The NYT Best Sellers - 31 August 2025 (Nonfiction)

The NYT Best Sellers - 31 August 2025 (Nonfiction)

01. THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk
02. THE FORT BRAGG CARTEL by Seth Harp
03. SEMI-WELL-ADJUSTED DESPITE LITERALLY EVERYTHING by Alyson Stoner
04. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt
05. CUDI by Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi
06. THE IDAHO FOUR by James Patterson
07. ON POWER by Mark R. Levin
08. BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah
09. BLACK AF HISTORY by Michael Harriot
10. ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder
11. EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS by John Green
12. THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls
13. A CITY ON MARS by Kelly Weinersmith
14. OUTLIVE by Peter Attia
15. ABUNDANCE by Ezra Klein

New this week:

Seth Harp—a Rolling Stone investigative reporter and Iraq-war veteran—uncovers a web of drug-trafficking, corruption, and unsolved murders linking elite U.S. Special Forces at Fort Bragg to Mexican cartels and foreign warzones. Tracking at least fourteen soldiers arrested or killed while moving narcotics in the past five years, Harp shows how America’s largest military base became the nexus of a “cartel” thriving on covert operations and lax oversight. The narrative begins with the 2020 double homicide of Delta Force operator Billy Lavigne and JSOC logistics officer Timothy Dumas, then follows a trail through Afghanistan’s heroin economy and clandestine missions worldwide.

Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is a candid memoir by actor-dancer Alyson Stoner, chronicling their journey from child stardom in Hollywood to navigating personal trauma, mental health struggles, and self-discovery. Stoner reflects on a fractured home life marked by substance abuse, eating disorders, religious trauma, and the exploitative "toddler to trainwreck pipeline" of child actors. Raised on soundstages from age six, they recount experiences like 80-hour work weeks, industry pressures on body image, and discovering their sexuality amid church teachings. The book connects entertainment ecosystem issues with broader themes of identity, privacy, and healing, serving as a call for industry reform and a roadmap for breaking generational trauma.

Cudi: The Memoir is the first autobiography by Grammy-winning artist Kid Cudi, tracing his life from childhood in Cleveland to worldwide fame, while candidly recounting battles with depression, addiction, and self-doubt. Written during a period of deep self-reflection, the book serves as a “narrative of survival,” mapping his path back to joy and self-acceptance and offering lessons on vulnerability, reinvention, and perseverance. Featuring Cudi’s own artwork and previously unseen photos, it aims to resonate with readers as his music has, giving guidance and hope through hard times.