September’s Most Anticipated NonFiction

A boy lost in the shadow of his father’s legacy.

A gifted artist dismissed as just a “TV actor.”

A first-time film producer who stunned the world by winning an Oscar at 31.

A maverick who changed Hollywood and became a global movie star. 

Hollywood icon Michael Douglas tells the unfiltered story of his life for the first time. 
 
“I spent a significant portion of my career playing some version of the modern, flawed, American male. You’ll see from these pages that it wasn’t exactly a stretch for me.”
 
Beginning with his fractured childhood and a complex relationship with his superstar father, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas finally gives the full and uncensored account of a remarkable life. One Helluva Ride reveals incredible behind-the-scenes stories featuring a Who’s Who of Hollywood, many of them never revealed before and some outrageously funny, with an unflinching honesty about his sometimes bad-boy life.
 
Initially dismissed as just the handsome son of a legendary movie star, at age thirty-one he shook up Hollywood when he won his first Oscar for producing the five-time Academy Award-winning classic film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Told he would never be more than a “TV actor,” he quit the hit series The Streets of San Francisco to become an international movie star, with a list of classic films that have grossed billions of dollars, winning a second Oscar for his riveting performance as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street.
 
“I can’t think about my life without thinking of my movies,” Douglas says, and he recounts his career through twelve of his most iconic films, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The China Syndrome, Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile, Fatal Attraction, Wall Street, War of the Roses, Basic Instinct, Falling Down, The American President, Traffic and Behind the Candelabra.  These movies not only captured the cultural zeitgeist but often defined it. 

Yet as Douglas’s fame grew, so did his personal struggles. He recounts the full, unfiltered story of his turbulent first mar­riage; infidelity and affairs with some of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood; his own serious struggle with alcohol, drugs and rehab; the heartbreaking fight to save his son from an addiction that sent him to prison; and his against-all-odds battle with stage IV cancer.

He saw Catherine Zeta Jones on a movie screen and instantly fell for her. Their incredible love story transformed his life and proved all the tabloids wrong, enduring after twenty-five years of marriage. 

Father, son, husband, actor, producer, brother and friend. This is the real, raw, deeply honest and vulnerable Michael Douglas you didn’t know—until now.

Beloved Bible teacher and ministry leader Joyce Meyer shares the unforgettable story of her troubled upbringing, her call to ministry, and God’s healing hand upon her life in this boldly honest and moving memoir.

“I feel it’s necessary to disclose certain details of my story so readers can begin to grasp how completely God can change people, how deeply He can reach into a damaged soul and restore it, and how thoroughly He can heal a broken heart. ” —From the Introduction

Joyce Meyer grew up in America’s Midwest in the 1940s and 50s. After her father’s return from the battlefields of World War II, she spent her childhood in a home warped by his relentless rage and the horrific sexual abuse she suffered at his hands—a battlefield of her own.

Yet it was from these harrowing beginnings that she emerged as a pioneering figure, becoming the first modern woman to lead a global Christian ministry, investing her life in helping others, raising a loving family, and creating a legacy of hope and healing that will live on well beyond the span of her extraordinary life. Her story is a living testament to God’s ability to transform and redeem even the most deeply wounded among us.

My Battlefield tells this story with the same unflinching honesty, determined faith, and surprising humor that has characterized Joyce’s teaching over the last five decades. For every heart-breaking story we read about her childhood, characterized by darkness and shame, and from the years of bitterness and anger that followed as she struggled to learn how to trust in the goodness of God and others, we also read amazing stories of God’s unique hand on her life. We watch a life once desecrated and marked for destruction be redeemed, healed, and called to do work that has brought hope and light to millions of other lives.

Joyce invites you to experience both the pain and the miracle of her story in My Battlefield.

“My sole motivation for writing this book is to convey to people who have been hurt, abused, damaged, or broken in some way that no matter how horrendous the situation was or how long it lasted, God can redeem it. If He can transform my life as completely as He has, He can transform yours completely, too.

