The most popular essays books of 2026

Essays are short works of nonfiction in which a writer thinks something through. The subject can be anything: politics, a walk, a film, a grief. What matters is the mind at work and the voice. Collections here range from the classic to the sharply contemporary. This list shows the ones first published in 2026.

Cover of Things in Every Room

Things in Every Room

Helen Longstreth

Published 2026

208 pages

Cover of A Time of Loss

A Time of Loss

Daniel Schreiber

Published 2026

144 pages

Cover of Herlands Lessons from Societies Where Women Make the Rules

Herlands Lessons from Societies Where Women Make the Rules

Megha Mohan

Published 2026

320 pages

Cover of The Journal of Beatles Studies (Volume 4, Issue 2)

The Journal of Beatles Studies (Volume 4, Issue 2)

Holly Tessler, Paul Long

Published 2026

184 pages

Cover of Black Architect

Black Architect

Sekou Cooke

Published 2026

144 pages

Cover of Israel

Israel

Omer Bartov

Published 2026

304 pages

Cover of The Cosmic Oval

The Cosmic Oval

Ella Finer

Published 2026

96 pages

Cover of This Is Running A Celebration of the World of Running, Exploring the Culture, History, Brands, Races and People Behind It

This Is Running A Celebration of the World of Running, Exploring the Culture, History, Brands, Races and People Behind It

Raziq Rauf

Published 2026

240 pages

Cover of Voyages of the Naughty Lass

Voyages of the Naughty Lass

Robbie Cumming

Published 2026

288 pages

Cover of Borrowed Land A Highland Story

Borrowed Land A Highland Story

Kapka Kassabova

Published 2026

352 pages

Cover of Birds As Individuals and Living with Birds

Birds As Individuals and Living with Birds

Len Howard

Published 2026

448 pages

Cover of Residential Architecture

Residential Architecture

Kazuo Shinohara

Published 2026

284 pages

Cover of Etymological Gossip

Etymological Gossip

Uljana Wolf

Published 2026

244 pages

Cover of Visions and Interventions Thirty Years of Perspectives on Anarchist Theory

Visions and Interventions Thirty Years of Perspectives on Anarchist Theory

Lara Messersmith-Glavin, Theresa Warburton, Hillary Lazar, Paul Messersmith-Glavin

Published 2026

392 pages

Cover of Your Presence Is a Danger to Your Life Voices from Gaza

Your Presence Is a Danger to Your Life Voices from Gaza

Samar Yazbek

Published 2026

256 pages

Cover of Word Is Bond The Untold Story of Hip-Hop Journalism

Word Is Bond The Untold Story of Hip-Hop Journalism

Syreeta Gates

Published 2026

240 pages

Cover of Lifelines Searching for Home in the Mountains of Greece

Lifelines Searching for Home in the Mountains of Greece

Julian Hoffman

Published 2026

300 pages

Cover of It's Terrible the Things I Have to Do to Be Me 'a Brutal and Brilliant Study of Female Celebrity' Megan Nolan, Telegraph

It's Terrible the Things I Have to Do to Be Me 'a Brutal and Brilliant Study of Female Celebrity' Megan Nolan, Telegraph

Philippa Snow

Published 2026

304 pages

Cover of The Penguin Book of Existentialist Philosophy

The Penguin Book of Existentialist Philosophy

Jonathan Webber

Published 2026

400 pages

Cover of Lucky Devils How Three Tech Mad Gamblers Beat the Odds and Made Millions

Lucky Devils How Three Tech Mad Gamblers Beat the Odds and Made Millions

Kit Chellel

Published 2026

320 pages

Cover of There Is No Meant to Be A Family Story

There Is No Meant to Be A Family Story

Jarred McGinnis

Published 2026

288 pages

Cover of Dressing the Queen The Designers, Embroiderers and Corset-Makers to the Crown

Dressing the Queen The Designers, Embroiderers and Corset-Makers to the Crown

Kate Strasdin

Published 2026

368 pages

Cover of Queer Art (Art Essentials)

Queer Art (Art Essentials)

Gemma Rolls-Bentley, Mollie E. Barnes

Published 2026

176 pages

Cover of Carrying War

Carrying War

Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt

Published 2026

232 pages

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