Essays bestsellers

Quietly Hostile

“Quietly Hostile only reinforced the love I already have for Samantha Irby’s writing. I love listening to frank and humorous way she tackles everything from relationships to Red Lobster to bodily functions. Her books, especially the audio recordings, are always ones I look forward to! ”

Jenni, Mysterious Galaxy Books

Crying in H Mart

“I was struck by just how much I loved this book for how it walks through grief not as a way to leave it behind, but as a way to remember its exact shape. I’m grateful for its funny, self-deprecating, and wise observations, and for its difficult beauty.”

Steve Haruch, Parnassus Books

As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our... Read more »

How Far the Light Reaches

“Part memoir, part nature/science writing, this is an amazing book. The author's ability to weave together the wonders of marine biology with stories exploring their own existence and coming of age lets us experience the world in a different light. Original and thought-provoking. Looking for a good audio book to listen to? This is a great choice, read by the author!”

Anne, Newtonville Books

The Anthropocene Reviewed

“A continuation of John Green's podcast of the same name, this audiobook is engaging, intriguing and hard to put down. Read by the author, this book resonated with me on so many levels and left me with food for thought. 5 stars.”

Rebecca, Rediscovered Books

If you enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, then you’ll love Raw Dog.

“This book is a freaking wild ride, which I recommend you get on. Yes, there is hot dog information between the unfiltered commentary from the author, who reminds me of a young Anthony Bourdain, while they wander along the road searching for this iconic food. ”

CoriAnn, The Green Dragon Bookshop

It should have been Rebecca Schiller's dream come true: moving her young family to the English countryside to raise goats and coax their own fruit and vegetables from the land. But, as she writes: The summer of striding out toward a life of open fields and sacks of corn, I brought a confused black hole of something pernicious but not yet... Read more »

Happy-Go-Lucky

“Happy-Go-Lucky is another bang up group of essays of Sedaris' hilarious life, including family and partner stories deliciously presented. His Oberlin Commencement Speech, alone, is worth the book price! An upper for anyone down or ailing!”

Roxanne, Bookstore1Sarasota

“A masterful, must-read contribution to conversations on power, justice, healing, and devotion from a singular voice I now trust with my whole heart.”—GLENNON DOYLE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed

A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this daring,... Read more »

The Book of Delights

“Ross Gay's Book of Delights is my lifeline to joy (delights!) during my commute. I may plan to chip away at work tasks, or read the newspaper, or scroll through Facebook, but Ross' voice calls to me and I click on The Book of Delights. Only one entry soothes my soul, but I usually can't stop at just one...”

Cheryl, Book Passage

When Chef Anthony Bourdain wrote "Don't Eat Before You Read This" in The New Yorker, he spared no one's appetite, revealing what goes on behind the kitchen door. In Kitchen Confidential, he expanded the appetizer into a deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet that lays out his twenty-five years of sex, drugs, and haute cuisine.

From his... Read more »

If you enjoyed A Carnival of Snackery, then you’ll love Calypso.

“My personal favorite Sedaris book, Calypso continues to prove the authors knack for narration. This more recent addition feels more thematically cohesive than some of his past collections, as he ages and his family centered writing continues to prove irresistible. Perhaps one of Sedaris's more vulnerable and emotional windows into the Sedaris family.”

Isaiah, Folio Books

A new rip-roaring essay collection from the smart, edgy, hilarious, unabashedly raunchy, and bestselling Samantha Irby.

Irby is forty, and increasingly uncomfortable in her own skin despite what Inspirational Instagram Infographics have promised her. She has left her job as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, has published successful books and... Read more »

Broken (in the best possible way)

“Jenny Lawson is and will forever be my crazy, taxidermied spirit animal. In Broken she managed to make me snort coffee from my nose in laughter, then grasp at my aching heart a moment later in mutual grief. There's so much exposed nerve in this book that it is impossible not to get sucked into her vulnerability. I think she'd want you to know it's okay to come on over and linger in the pain. Just, you know, not TOO close next to her. Personal space and all that.”

Jenny, Page 158 Books

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, this is a necessary corrective in a world where Autistic women are all either written off as quiet and docile, or erased entirely.” —Devon Price, Ph.D., author of Unmasking Autism

Scottish comedian Fern Brady was told she couldn't be autistic because she'd had loads of boyfriends and is... Read more »

An intimate and electrifying collection of essays from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights  

In these gorgeously written and timely pieces, prize-winning poet and author Ross Gay considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during life’s inevitable hardships. Throughout Inciting Joy, he explores... Read more »

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century

“Containing dozens of personal stories, this is an absolute must-read for anyone looking to learn about the breadth, diversity, and history of disabled experience(s) from disabled folks themselves. ”

Miriasha, Phoenix Books

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

“There are many ways to craft a humorous essay. One of the most straightforward is to harness the clarity to tell it exactly like it is. You know, through the warped lens of personality. Samantha Irby sees all, and she sees it through wickedly potent bifocals.”