In this stunning and compulsively readable memoir, the Oscar-winning star of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Goonies, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ke Huy Quan, tells the story of his journey from Vietnamese refugee to 80s child star to the most inspiring comeback in Hollywood history. 

“A monumental work of self-discovery and the power and grace of communal survival. Quan’s voice is crystalline and luminous, and his Odyssean journey to the screen is, in itself, a triumph of storytelling.” –Ocean Vuong

Ke Huy Quan’s Hollywood adventure began when he was twelve years old, a mere five years after his family escaped Communist Northern Vietnam and settled down to a relatively peaceful life in L.A.’s Chinatown. After attending an open call audition on a whim, he was unexpectedly swept up in the wild world of filmmaking: learning to swim from Harrison Ford on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, receiving trucks full of toys from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for his birthday, meeting Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, and making lifelong friends on the set of The Goonies.
 
A star of two of the most beloved movies of the ‘80s, there appeared to be no limit to Ke’s rise. But just a few years later, the roles had dried up and it seemed like Hollywood no longer had a place for him. He eventually left acting to work odd jobs behind the scenes for directors like Wong Kar Wai. His confidence was badly shaken, but his love of performing never abated. It wasn’t until decades later, when he was 49 years old, that he stepped back in front of the camera to star in a strange little indie film called Everything Everywhere All at Once, which surprised everyone with its incredible box-office and awards season success. To call Ke’s Oscar-winning performance a triumphant return would be an understatement.
 
In this moving, inspirational memoir, Ke paints a vivid self-portrait, telling both heart-wrenching and funny stories of his early rise, slow fall from the spotlight, the resilience that kept him going through his darkest times, and his eventual resurrection on one of the biggest stages in Hollywood. Never Say Die is the story of Ke’s extraordinary life, a love letter to the movies and people that shaped him, and a powerful testament to never giving up on your dreams.

From the author of the New York Times best-selling The Case for Trump, the story of Trump’s triumphant comeback and what his second term means for the future of our country.

“To understand where America has been and, more importantly, where she is going, read this book.” —Ben Shapiro

When Donald Trump left office in January 2021, most observers thought his political career was over. Silenced on social media, pilloried by the press, and targeted for prosecution, the ex-president’s future appeared bleak. But in the months and years that followed, Trump staged a historic political comeback, rising from disgrace to win a second presidential term that launched a social, cultural, political, and economic transformation for America.

Here, best-selling author Victor Davis Hanson pinpoints how Trump regained power and came to lead an American counterrevolution. As Hanson reveals, the success and aggressiveness of Trump’s second-term agenda can only be fully understood as the product of his four years in the political and legal wilderness. Hanson details the tactical errors and overreaches of Trump’s opponents, as well as how Trump took note of those persecuting him and shaped his renewed agenda around striking back.

Packed with indispensable insight into the larger patterns behind Donald Trump’s rise, fall, and victorious return, The Counterrevolution is the definitive account of how a reelection transformed contemporary American history.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben offers a look behind the curtain at his own writing process in an inspiring, candid memoir filled with indispensable insights and techniques.

“For aspiring writers, Harlan’s advice, stories, and anecdotes are wise, proven, and valuable. For published authors, his book evokes memories of what it was like back then. It’s a romp, a riot, and a joy to read.” —John Grisham

With 100 million books in print world-wide and over twenty blockbuster television and film adaptations of his work, Harlan Coben has much to teach us about the creative process. Part deeply personal memoir, part masterclass in storytelling, Plot Twist is a refreshingly honest look at the life of a writer whose stories have thrilled us for decades.

Plumbing memories from his suburban childhood and his early years trying to break into publishing, Coben tells his own story for the first time, revealing the real-world inspirations for some of his most beloved characters as well as the innovative plots that drive his propulsive novels. Filled with useful tips and techniques on the creative process, Coben does away with the traditional “categories” of writing—characters, plot, setting, etc—and looks at the process holistically.

