The Best Books to Look Out for in 2020: Non-Fiction

The final work from the award winning and inspirational journalist, Motherwell interrogates the psychological inheritance that we receive from our parents and how close family ties can prevent us from achieving cherished goals.

Continuing the inspirational story of The Salt Path, Winn's tender sequel recounts what happened when her and Moth's odyssey came to an end.

Having produced one of the sharpest biographies of the last decade in Ma’am Darling, Craig Brown returns with a dynamic, revisionist look at The Beatles and their legacy, fifty years after the band split up.

A parent of five children aged one to seventeen, Stroud has plenty of wisdom and insight to offer women at all stages of their journey through parenting, and this beautiful, refreshingly honest account of all aspects of motherhood is required reading on a provocative topic.

The coming-of-age story from popular music journalist Pete Paphides brings together his experiences as a child of Cypriot parents growing up in Birmingham and his early immersion in pop music in vivid and poignant prose.

An engrossing piece of literary detective work, House of Glass details the lives of Hadley Freeman’s grandmother and her siblings across the globe and through a turbulent twentieth century.

Documenting the shadowy activities of an SS Brigadesfuhrer in the years leading up to his mysterious demise, the award-winning author of East West Street paints a complex picture of insidious evil and encroaching desperation.

Former Waterstones Book of the Year-shortlisted The Secret Barrister unmasked the corruption and deficiencies of a broken British legal system, and now Fake Law exposes the lies and misinformation spread by those who would seek to keep the general public in ignorance of their rights.

Packed with practical exercises and enlightening socio-political context, the book of Saad's pioneering blog offers numerous ways of transforming the discourse surrounding systemic racism.

A bold, brave and insightful book about how the multiplicity of twenty-first century narratives intersect and conflict, Hood Feminism argues that feminism is in danger of losing its way if it does not embrace wider issues of race, gender and class. Deploying provocative arguments and reaching controversial conclusions, Kendall’s incendiary volume is an urgently needed modern manifesto.

Epic in scope and formidably ambitious in intent, Piketty’s follow-up to 2013’s bestselling Capital in the Twenty-First Century is nothing less than a wholesale re-examination of inequality since the dawn of humanity.

Championing the ground-breaking achievements of the welfare state through his own personal experiences, Stuart Maconie mounts a persuasive argument for the preservation of the post-war social project.

Approaching the contentious issue of social bias with nuance and exhaustive research, behavioural scientist, activist and writer Agarwal demonstrates how unconscious prejudice is still immensely prevalent in contemporary society.

From redefining the boundaries of intelligent life forms to providing us with the building blocks of foodstuffs and medicines, Entangled Life demonstrates just how integral fungi are to sustained living on this planet.

A clear-headed and intelligent denunciation of racist stereotypes and pernicious eugenics, Rutherford’s masterly account of genetics and its dangerous misuse through history contains all you ever need to refute hateful claims about racial superiority.

From stately gardens to skyscrapers, The Accidental Countryside unearths a multitude of nests and homes created by enterprising creatures, as testament to the ingenuity and survival instinct of our bugs and beasts.

In the bold and insightful The Natural Health Service, Isabel Hardman advocates the enormous benefits of living life in the great outdoors and reveals how fresh air and activity has proved the perfect tonic for her battles with depression and anxiety.

Together with his co-writer Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi reveals those little magical combinations that will elevate a meal to extraordinary heights, while still keeping cooking relaxed, enjoyable and speedy.

With witty essays about food and tantalising recipes from her kitchen, Nigella shares her culinary philosophy in this delicious volume.

Cookery superstar Ella Mills returns with a selection of hassle-free, time-sensitive vegan treats for anyone wanting to sample what a delicious plant-based diet is really like.

With an emphasis on UK grown ingredients and eliminating wastage, Melissa Hemsley’s vibrant flexitarian cookbook is the perfect accompaniment to adopting a green lifestyle.

With easily adaptable vegan alternatives for over forty of the dishes featured, the enticing recipes in The Vegetarian Kitchen have all been heartily enjoyed around the Leith family table.

Having thoroughly reorganised Britain’s domestic space with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, Marie Kondo turns her attention to the nation’s working environments with this invaluable guide to ordering your professional life. Eliminating negativity and sparking joy, this is a truly transformative volume.

In this collection of heart-warming letters to her three young sons, Giovanna Fletcher lays bare the manifold wonders and unavoidable struggles of modern parenting. From touching and amusing anecdote to the difficult decisions around being a working mum and dealing with feelings of guilt, Letters on Motherhood is a tender and compassionate guide to living with little ones.

A collection of wise and witty essays from the former Elle columnist and co-host of the podcast, The High Low, How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? questions the perceived wisdom of modern life and asks whether anybody really knows what they are talking about. Covering a broad range of topics from consumerism to mindfulness, Sykes’ sage advice is a valuable asset in these confusing times.

In an age of echo chambers and multiple narratives, there is a lot of noise going on but very little listening. In this insightful, cogently reasoned book, Murphy extols the myriad virtues of this underused skill, drawing on enlightening testimony from everyone from priests to CIA agents. A thoughtful, eloquent volume that could transform not just your relationships but your own worldview as well.

One of the most popular vloggers and podcasters in the world, Jay Shetty gathers together all of the sage advice he learned whilst a practicing Vedic monk.