Eleanor, Main Street Books Davidson

Ten Steps to Nanette

“In 2017, at the height of the Me Too movement, Hannah Gadsby changed comedy as we know it with her groundbreaking show, Nanette. As a woman, as a lesbian, as a gender-nonconforming person, as a neuro-atypical person, as a victim of trauma, Gadsby mapped out a way forward for comedy that didn't make herself, and people like her, the butt of the joke. Part memoir, part 'making of,' this book gets at the heart of her journey to self-acceptance and fame. If you laugh-sobbed your way through Nanette like I did (and then went back to the beginning and did it again, and again, and again) then read this book to find out just how she did it and why.”

Rachel, The Book Table

Yearbook

“So funny. I couldn’t stop listening until I had heard all of his anecdotes. Loved it.”

Lisa, Pixie Hollow

Living at the limits of our ordinary perception, mosses are a common but largely unnoticed element of the natural world. Gathering Moss is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites listeners to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses.

Robin Wall Kimmerer's book is not an identification guide,... Read more »

The Best of Me

“As if there is anything greater than a new David Sedaris, it's listening to David Sedaris read the new David Sedaris. This self-edited collection of essays from his prolific 25-year career is exactly what we need to boost the morale of 2020 and remind ourselves what a crazy world we've always lived in when viewed through Sedaris's keen observational eye and told with his unique & irreverent voice. The Best of Me is perfect for both long-time fans or those reading Sedaris for the first time and the audio read by the author means no nuance is left behind.”

Jessica, Literally Speaking

These Precious Days

“I loved absolutely everything about this book and did not want it to end. Ann Patchett's narration is magical and I believe is best way to experience her writing. Though these are essays, they are expertly arranged and together feel like a memoir. Patchett talks about everything from life and death to bookstores and book covers and you immediately want to gift this book to everyone. I could not recommend it highly enough!”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

From the host of the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking—called “a gift” by The New York Times—a raw and humorous essay collection in the spirit of Jenny Lawson and Samantha Irby.

Nora McInerny does not dance like no one is watching. In fact, she dances like everyone is watching, which is to say, she does not dance at all. A... Read more »

Everything I Know About Love

“Everything I Know About Love was a joy to read and relatable to me as a young woman in her early 20's. Dolly Alderton gives a transparent, brutally honest look at herself at the various stages of her 30 years of life. She accurately depicts the hedonistic nature of being young, somewhat clueless, and attempting to navigate through life's complexities. Mixed with that famous (and charming) British wit, this memoir is unequivocally a masterpiece.”

Jennifer, Changing Hands

Shit, Actually

“It might be that Lindy West talks during movies, but you wouldn't shush her. She's better than the movie. This audiobook is read by the author and she is hilarious. Smart, funny, irreverent and feminist. I'll take that with a bowl of popcorn. PS. I really, really want West's Hermione-lead HP remake.”

Robin, Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West

The Collected Schizophrenias

“The Collected Schizophrenias is a heartbreaking and honest collection about chronic mental illness and its effects on Wang. Through personal narrative and scientific research, Wang has created a collection of essays that are challenging in the sense that they confront you with the reality of a misunderstood condition. Her mission is not to scare, shock, or make the reader feel sorry for her, but to create an environment where mental illness is better understood and destigmatized within our culture. An eye-opening collection of essays from a truly exceptional writer.”

Katie Kucek, Brazos Bookstore

In Look for Me There, Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world’s most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition, and purpose—with intense self-reflection, honesty, and courage."—Savannah Guthrie, coanchor of TodayRead by the author.“Look for... Read more »

“Every page of this book makes our shared universe feel larger and more interesting than ever before, a true gift of fascinating science and engrossing storytelling.” —Matt Bell, author of Appleseed

A spellbinding exploration of alien life and the cosmos, examining how the possibility of life on other planets shapes our understanding of... Read more »

The classic multimillion copy bestseller

Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.

When this book was first published, it was merely a simple volume of memoirs by an unknown Scottish veterinarian. But within a year,... Read more »

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey

“I didn’t think it was possible to combine education and humor so effectively in a book about racism, but Ruffin and Lamar proved me wrong. This incredibly well-structured, digestible, challenging, and engaging book opened my eyes to the many ways racism can permeate every interaction in Black people’s lives. The way the sisters play off each other and how Ruffin reflects on Lamar’s experience in contrast to her own make the book especially accessible. A must-read!”

Emily Autenrieth, A Seat at the Table Books

“Roxane Gay is so great at weaving the intimate and personal with what is most bewildering and upsetting at this moment in culture. She is always looking, always thinking, always passionate, always careful, always right there.”  — Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be?A New York Times BestsellerBest Book of the Year: NPR • Boston Globe •... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “From The New Yorker’s beloved cultural critic comes a bold, unflinching collection of essays about self-deception, examining everything from scammer culture to reality television.”—Esquire
 
Book Club Pick for Now Read This, from PBS NewsHour and The New York Times • “A whip-smart, challenging book.”—Zadie Smith • “Jia... Read more »

The Witches Are Coming

“This was recommended to me as a funny political/social commentary read. How right they were. Lindy West is funny, on the point, and full of rational sense! So many things became clear, like why I no longer watch "funny" movies made by "funny" men. I highly recommend this to anybody who likes humor and non-fiction/memoir stuff. Particularly if you are in search of your next audiobook.”