Plot Twist is a masterclass on the act of being a writer, and everything that comes with it: the self-doubt, the hubris, the contradictions, the passion and dedication. At the end of the day, his calculus is a simple one: “If it helps me produce pages, good. If it doesn’t, bad.” This book will help every aspiring writer produce pages.

Honest, funny, insightful, and at times deeply moving, this is both a captivating memoir and an essential guide for anyone looking to master the art of storytelling from one of our most beloved authors.

A defining and uncompromising memoir from Super Bowl quarterback and renowned civil rights activist, Colin Kaepernick.

“A candid, observant, generous chronicle of his development as an elite, suddenly dispensable NFL quarterback and also of the relentless, high-profile civil rights warrior he’s become.” —Booklist Starred Review

On September 1, 2016, Colin Kaepernick took a knee during “The Star Spangled Banner,” but the world never fully understood the whole story. Not the “why” or the cost of his courage. That story begins in Turlock, California, where Kaepernick, a Black kid adopted into a white family, navigated constant resistance to His Blackness and sense of self. Sports became his refuge and his proving ground, where his talent could not be questioned. The extraordinary result? A quarterback whose arm and instincts would carry him to the Super Bowl and into history books. But with success came an education he hadn’t anticipated.

In the fraught world of sports politics, he saw the hidden powerhouses pulling the strings. Steeled with the readings of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Huey P. Newton, and Angela Davis, he saw in the NFL, in Turlock, in the repeated, unpunished police killings of Black and Brown Americans, an undeniable truth revealed: this was not someone else’s fight. It was his. It is ours.

When Kaepernick knelt, the NFL blackballed him. But in the ten years since, the questions his protest raise have not gone away. In The Perilous Fight, Kaepernick delivers his story with the same unflinching conviction that defined his most-watched moment, a single act of protest that changed American sports and culture forever. And ultimately, it is a story about the future we are all still fighting to build.

A groundbreaking, practical guide to accomplishing your goals and thriving in life, written for people with ADHD, autism, trauma and anxiety.

“Overcoming the Wall of Awful is not only endlessly validating, but epically empowering. This book needs to be in the hands of everyone who has ever failed at anything.” —Jessica McCabe, New York Times bestselling author of How to ADHD

We’re afraid to talk about it—that feeling we all get when we need to do something as simple as cleaning the kitchen or sending an email and we just … can’t. It’s not because we don’t want to, it’s because we feel paralyzed. We’re not aimless. We’re not lazy. Our brains are working against us! We have purpose, we just need guidance.

This is that guide. Just like bricks, negative emotions and experiences can build up until they feel like an impenetrable wall between us and our goals. Brendan Mahan, MEd., MS. calls this the Wall of Awful—and he’s lived it. Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, Mahan has made it his life’s work to help people overcome their own Walls of Awful and accomplish their biggest, scariest ambitions.

Mahan draws on twenty years in teaching, counseling, and coaching people with anxiety, ADHD, autism, and trauma. He teams up with writer Alex Hughes Capell in Overcoming the Wall of Awful to present his comprehensive model. The book explores:

• How anxiety works and why it gets in the way
• Ways people try to get past the Wall that don’t work—and what does
• How to climb your Wall of Awful and take back control

Learn how to identify key emotions, the bricks in your Wall. Then, learn the tricks, systems, and habits you’ll need to not just climb one Wall—but to overcome your blocks throughout your life, one step at a time. The Wall is real, but you are stronger than you know.

A groundbreaking book from the “Stress Reset Expert” reveals that contrary to popular belief, cortisol isn’t the enemy—it’s an essential hormone your body depends on to function, heal, and thrive, and the key to reclaiming your health is restoring your natural supply. For fans of Good Energy and Age Like a Girl.

