with your own chronic illness, and nurture your relationship at the same time? Grounded in evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this grief-informed guide offers powerful skills to help you and your partner adjust, communicate, and protect your bond.
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Vagabond
by Tim Curry
From his breakout role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to his depiction as the sadistic clown Pennywise in It to his critically acclaimed role as King Arthur in both the Broadway and West End versions of Spamalot, Tim Curry redefined what it meant to be a "character actor," portraying heroes and villains alike with complexity, nuance, and an understanding of human darkness. Now, in his memoir, Curry takes readers behind-the-scenes of his rise to fame from his early beginnings to his formative years in boarding school and university, to the moment when he hit the stage for the first time. He also explores the voicework that defined his later career after surviving a catastrophic stroke in 2012.
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Why Brains Need Friends
by Ben Rein
Blends neuroscience, storytelling, and practical strategies to explore how social interaction supports brain health, reveal the biological costs of isolation, and offer evidence-based tools to cultivate meaningful connections in a world increasingly shaped by digital communication and disconnection.
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Wisdom Takes Work
by Ryan Holiday
Of all the stoic virtues -- courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom -- wisdom is the most elusive. This is especially apparent in an age where reaction and idle chatter are rewarded, and restraint and thoughtfulness are unfashionable. Wisdom is Ryan Holiday's guiding principle, and Wisdom Takes Work is the culmination of all his work. Drawing on fascinating stories of ancient and modern figures alike, Holiday shows how to cultivate wisdom through reading, self-education, and experience. And he shows us how dangerous power and intelligence can be without the tempering influence of wisdom.
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The Wounded Generation
by David Nasaw
Explores the often overlooked postwar struggles of World War II veterans and their families, revealing widespread trauma, social challenges, and systemic discrimination, while tracing how these experiences reshaped American society and influenced notable political and cultural figures.
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The Zorg
by Siddharth Kara
From Pulitzer finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Cobalt Red: A notorious slave ship incident that led to the abolition of slavery in the UK and sparked the US abolitionist movement.
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