. New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers August 18, 2019 1. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university. 2. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo The inequality of female desire is explored through the sex lives of a homemaker, a high school student and a restaurant owner. 3. Becoming by Michelle Obama The former first lady describes her journey from the South Side of Chicago to the White House, and how she balanced work, family and her husband's political ascent. 4. Unfreedom of the Press by Mark R. Levin The conservative commentator and radio host makes his case that the press is aligned with political ideology. 5. The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian tells the story of the settling of the Northwest Territory through five main characters. 6. Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino  The conservative authors give their take on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 7. A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons by Ben Folds A memoir by the former frontman of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. 8. Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism by Terry McAuliffe The former Governor of Virginia describes the forces and events behind the "Unite the Right" rally and suggests ways to prevent similar occurrences in the future. 9. The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks A New York Times Op-Ed columnist espouses having an outward focus to attain a meaningful life. 10. American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump by Tim Alberta Politico Magazine's chief political correspondent narrates a decade-long civil war inside the GOP and Donald Trump's concurrent ascension. 11. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb A psychotherapist gains unexpected insights when she becomes another therapist's patient. 12. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein An argument for how generalists excel more than specialists, especially in complex and unpredictable fields. 13. Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch The digital world's influence on the English language. 14. Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson A medium details potential ways the deceased may speak to us through everyday events. 15. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates A meditation on race in America. © 2019  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 August 18, 2019 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending August 3, 2019. Home  | Catalog | Contact Us | Frequently Asked Questions