Julia, The Bookloft

Read by the author.A collection of refreshingly honest and hilarious essays from Southern Living columnist Elizabeth Passarella about navigating change--whether emotional or logistical--and staying sane during life's unexpected twists and turns.After Elizabeth Passarella and her husband finally decided that it was time to sell their two-bedroom... Read more »

*2018 "12 best books to give this holiday season" TODAY Show*Best Books of 2018* Rolling Stone"A Best Book of 2017" NPR, Buzzfeed, Paste Magazine, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, CBC, Stereogum, National Post, Entropy, Heavy, Book Riot, Chicago Review of Books, The Los Angeles Review, Michigan Daily*American Booksellers Association... Read more »

When Einstein Walked with Gödel

“This would make a great gift for anyone interested in math or physics. It's also just good, clear non-fiction writing that gets into the personalities of men and women whose work has changed the way we perceive our existence on a small planet in a large cosmos.”

Bob, Changing Hands

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Ali Wong, star of the Netflix original series Beef, a “refreshing, hilarious, and honest account of making a career in a male-dominated field, dating, being a mom, growing up, and so much more” (Bustle) through heartfelt and wickedly funny letters to her daughters

Ali Wong is one of Time’s 100 Most Influential... Read more »

Pop Song

“Pop Song is an engaging blend of art criticism, memoir, and travelogue with the raw and confessional style of the microblogging generation. Larissa Pham’s prose bounces seamlessly and dexterously from looking outward to inward and back with equal attention, passion, and insight.”

Matt Stowe, Greenlight Bookstore

The Emmy-nominated host of Netflix’s Queer Eye follows up his New York Times-bestselling memoir, Over The Top, with this collection of thought-provoking essays on grief and healing, cannabis reform, LGBTQIA+ rights, imposter syndrome, personal style, the HIV safety net, and of, course, how to make your hairdresser love you.In his New York... Read more »

Read by the author.Despite what appeared to be a glamorous existence full of globetrotting adventures, behind the scenes, Anna Kloots felt invisible in her own life. Consumed by a relationship that left no space for her own desires, she chose to reframe the end of her marriage as an opportunity to begin again. Now, for every woman searching for... Read more »

Little Weirds

“Magical, delightful and amusing book of daydreams with a cupful of nonsense.”

Mollie, HearthFire Books and Treats

From the New York Times–bestselling author of Furiously Happy.

When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and... Read more »

A charming, poignant, and mesmerizing memoir in essays from beloved actor and natural-born storyteller Minnie Driver, chronicling the way life works out even when it doesn’t.In this intimate, beautifully crafted collection, Driver writes and narrates with disarming charm and candor about her bohemian upbringing between England and Barbados; her... Read more »

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The book that galvanized the nation, gave voice to the emerging civil rights movement in the 1960s—and still lights the way to understanding race in America today. - “The finest essay I’ve ever read.” —Ta-Nehisi CoatesAt once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the... Read more »

To see the world through comedian, writer, and The New Yorker contributor Zach Zimmerman's eyes is to be reminded of the many ways in which love, religion, family, sex, money—or often lack thereof—lay bare our most elemental and embarrassing humanness. From meditations on heartbreak to not-so-helpful how-tos, this laugh-and-cry-out-loud essay... Read more »

Wendell Berry has never been afraid to speak up for the dispossessed. The Need to Be Whole continues the work he began in The Hidden Wound (1970) and The Unsettling of America (1977), demanding a careful exploration of this hard, shared
truth: The wealth of the mighty few governing this nation has been built on the unpaid labor of others.
Without... Read more »

Named one of the Best Books of 2021 by Oprah Daily, Glamour, Shondaland, BuzzFeed, and more!

A hilarious and whip-smart collection of essays, offering an intimate look at bisexuality, gender, and, of course, sex. Perfect for fans of Lindy West, Samantha Irby, and Rebecca Solnit—and anyone who wants, and deserves, to be seen.

If Jen Winston knows... Read more »

From the fertile soils of love, land, identity, family, and race emerges The Home Place, a big-hearted, unforgettable memoir by ornithologist J. Drew Lanham.

Dating back to slavery, Edgefield County, South Carolina—a place "easy to pass by on the way somewhere else"—has been home to generations of Lanhams. In The Home Place, listeners meet... Read more »

Perspectives from QTBIPOC, fat, and disabled trainers, bodyworkers, and coaches on reimagining fitness for all bodies.

For readers of Belly of the Beast, Care Work, and The Body is Not an Apology

Fit is subjective. Who our society designates as fit--and who gets to be fit in our society--is predefined by the coaches, gyms, and systems at large... Read more »