Our relationship to cortisol, the stress hormone, is often misconstrued. We believe cortisol is bad—something we want to lower and keep at bay. But here’s the truth: the migraines, bloating, mood swings, weight gain, and joint pain may not stem from too much cortisol at all. More often, they arise when your body’s cortisol levels are depleted. When you learn how your system really interacts with this vital hormone, you create the conditions for your body to repair, rebalance, and reset.

In The Cortisol Cure, Dr. Erin Kinney introduces her powerful and accessible framework: the “Cortisol Bank Account.” Think of cortisol as the “currency” your body uses to generate energy, handle stress, heal, and perform at its best. When you rest, you earn cortisol. When stress demands your attention—physical, emotional or environmental —you spend it. And just like with any budget, when you consistently spend more than you earn, you slip into hormonal debt. This debt sends your body into survival mode and can manifest as a wide range of symptoms that feel mysterious or disconnected.

This book maps the journey Dr. Kinney has used to help over 7,000 patients and clients heal their body, health, and life. You will:

• Understand what you want for your body—you’ll learn how to balance your relationship with cortisol in each area of your life.
• Read real patient stories that illustrate the science in clear, relatable, and empowering ways.
• Learn habits that you can put into practice—and that will stick for the long term.
  

The Cortisol Cure is a wake-up call and action plan for anyone who doesn’t feel well and isn’t sure why, but needs to feel better. If you’re human and you want to be well—this book is for you.

Kaleidoscopic culture critic Chuck Klosterman rewrites the history of reality in an “ingenious” (Kirkus Reviews) work of speculative fiction based on a question that has never been considered or (in all likelihood) even asked: What if The Beatles had only developed a cult following while the Velvet Underground emerged as the most popular band in the world?

“This twisted, ironic tribute will delight, surprise, and provoke rock fans.” (Publishers Weekly starred review)

The Velvet Underground & Nico was released in the spring of 1967. For decades, the cliche has been that it initially only sold 10,000 copies, though everyone who bought it supposedly started a band. It is the definition of a record whose influence outstrips its mass popularity. But what if the opposite had transpired? What if instead of selling 10,000 copies, it had sold…10 million copies? What if it had sold 100 million copies? What would have happened if the Velvet Underground had inexplicably become the biggest group in the history of popular music, and everything about the rest of the 20th century was merely a footnote to that phenomenon?

Whatever answer you imagine is an infinitesimal splinter, at least when compared to Rock*. Chuck Klosterman has generated a fictitious universe where almost everything is different, except for the songs. The songs remain the same—the difference is how they are heard and what they now mean. Lou Reed is a messiah, reversing the monoculture and dictating the outcome of presidential elections. The Beatles disappear, though they never break up. The Rolling Stones collapse while Led Zeppelin goes bankrupt. Punk rock fills stadiums, undermined only by insouciant radicals like Boston and Van Halen. Disco is destroyed. Hip-hop becomes country. The 1980s are defined by disposable pop icons (like G.G. Allin) and Christian revivalists (like Madonna). Lenny Kravitz lets love rule, Oasis collides with a wonderwall, and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 are somehow blamed on the Strokes.

Presented like The Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll if written by Philip K. Dick, Jorge Luis Borges, and Patrick Bateman, Rock* intermixes satiric contrarianism and Spinal Tap-ish absurdity with darker theories about what makes art popular, how success delineates perception, and the inescapable consensus of subjective history. It is not, nor does it claim to be, the greatest book ever written about rock and roll. But it’s probably the last one that ever needs to be written.

In the spirit of American cultural prophecy—from Ta-Nehisi Coates to Rebecca Solnit—acclaimed writer Casey Gerald offers a groundbreaking work of joyous dissent and stunning vision, a survival guide to a society in crisis.

