Best Nonfiction Books of 2020

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In a year when headlines were dominated by conflict over the things that make us different (race, class, gender, politics, and all other markers of identity), the best nonfiction books shattered those tensions and explored the underlying humanity. some authors revisited historical figures to ask how their perspectives on race and religion shaped the world, for better or worse. others shared personal stories to underscore the impact of a society that puts people in danger due to realities beyond their control. but all of these titles require greater awareness and empathy.

here, the best non-fiction books of 2020. Also read time’s lists of the 10 best fiction books of 2020, the 100 must-read books of the year and the 10 best video games of the year.

You are reading: Best non fiction books 2020

10. just us, claudia rankine

Author and poet Claudia Rankine knows how difficult conversations about race can be—she knows they can lead to resentment, anger, and even deeper misunderstandings between people. but he also tries to have them again and again in just us: an american conversation, which mixes essay, history and poetry and narrates a series of dialogues between her and white people on a number of thorny topics, from affirmative action to whitewashing history and the link between the blonde and white supremacy. Rankine sometimes ends these talks trembling with rage, trying to contain her emotions so as not to be labeled an “angry black woman”; other times, her counterparts reveal perspectives she hadn’t considered. Through these in-depth (and exhausting) conversations, Rankine demonstrates how Americans of all races can begin to relate to one another with more honesty and grace, and in the process bridge gaps that these days may seem wider than ever.

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9. hitler: fall, volker ullrich

There will never be a definitive book about a figure as complicated and malevolent as Adolf Hitler, and in fact, each year brings a horde of new books that attempt to understand the rise of the dictator and his Nazi party. But German historian Volker Ullrich’s two-volume biography, the second of which, Hitler: Downfall, 1939-1945, was published in a neat English translation by Jefferson Chase this year, is a cut above of his peers. It is an epic book that recounts in vivid detail how Hitler reached the height of his power in Germany and was on the verge of triumph as he conquered much of Europe, then fell into a long and bloody spiral of defeat. Perhaps one of the clearest insights Ullrich offers readers is a study of the amalgamation of madness and narcissism that spectacularly amazed his country and other parts of the world, until it proved to be his undoing.

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8. to have and to be had, eula biss

in to have and to be had, her collection of snappy essays on capitalism and privilege, eula biss addresses the discomforts that come with living comfortably. at the beginning of the book, she and her husband have just bought her first house, which leads her to question the real value she places on the items she is considering buying. biss investigates everything from messages in ikea catalogs (which, he discovers, creepily suggest that “consumers” and “people” are not the same) to the origins of the monopoly, constantly evaluating the purpose these items serve in our lives. Through her precise and poetic prose, Ella Biss makes startling observations about the inner workings of capitalism and how she informs our perspectives on class and property.

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7. undocumented americans, karla cornejo villavicencio

In her debut book, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio sets out to portray the varied and nuanced realities of life for undocumented Americans through a seamless blend of journalistic interviews, narrative narratives, and personal reflections. a daca recipient, brought to the us uu. from ecuador by her parents at the age of 5, cornejo villavicencio approaches her writing with vigorous honesty and precision. She knows workers in New York City, who are still suffering from the effects of doing treacherous cleaning jobs after 9/11, and patients in Miami who are looking for alternative health care options because they don’t have access to health insurance. A national book award finalist, the book’s greatest strength is its many characters: Villavicencio paints his characters not in the stereotypes often foisted upon them in media coverage and political debate, but in their full individuality and humanity, sometimes unflattering, sometimes affirmative, but always real.

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6. vesper flights, helen macdonald

When the world stood still this year, many people found themselves staring out the window, hearing birdsong instead of car horns, and seeing green shoots emerge from the frozen ground. in a moment of darkness, it was a wonderful balm to turn to nature. and in her beautiful collection of essays, evening flight, helen macdonald shows us how to better observe and understand the scenes around us and delve, however briefly, into the worlds of other living things, be they starlings up high or mushrooms at our feet. In exquisite prose, Evening Flights further establishes Macdonald as one of the great nature writers of our time, and as a resounding voice of sorrow against the ravages of climate change. read it to be captivated and read it as a warning.

