. New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers April 18, 2021 1. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson How the Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues invented CRISPR, a tool that can edit DNA. 2. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years. 3. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America today. 4. The Beauty of Living Twice by Sharon Stone The actress and human rights activist recounts her childhood difficulties and biggest accomplisments. 5. Untamed by Glennon Doyle The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice. 6. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant An examination of the cognitive skills of rethinking and unlearning that could be used to adapt to a rapidly changing world. 7. The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee The chair of the board of the racial justice organization Color of Change analyzes the impact of racism on the economy. 8. A Promised Land by Barack Obama In the first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama offers personal reflections on his formative years and pivotal moments through his first term. 9. This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism by Don Lemon The CNN host looks at the impact of racism on his life and prescribes ways to address systemic flaws in America. 10. A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds by Scott Weidensaul The navigational and physiological undertakings performed by billions of birds as they circumnavigate the globe. 11. Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford The late iconic actress describes how she worked to change perceptions of Black women through her career choices. 12. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates A prescription for what business, governments and individuals can do to work toward zero emissions. 13. Rock Me on the Water: 1974 - The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics by Ronald Brownstein How popular culture was impacted by what happened in Los Angeles in 1974 in movies, music, television and politics. 14. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor A re-examination of a basic biological function and a look at the science behind ancient breathing practices. 15. The Marathon Don't Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle by Rob Kenner A biography of the late hip hop mogul and artist Nipsey Hussle. © 2021  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 April 18, 2021 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending April 3, 2021. Home  | Catalog | Contact Us | Frequently Asked Questions