My Top 7 Non-Fiction Books for 2026

The year 2025 is wrapping up, and I’m already thinking about my reading goals for 2026. As I do every year, I join the Goodreads challenge (it has become a little tradition and is a fun way to stay motivated).

In 2024, I managed to read 22 books, beating my goal of 20. This year, 2025, I hit my target of 20 again, which feels great! But next year will be different. With big changes coming at work, I know my reading time will be limited. So instead of pushing myself, I’m setting a more realistic goal: 12 books for 2026.

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As I did for 2025, I’ve put together a reading list to kick things off. I’m not planning every single book (there’s always something new and exciting that pops up during the year), but I’ve picked a few must-reads to start with.

1. Supremacy (Parmy Olson, 2024): AI is everywhere, and the pace of change in 2025 has been staggering. In Supremacy, Wall Street tech journalist Parmy Olson takes readers behind the scenes of AI’s rapid evolution. She explores how breakthroughs are reshaping industries, the power struggles between tech giants and what surprises AI might have in store for the coming years. I am already looking forward to reading it.
2. Strong Ground (Brené Brown, 2025): I’ve always enjoyed reading leadership books: they give me fresh perspectives for both work and life. Strong Ground by Brené Brown was recommended to me by a colleague who knows how much I value authentic leadership. In this book, Brown dives deep into the power of vulnerability, resilience and trust as the foundation for strong leadership.
3. The Art of Spending Money (Morgan Housel, 2025): In 2024 I’ve read Housel’s bestselling book The Psychology of Money which has become the best book for personal finances I’ve read so far. Therefore, I am very much looking forward to his new book focusing on how to use money intentionally, maximize happiness and creating financial freedom without unnecessary guilt or stress.
4. Deep Work (Cal Newport, 2016): The book has been out a while and I’ve read a lot of articles on deep work already. In 2026 it’s time to dive into the original.
5. The Formula (Albert-László Barabási, 2024): The author reveals the science behind success, showing how networks, reputation and hidden patterns (not just talent) shape achievement in life and work.
6. Abundance (Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson, 2025): It is an optimistic look at how accelerating technologies, innovation, and human ingenuity can solve global challenges and create a future of plenty for everyone. So I hope it’ll be a refreshing read after the dystopian books on how our future might look like.
7. Everything is Tuberculosis (John Green, 2025): This is a book that explains how tuberculosis has shaped human history and health, showing its surprising influence on society in simple terms. I want to read it because it’s something different compared to my usual topics.

These were my 7 must-reads for 2025. Further considerations for next year are the following books:

• Good Power (Ginni Rometty, 2023): Another leadership book that has been on my reading list (after I saw a talk of Rometty) for quite some time now. It’s about leading with purpose, resilience, and integrity while challenging the negative perception of the word “power” in leadership.
• The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control (Katherine Morgan Schafler, 2023): The content is simple: it helps perfectionists stop trying to control everything and learn to accept imperfection and uncertainty.
• The Singularity Is Nearer (Ray Kurzweil, 2024): Ray Kurzweil explores how rapid advances in AI and biotechnology are bringing us closer to a future where humans and machines merge.
• Why We Sleep (Matthew Walker, 2017): Another book that’s been on my reading list for a while. The author explores the science of sleep, explaining its crucial role in our health, brain function, and overall well-being.

Additionally, I want to read a novel here and there as well:

• Eduacated (Tara Westover, 2018): I started reading this book in 2025 and plan to finish it in early 2026. It’s been a great read so far. Even though it’s non-fiction, it feels like a story. Tara Westover writes about growing up in a strict Mormon family with no formal schooling, no trust in doctors, and faith guiding every decision. She eventually left that life, got an education, and became a successful historian and author.
• Animal Farm (George Orwell, 1945): I enjoyed his masterpiece 1984 a lot. Therefore, I’ll give this one a shot as well.
• War and Peace (Leo Tolstoi, 1867): This classic novel is a must-read and I’ve been reading parts of this series for the last two years. Let’s see how far I can go next year.

Thank you for reading and have a great 2025 full of interesting and engaging books!