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5. the dead rise, les payne and tamara payne

what does it take to become a revolutionary political and cultural icon like malcolm x? For nearly 30 years, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne has compiled research and conducted original interviews on Malcolm’s life to try to answer that question. Unfortunately, Payne died before he could finish the book, but his daughter Tamara Payne, who helped him as an investigator, completed his mission. Together, they have written the essential book for understanding the strength that was Malcolm, with deep insights into his childhood, his journey to the nation of Islam, and his assassination. In this sweeping biography, which won a National Book Award, readers see the full portrait of one man, set against the vivid backdrop of an America torn apart by the struggle for racial justice.

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4. memorial unit, natasha trethewey

Within the opening pages of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey’s memoir, we learn of her mother’s murder. In a harrowing prologue, Trethewey reflects on the time when she was 19 years old and visited her mother’s apartment the day after she was killed. The horrific trauma, and how she remembers it, is at the center of Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir. the book is both a chilling portrait of a mother struggling against racism and abuse and an astonishing dissection of the language we use to process memory and loss. Unpacking the events leading up to her mother’s tragic death, Trethewey’s voice is controlled yet powerful. And while we know how the story ends, the tension in her narrative never wavers, which makes her conclusion all the more heartbreaking.

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3. the dragons, the giant, the women, wayétu moore

At five years old, wayétu moore is consumed by thoughts of her mother, who is studying in new york city on a fulbright scholarship. the rest of the family is in liberia, where the promise of a reunion is interrupted by the outbreak of civil war. In Ella’s moving memoir, Moore describes Ella’s family’s journey when they are forced to flee their home on foot in search of safety. she narrates her saga through the eyes of her younger self, culminating in an imaginative examination of how we process hardship and dislocation. and she doesn’t stop there. Moore discusses her experience of living in Texas, where she eventually lands her family, and then goes back in time to write from her mother’s point of view as a student in the United States. it is an innovative and effective structure, made possible by moore’s ability to effortlessly capture the many voices of her family.

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2. minor feelings, cathy park hong

Moving seamlessly between cultural criticism and her own stories, poet Cathy Park Hong dissects her experiences as the American daughter of Korean immigrants in her collection of essays, Minor Feelings: An Asian-American Reckoning. she explores both personal and collective adversity in a series of narratives that ask pressing questions about the impact of racism against Asian Americans. hong’s essays are as impressive in their sharp nuance as they are in their breadth: she writes about her revelations watching richard pryor’s stand-up, reflects on how she treats the english language in her poetry, and explores the space created for minorities in American literature. among other subjects. Unpacking the unworthiness and isolation that she can be made to feel as an Asian American, feelings that are too often dismissed as “minor,” Ella Hong Ella regains her sense of self and asks for compassion.

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1. casta, isabel wilkerson

In a year of unending tragedy for people across the country, but especially for African Americans, the author of The Warmth of Other Suns Isabel Wilkerson is back with another transformative book about identity. The product of more than a decade of research and reporting, Chaste: The Origins of Our Discontent is an electrifying work that reframes injustice and inequity in America. as a caste system, similar to those in india and nazi germany, with black americans in the position of least power. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist combines an in-depth study of history, interviews with experts and ordinary people from around the world, and candid yet poignant stories from her own life to develop a compelling theory of American injustice and the roles we all play in perpetuating it. .

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read coverage of the best of 2020 from the rest of the times:

the 10 best fiction books of 2020
the 10 best books for children and young adults of 2020
the 100 essential books of 2020
top 10 movies of 2020
top 10 movie performances of 2020
top 10 TV series of 2020
top 10 albums of 2020
the 10 best songs of 2020
the 10 best podcasts of 2020
the 10 best video games of 2020

write lucy feldman at lucy.feldman@time.com and annabel gutterman at annabel.gutterman@time.com.

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Best Nonfiction Books of 2020 | Time