“Somehow Casey Gerald has pulled off the most urgently political, most deeply personal, and most engagingly spiritual statement of our time by just looking outside his window and inside himself. Extraordinary.” —Marlon James on There Will Be No Miracles Here

Most afternoons for the past three years, Casey Gerald took a walk. He would pass the compound that Elon Musk was building in his neighborhood; the burned-down Freedman’s church; the little house where he and his lover Jack had seen a shooting star. He knew the world was crumbling, but he didn’t fret. He had been promised: When it breaks, you’ll be ready.

“There is a great unfolding going on,” Gerald writes, “and all the clues for what’s to come are planted in the people.” In this quietly redemptive and lyrical book, Gerald shares his map for finding those clues, finding each other, and finding our way out of this dark and wearied time. On the other side of No, Gerald insists, there is a Yes—an embrace of what we really want, what we might finally claim once we refuse.

Calling forth a kaleidoscopic cast, from Odysseus to D’Angelo, Sun Tzu to Simone Biles, Black literati and desert mystics, Gerald implores us to take our power back and to remake the world together, on our terms. Written with Didion’s cold eye and Baldwin’s unflinching urgency, and with the dark humor of a man who’s seen too much but still wants to see what’s next, The Great Refusal is a lifeline from the other side of ruin.

We live in a world marked by outrage and entitlement—a culture that thrives on division, discontent, and loneliness—yet as followers of Christ, we’re invited to something radically different.

In this powerful and practical book, Nirup Alphonse explores seven key distinctions between cultural attitudes and biblical virtues rooted in the teachings of Jesus and His command to “shine as lights.”

Rather than conforming to the world’s patterns, we’re invited to live an extraordinary life of:

• Joy in a world of offense
• Contentment in a world of greed
• Mercy in a world of indifference
• Freedom in a world of slavery
• Wisdom in a world of foolishness
• Authority in a world of discouragement
• Fellowship in a world of performance

These countercultural choices are not just moral ideals—they’re the very ways we reflect the light of Christ and live in illuminating contrast to the culture. If you’re hungry for God and long for a faith that’s deeper than cultural Christianity—a faith that transforms your heart and impacts the world—this book will guide you into a life that stands out for the glory of God.

Meet Cortney LaCorte, your new best friend who overshares everything: run-don’t-walk recipes, immediate add-to-cart shopping hauls, her that’s-so-relatable daily grind, and all the hilarious hijinks along the way.

“Equal parts Southern soul, cocktail-hour glamour, and laugh-out-loud kitchen wisdom.” —Clea Shearer, New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of The Home Edit

The Nashville-based food and lifestyle creator, known online as @cheesegal, got her start crafting over-the-top cheeseboards for country music’s elite and going viral for her elevated bite-sized snacks (caviar on a saltine? yes, please!) and airplane cocktails (pro tip: carry on your own Bloody Mary accoutrements). Now, in her debut cookbook, Cort conveys how she makes every meal feel special, whether it’s a Tuesday night home alone or a feast for friends.

Oversharing is filled with comforting recipes that are organized into playful chapters for every meal and moment. Want to unwind with guilt-free reality TV? Settle in for one of Cort’s famous Bougie Couch Snacks, like Chili Crisp Elevated Popcorn. Too tired to cook? Consider Caesar Salad Meatball Smash Burgers and Pantry Puttanesca Pasta your new favorite Weak-Night Dinners. Impress your guests with When to Wow’s Whole Bottle of Cab Pot Roast and Raise the Bar’s Dirty Like the Cumberland Martini, extra dirty and extra shaken, naturally. Then finish it all off with Kar’s Potato Chip and Pecan Cookies, a Dessert You Won’t Desert. Plus, Cort dishes out practical advice, including her ten kitchen commandments (leave your butter on the counter—and make sure it’s salted) and even a culinary dictionary (“cocktail cardio” anyone?).

With easy, flavor-forward recipes and hilarious anecdotes you’ll want to immediately text to your best friend, Oversharing reminds us that the best meals, and the best moments, are meant to be shared.

Clinical neuropsychologist and learning disorder expert Dr. Katie Davis offers a new, illuminating approach to child development, helping you to support your child through their challenges—without leaping to a diagnosis.

