All the books you should read in 2023

Books that tell fun stories are always the most memorable, but too often we leave non-fiction behind. Personal accounts and lived experiences offer us a vital tool for building compassion and allow us to imagine a better world: the personal is political, after all.

With the arrival of the new year, it’s time to get familiar with some of publishing’s most powerful new voices. Whether you’re interested in Munroe Bergdorf’s moving reflections on transitioning, renowned climate activist Mikaela Loach’s long-awaited manifesto, Iggy London’s conversational anthology around Black masculinity, or books that tackle social issues from abortion rights to unionisation – we’ve got you.

Below, Adele Walton, Dazed’s new political book columnist, shares a handful of the best non-fiction books to expect in 2023.

IT’S NOT THAT RADICAL – MIKAELA LOACH

Named by Forbes, Global Citizen and the BBC’s Woman’s Hour as one of the most influential women in the UK climate movement, Mikaela Loach is a powerhouse. If you follow her Instagram, you’ll know that Mikaela continually shines a light on the intersections between climate change, racism and capitalism. This book will tackle how the climate crisis has its roots in capitalist exploitation, colonial legacies of global inequality, and white supremacy. Her debut book is a long-awaited read for anyone who is keen to understand the systemic causes of climate degradation and what we can do about it.

6 April, Dorling Kindersley. Preorder here.

MAD WORLD: THE POLITICS OF MENTAL HEALTH – MICHA FRAZER-CARROLL 

Despite being something that affects each and every one of us, the way we understand and treat mental health continues to be largely ineffective and reductive. Micha Frazer-Carroll argues that mental health must be understood not only as a health issue, but a political one too, and that ‘raising awareness’ is no longer enough. This book traces the history of psychiatric diagnosis, alternative models of care, law and the decarceration of health, and more. Mad World offers a radical antidote to the constraints of our current conceptualisation of mental health and calls for a transformative reimagination of this sphere.

20 June, Pluto Press. Preorder here.

MANDEM – IGGY LONDON

The importance of male role models, the unique relationship between mother and son, the sexual pressure placed on young heterosexual men, and what Black queerness looks like today – these are just some of the vital topics explored in Mandem, an essay anthology featuring work from a talented range of Black writers. By tapping into their vulnerability and engaging in honest conversations, the voices in Mandem offer a refreshing take on raw topics, stripping back taboos and opening up new spaces for expression. 

9 March, Jacaranda Books. Preorder here.

BODIES UNDER SIEGE – SIAN NORRIS

With the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, it’s clear that the assault on reproductive rights has become a site for far-right facism in the 21st century. Granted, women’s bodies have always been used as a tool for control and oppression, but as far-right movements become more mainstream, access to reproductive healthcare is becoming increasingly at risk. In this book, reporter Sian Norris goes undercover on incel forums and the dark web to reveal how anti-abortion extremism has shaped government policy and fuelled the rise of far-right conservatism. 

6 June, Verso. Preorder here.

TRANSITIONAL: IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE ALL TRANSITION – MUNROE BERGDORF

In this reflective book, activist and writer Munroe Bergdorf reveals how transitioning is a universal part of the human experience, and something that all of us can relate to. By writing from her personal experience of gender transition and integrating theory from key experts and activists, Bergdorf reveals how we can understand transitioning as a shared experience. By shining a light on the inevitable reality of change, it aims to bring us together and build a more understanding and inclusive world.

16 February, Bloomsbury. Preorder here.

RADICAL INTIMACY – SOPHIE K ROSA

Network, connect, put yourself out there – capitalist ideology sells us a lie on the purpose of relationships that reduces them to their ‘value’, leaving little room for empathy and care. In a world wracked by successive economic and social crises, Sophie K Rosa offers us an alternative; she demands we imagine and create a better world through love. Featuring critiques of the wellness industry boom, an examination of racist and misogynist state violence, and an interrogation of the framing of the family, ageing and death, Radical Intimacy is an introduction to a utopian worldview that has compassion at its heart.

19 March, Pluto Press. Preorder here.

BLACK WOMEN WRITERS AT WORK – CLAUDIA TATE

A cult classic, Haymarket are finally republishing Black Women Writers at Work. This anthology features candid interviews with iconic Black Women writers such as Toni Morrison, Maya Angeolu, Audre Lorde and more. The book explores why and for whom they write, as well as how they perceive their responsibility to their work. This book is a vital read for any writer who wants to delve further into how our craft bridges connections between our lives, our experiences and our purpose.

10 January, Haymarket Books. Preorder here.

THE NORTH WILL RISE AGAIN – ALEX NIVEN

The North Will Rise Again is an in-depth exploration written by a native Northerner who wants answers to some of the biggest political questions facing the North in modern times. The North/South divide, the collapse of Labour’s Red Wall and the impact of austerity are all explored within this book, interwoven with Niben’s own personal story and family history. This book delves into how our country came to be so starkly divided, how geographical divides have shaped socioeconomic inequality, and what the future looks like for the North.

2 February, Bloomsbury. Preorder here.

TROUBLEMAKING: WHY YOU SHOULD ORGANISE YOUR WORKPLACE – LYDIA HUGHES AND JAMIE WOODCOCK

2022 saw hot strike summer unfold across the UK. A wave of collective action took workplaces by storm, with employees demanding change as the cost of living crisis laid bare the scale of worker exploitation – all while CEOs and executives made (and continue to make) astronomical profits. Troublemaking combines years of conversations with workers on the frontlines across the globe with clear points for action. Written by two union members who have experience in organising, this book is a great entry point if you’re new to the world of unionising and worker solidarity.

25 April, Verso. Preorder here.

THE OTHERED WOMAN: HOW WHITE FEMINISM HARMS MUSLIM WOMEN – SHAHED EZAYDI 

For too long, white liberal feminism has dominated narratives of gender equality and social change, all the while excluding women who do not conform to Eurocentric standards. Muslim women have largely been subject to this experience of othering and exclusion, with paternalistic and racist tropes making them simultaneously invisible and hypervisible. In her debut book, journalist Shahed Ezaydi dispels myths about Muslim women, highlights how they are rejecting white feminism, and explores how they are fighting for their own form of liberation. This book depends on pledges from generous readers in order for it to be published and end up in your hands: you can pledge your support here.

Unbound.