. New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers October 17, 2021 1. Peril by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa The Washington Post journalists detail the dangers and challenges during the transition to the Biden presidency. 2. Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe The CNN host and descendant of the Vanderbilt family charts the rise and fall of this American dynasty. 3. American Marxism by Mark R. Levin The Fox News host gives his take on the Green New Deal, critical race theory and social activism. 4. No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler After being diagnosed with cancer at 35, the author of Everything Happens for a Reason takes a new look at the advice industry and her own ambitions. 5. The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski The accomplishments of some of the sport's greatest players past and present are put into context with one another. 6. Unrequited Infatuations by Stevie Van Zandt A memoir by the musician known for playing with the E Street Band, starring on The Sopranos and participating in activist causes. 7. Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever An oral biography of the late chef, writer and television host by his longtime assistant and confidante. 8. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey An approach to dealing with trauma that shifts an essential question used to investigate it. 9. Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters by Steven Pinker An exploration of several tools of reasoning often overlooked in standard education and some of the causes of irrationality within society. 10. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years. 11. Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner The daughter of a Korean mother and Jewish-American father, and leader of the indie rock project Japanese Breakfast, describes creating her own identity after losing her mother to cancer. 12. Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson The actress details the moments from her life and career that shaped the creation of her character, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.  13. My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future by Indra Nooyi A memoir by the former chairman and chief executive of PepsiCo. 14. A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century: Rvolution and the Challenges of Modern Life by Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein The evolutionary biologists posit that the modern world is out of sync with our ancient brains and bodies. 15. Untamed by Glennon Doyle The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice. © 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 October 17, 2021 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending October 2, 2021. Home  | Catalog | Contact Us | Frequently Asked Questions