As parents, we want nothing more than our child to thrive in each stage of development. Seeing them struggle in that process can be difficult, but sometimes, it’s normal. After years of research, Dr. Davis suggests that a diagnosis isn’t always the answer helping our kids keep up with the curve.

Actually, You’re Fine is a compassionate guide to childhood development that reveals anxiety is natural when it comes to tracking your child’s development. Our instinct, when we notice a child struggling, is often to search for a label—to assume that difficulty must signal a disorder. But the rush to pathologize can be harmful for both parents and kids for a range of reasons, from unnecessary medication to misallocation of resources. Rather than feeling capable and ready to take on life’s challenges, children can feel that their challenges are unacceptable and taboo. Overdiagnosis can also stigmatize kids who are genuinely struggling.

With actionable insights, Dr. Davis empowers you to advocate for your children at school, and foster their development at home. You’ll learn:

• How diagnoses are achieved—and what they actually mean
• Critical information about emergent diagnoses that aren’t actually codified—and why this trend can do more harm than good
• The difference between symptoms and diagnoses
• Reasons why your child might be struggling in school, and interventions to help improve their functioning
• How to accurately identify when more support is necessary and navigate the institutions that can provide it
• The various interconnected challenges children can have—cognitive, social, and emotional
• An accessible, realistic approach to maximizing your child’s potential in a world of overachievement

Actually, You’re Fine offers clear-eyed and empathetic guidance to help parents, caregivers, and educators watch your kids succeed without pathologizing them—while still being able to recognize if a child does need an intervention.
 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Mo Willems and debut cookbook author Cher Willems comes a do-together Elephant & Piggie family cookbook with 50 yummy recipes including breakfasts, snacks, soups and stews, mains, and desserts!

The only thing Piggie likes more than making slop is sharing her favorite family recipes with her best friend Elephant Gerald and YOU! So put on your apron, grab your oven mitts, and let’s get cooking!

Elephant Gerald and Piggie are joined by Auntie Pearl, Uncle Stew the Smorgasboar, Suzie Sous Chef, Irvine Fine Dine Van Swine, and Uncle Maurice who are excited to make everything from Granola Crunch-ola to Hoagie Dish Delish, Yes-Pleasy Mac-and-Cheesy, and Ooey Gooey Lava Cakes. Perfect for kids and former kids to make and bake together, this super-special best-friending cookbook even includes the recipe for Piggie’s Signature Slop!

Fully illustrated, beautifully photographed, and expertly developed, the Elephant & Piggie cookbook features tasty recipes, kid-friendly kitchen skills, helpful cooking tips and tricks, plus fun food facts. Mo and Cher Willems bring you the sloppiest, easiest, do-together cookbook for the whole family!

The instant #1 New York Times bestselling author and creator of PlantYou is back with her easiest recipes yet!

Thirty minutes or less. Five-minute prep. Batch cooking. Dump-and-bake meals everyone will love. No matter how little time you have for the kitchen, Quickies has you covered with healthy, delicious meals.

PlantYou: Quickies is your go-to guide for fast, easy, plant-based cooking on days when you feel like doing anything but. Designed for real life and real schedules, Carleigh’s recipes will help you get a fabulous meal on the table.
In Quickies you’ll find:

• Approachable, speedy recipes, many doable in 30 minutes or less
• Carleigh’s signature “Got This, Make That” visual guide to help you use what you have in your fridge and pantry
• Dump & Bake and S.O.S. (Save Our Sanity) Suppers sections for minimal mess and maximum ease
• Shortcuts and meal prep tips for when your time and energy are limited
• Gluten, nut, and oil-free options, giving you the flexibility to adapt to your own dietary needs
• A Plant Point counter with each recipe, so you can eat healthier without the stress.

With recipes for every meal, Quickies will make plant-based cooking simple, speedy, practical, and truly delicious!