Independent Press Nonfiction Bestsellers for September 2026

Emily Wilson's 'Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature' is the number one bestseller from independent presses for the week ending September 20, 2026. The list, compiled by Lit Hub, features 40 titles across history, politics, nature, and memoir.

Liveright published the top-selling book, a study of ancient literature by classicist Emily Wilson. The publisher also holds positions two, three, five, and twenty-three on the chart. W.W. Norton is the most frequently appearing publisher, with ten titles in the top forty.

Leading Titles and Authors

The top five bestsellers include works of history, cultural critique, and natural science. Following Wilson's book on ancient texts is Jill Lepore's 'The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State' in second place. Kristin Kobes Du Mez's analysis of white Christian women, 'Live Laugh Love', takes third. Robin Wall Kimmerer's 'Braiding Sweetgrass' ranks fourth, and John U. Bacon's shipwreck investigation 'The Gales of November' is fifth.

Notable authors appear with multiple entries. Robert Macfarlane has two books on the list: 'Is a River Alive?' at number eight and 'The Book of Birds', co-authored with Jackie Morris, at twelve. Kristin Kobes Du Mez also appears twice, with her earlier work 'Jesus and John Wayne' at number thirty.

Publisher Representation

The chart demonstrates the strength of several independent publishing houses. A wide range of presses, from large independents to university and niche publishers, are represented. The data shows which publishers had the most titles in the top forty for this period.

Other publishers with single entries include Astra House, Greystone Books, Steerforth, Beacon Press, Melville House, Graywolf Press, Spiegel & Grau, Harvard University Press, Parallax Press, Yale University Press, Atlantic Monthly Press, New Harbinger Publications, Oregon State University Press, The Experiment, Grove Press, and Haymarket Books.

Subject Matter and Themes

The nonfiction list covers a vast array of topics. History and politics are prominent, with books examining democracy, genocide, the Trump era, and Christian nationalism. Nature and science are another major category, featuring titles on trees, rivers, birds, moss, and human anatomy.

Memoir and philosophy are also present, with Viktor Frankl's classic 'Man's Search for Meaning' at sixteen and Frédéric Gros's 'A Philosophy of Walking' at twenty-eight. The list includes practical guides, such as 'How to Relax' by Thich Nhat Hanh and 'Notes to New Mothers' edited by Rebecca Knight. The final entry is 'Against Tech Oligarchy' by Js Tan and Clarissa Redwine, a study of worker resistance in the tech industry.