Seattle Staff Faves 2025: Nonfiction
Each year we ask our staff across the library system for their favorite books published in the current year. Enjoy this variety of nonfiction staff favorites, with annotations by staff members or as noted. (created November 2025)
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Paradiso
Mary Jo Bang has finally finished her translation of The Divine Comedy! What I really love about her translation is that Bang understands that Dante's original work was very much a piece of political commentary, and frankly a bit petty. She puts in modern connotations and figures to recreate how it would feel to read the original work in the 14th century. - Eliza
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Who Deserves your Love
A practical and gentle guide to navigating the difficult relationships that shape your life, from KC Davis, beloved therapist and bestselling author of How to Keep House While Drowning. (Publisher description)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Daughters of the Bamboo Grove
Journalist Demick examines the history and impact of China's one child policy through the lens of twin girls who were forcibly separated, with one raised by her family in China and the other adopted by a family in the United States. (staff annotation)
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
A philosophically rich critique of state violence and mass apathy. (Kirkus)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal
Written in an unapologetic, dignified voice, Palestinian writer and poet El-Kurd addresses Palestine's advocates and detractors: like survivors of sexual violence, and Black and Indigenous people around the globe, Palestinians need not be "perfect victims" to be humans worthy of freedom from genocide, apartheid, and occupation. - Bean
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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Queer Lasting
In this thought-provoking, timely book, Ensor effectively positions queer studies and theory alongside ecocriticism to imagine new ways of addressing environmental crises. (Library Journal)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Arash Fayez
Apolis is a visual autobiography of Arash Fayez's life in limbo between 2014 and 2018. The 312 pages comprise the artist's complete US immigration dossier, from his arrest by law enforcement authorities to his voluntary departure from the country. (Publisher description)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The Dry Season
Supremely luscious writing for being titled the "dry" season. Shoutout to SPL staff Jennie for the rec, can't believe I've gone through life thus far without having read Melissa Febos' work before. - Victoria
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Could Should Might Don't
While the future is uncertain, most people think about it constantly. In this intriguing new book, futurist Foster asks how the future should be considered ... [defining] four ways to approach the future. (Library Journal)
Format: eAudiobook
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On Bullshit: Anniversary Edition (Anniversary)
The anniversary edition of the acclaimed book that reveals why bullshit is more dangerous than lying. Remarkably prescient and insightful, On Bullshit is a small book that explains a great deal about our time. (Publisher description)
Format: Book
Availability: On order
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