As the midterm election season approaches, the publishing industry expects fiction to take center stage in bookstores, even as political news dominates the broader media cycle. Retail analysts note that while political nonfiction remains a staple, the market has seen a cooling effect compared to the peak interest observed during the first term of former President Donald Trump.
Kristen McLean, an analyst and vice president for client insights at Circana, suggests that the current political climate has left many readers feeling exhausted, leading to subdued energy for political titles. Shannon DeVito, senior director of books at Barnes & Noble, agrees, noting that the rapid pace of the modern news cycle makes it difficult for specific political books to gain significant traction.
Despite this, several high-profile political works are hitting shelves. Former President Joe Biden’s memoir, “Promise Me, America,” is positioned as a major release, serving as a rare, high-profile political offering. Other notable titles include Michael Lewis’ “Blockers,” which examines the Trump administration’s second term through the perspective of government employees, and works revisiting the Biden years, such as Brett McGurk’s “Brink: Inside the Race to Free the Oct. 7 Hostages” and Akbar Shahid Ahmed’s “Crossing the Red Line,” a study of Biden’s Gaza war policies.
Even veteran political chronicler Bob Woodward is shifting his focus. In “Secrets: A Reporter’s Memoir,” he reflects on his career covering the White House from the Nixon administration and the Watergate era to the present. DeVito anticipates that Woodward’s personal approach will attract a broader audience than his previous, more strictly political exposés.
The fiction landscape is particularly robust this season, featuring new works from Pulitzer Prize winners Barbara Kingsolver and Hernan Diaz. Kingsolver returns with “Partita,” a story about a former musical prodigy, while Diaz follows his success with “Trust” by releasing “Ply,” a dystopian, Dickensian novel set in a chaotic future. Reflecting on their shared success, Diaz emphasized that he views literature as a collaborative conversation rather than a competition.
Romantasy remains a powerful driver of sales, with major releases from Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas. Maas is debuting “A Court of Splintered Harmony,” the sixth entry in her popular series, while Yarros is releasing “Threshing Day,” a collection of 13 stories set in her Empyrean universe, alongside a standalone novel, “Peculiar Stars.”
The season also includes significant literary contributions from Nobel laureate Jon Fosse with “Vaim Hotel,” and Booker Prize contenders such as Marlon James’ “The Disappearers,” Emma Cline’s “Switzy,” and Rebecca Perry’s “May We Feed the King.” Rachel Cusk’s meta-novel “Life of M” is generating buzz for its portrayal of a movie star, while Chad Harbach returns with “The Brightness,” his first novel since 2011. Other notable fiction releases include works by Min Jin Lee, Emily St. John Mandel, Yiyun Li, Edwidge Danticat, Kate Atkinson, Deesha Philyaw, Diane Williams, Laleh Khadivi, R.F. Kuang, and Norah Labiner.
Genre fiction fans have much to look forward to as well, including the final “Talisman” novel, “Other Worlds Than These,” by Stephen King and the late Peter Straub. Alice Hoffman is launching a new series with “The Witches of Cambridge,” Brandon Sanderson is releasing “Blightfall,” co-written with Janci Patterson, John Grisham has a new thriller titled “The French Illusion,” and S.A. Cosby is debuting a Marvel Crime novel, “Truth to Power,” featuring Luke Cage.
Memoirs from Hollywood icons are also set to make an impact. Sylvester Stallone will release “The Steps,” Michael Douglas is publishing “One Helluva Ride,” and Dustin Hoffman’s “Look at Me” offers an intimate look at his life and career. Other non-fiction highlights include Gloria Steinem’s “An Unexpected Life,” Colin Kaepernick’s “The Perilous Fight,” and Chuck Lorre’s memoir, “Sitcom.” Additionally, the late “Grey’s Anatomy” star Eric Dane’s “My Book of Days” will be released posthumously.
History and social commentary continue to find a place on bookshelves. Works like Ryback’s “53 Days,” Victor Sebestyen’s “Weimar Germany,” Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor’s “End Times Fascism,” and Jill Lepore’s “The Report” examine the fragility of democracy. Meanwhile, Celeste Headlee’s “Freedom’s Daughters” explores race, and music history is represented by Grandmaster Flash and Robert “Scoop” Jackson’s “Birth of a Culture” and Stephanie Phillips’ “We Were Here.”
Historical narratives are also prominent, with Pulitzer winner Alan Taylor’s “Tower Hill” covering the 1831 Nat Turner rebellion, and Harriet A. Washington’s “Renaissance Men” honoring overlooked Black physicians. Finally, classical literature maintains its relevance; Emily Wilson’s “Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea” explores Greek tragedy and modern culture, while former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo releases “Cloud Runner,” a deeply personal reflection on the loss of her daughter, Rainy Ortiz. The report also notes that i don’t think literature is a race or a tennis tournament,” Diaz says. The report also notes that the richer the conversation becomes and the more readers are engaged.”, i think the more good books that are out there. The report also notes that fiction sales have been solid in 2026 and will likely remain high if only because the two most prominent romantasy authors, Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. The report also notes that but, among book buyers, fiction will likely have top billing, midterm election news will fill the headlines this fall. The report also notes that who for decades released timely exposés of sitting presidents, is passing on current politics, even Bob Woodward. The report also notes that where the two drank bourbon and bonded over literature and other common interests, diaz says he met Kingsolver at the Pulitzer ceremony. The report also notes that maas is releasing “A Court of Splintered Harmony,” the sixth volume of “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” with the seventh installment scheduled for early next year.
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