New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers
September 14, 2025

Cover of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
1. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
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.
Cover of On Power by Mark R. Levin
2. On Power
by Mark R. Levin

The Fox News host considers various facets of power and its effect on history.
Cover of The Idaho Four by James Patterson and Vicky Ward
3. The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy
by James Patterson and Vicky Ward

Investigations into the murders of four University of Idaho students on Nov. 13, 2022.
Cover of Breakneck by Dan Wang
4. Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future
by Dan Wang

An examination of rapid growth and political repression in China and how it compares to the United States.
Cover of Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green
5. Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
by John Green

The author of The Anthropocene Reviewed chronicles the fight against the deadly infectious disease tuberculosis.
Cover of Black AF History by Michael Harriot
6. Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America
by Michael Harriot

A columnist at TheGrio.com articulates moments in American history that center the perspectives and experiences of Black Americans.
Cover of Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
7.  Abundance
by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson 

A New York Times opinion columnist and a staff writer at The Atlantic evaluate obstacles to American progress.
Cover of Outlive by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford
8. Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity
by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford

A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.
Cover of When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
9. When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi

A memoir by a physician who received a diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer at the age of 36. 
Cover of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
10. Mark Twain
by Ron Chernow

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer portrays the life and career of the literary celebrity and political pundit.
Cover of The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr
11. The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage
by Richard Rohr

The author of The Universal Christ explicates the writings of Jewish prophets and reflects upon modern life.
Cover of Coming Up Short by Robert B. Reich
12. Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America
by Robert B. Reich

An economist who served in three presidential administrations gives his perspective on his generation's impact on democracy, society and the economy.
Cover of The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
13. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The author of Braiding Sweetgrass illuminates how the gift economy in the natural world works and draws lessons for our economy; with illustrations by John Burgoyne.
Cover of A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
14. A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck
by Sophie Elmhirst

In 1972, an incident with a breaching whale turns a couple's dream of sailing on a boat into a monthslong struggle for survival on a raft.
Cover of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
15. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
by Omar El Akkad

In his nonfiction debut, El Akkad looks at how the West responds to mass suffering.
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A version of this list appears in the September 14, 2025 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending August 30, 2025.
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