The books below reflect the absolute abundance of great genre-bending nonfiction published this year. I could have made this list twice as long, easily. It’s not an accident, I think, that most of these books come from small presses. If you’re looking for unclassifiable, experimental writing, small presses are the place to find them. Also, it’s not an accident that several of these books deal with queerness in some way. And it’s not an accident that many of these books are by writers of color grappling with experiences of colonialism, racism, and migration. These experiences seem to call for or invite a kind of writing that defies limitations and boundaries. The intersection of marginalized identities and innovative structures seems particularly fruitful. Take a look at the list of the year’s best genre-bending nonfiction below and see what appeals to you! I hope some of the genre-bending nonfiction books on this list have caught your eye! If you’re in search of more great nonfiction, check out the 15 best nonfiction books from 2021, the 20 best nonfiction books of the decade, and the 50 best nonfiction books of the past century. Book Riot has much, much more nonfiction content just waiting for you.
