This Week in Nonfiction: The Class of 7.1.25

New nonfiction just dropped. One’s obsessed with the word “like,” one’s chasing a mythical panda, one’s trying to save the planet—and apparently, Oasis is having a moment.

It’s another Pub Day—meet the class of 7.1.25:

I blinked, and it’s July! It’s officially too hot to think straight. Are you reading anything good right now, or just hiding inside with cold drinks and strong A/C? Same. Luckily, this week’s new nonfiction lineup might be worth putting down the fan remote for. Here are a few I’m especially curious about...

• Like A History of the World's Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word by Megan C. Reynolds: I’m hosting a giveaway for this one on Instagram! Grammar meets pop culture with a whole lot of attitude.

• The Beast in the Clouds: The Roosevelt Brothers' Deadly Quest to Find the Mythical Giant Panda by Nathalia Holt: A quest for a mythical panda? That title alone earned it a spot on my list.

• We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate by Michael Grunwald: The cover grabbed me, and the topic hits hard.

And something strange is happening in Oasis-land: two new books today about the band? Feels like a sign to dig into the drama.

Bonus: Some of these authors have Substacks, so if you’re interested in their work, you might find more from them in your inbox.

Let’s get into this week’s graduating class…

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I didn’t link to every single book because I trust you know how to find a synopsis, and I’m not here to insult your intelligence. But if you want to avoid That Evil Corporation™ and check them out through an indie-friendly site, scroll to the bottom for the link.

Personal Stories & Reflections

• Am I Having Fun Now?: Anxiety, Applause, and Life's Big Questions, Answered by Suzi Ruffell

• I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays by Maris Kreizman

• The Relaxed Woman: Reclaim Rest and Live an Empowered, Joy-Filled Life by Nicola Jane Hobbs

• Midwife of the Soul: A Teaching Memoir Through the Lens of an HSP Psychotherapist by Shira Friedman

• Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle and Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be by Robyn Koslowitz

Pop Culture, Language & Loud Opinions

• Like A History of the World's Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word by Megan C. Reynolds

• Face with Tears of Joy: A Natural History of Emoji by Keith Houston

• And After All: A Fan History of Oasis by Melissa Locker

• How to Speak Oasis: Learn to Talk Like a Rockstar by Professor Mads Forrit

• Clint: The Man and the Movies by Shawn Levy

Curious Quests & Unusual Adventures

• The Beast in the Clouds: The Roosevelt Brothers' Deadly Quest to Find the Mythical Giant Panda by Nathalia Holt

• To Have or to Hold: Nature's Hidden Relationships by Sophie Pavelle

• Crush: My Year as an Apprentice Winemaker by Dr. Nicholas O'Connell

• Death by Astonishment: Confronting the Mystery of the World's Strangest Drug by Andrew R. Gallimore

• The Road That Made America: A Modern Pilgrim's Journey on the Great Wagon Road by James Dodson

Big Ideas & Future Thinking

• We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate by Michael Grunwald

• The Things You Have to Do Before I Buy You a Phone by Adam Ferguson

Real-Life Plot Twists

• Bad to Blue: The True Story of a Chinatown Gangster Turned NYPD Detective by Mike Moy

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Reader Roll Call

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It’s a stacked week — full of big ideas, weird curiosities, and a surprising amount of Oasis. Hope something here earns a spot in your summer reading pile. I’ll see you at the grad party next Tuesday.

And hey, don’t forget to enter to win a copy of Like: A History of the World’s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word. It’s, like… actually cool. You’ll like it.

Missed a week? You can find all the past Pub Day posts right here.

Happy Reading!

Jaymi the OC Book Girl

P.S. One of these books has a fake professor, another involves psychedelics, and a third has a panda mystery. I’m just saying… nonfiction is never boring.

P.P.S. We’re more than halfway through the year, and the nonfiction’s not slowing down. Check out 700+ titles on the 2025 Nonfiction Book Party list at Bookshop.org and support indie bookstores too!