Summer Reads: Catch the wave of new and noteworthy public health books

Sophia Meador

The Crooked Places Made Straight: Reflections on the Moral Meaning of America

Raphael Warnock, PhD, MPhil, MDiv

For Sen. Warnock, democracy is the political enactment of a spiritual idea. His new book examines six crises at the center of American life — voting rights and voter suppression, gun violence, mass incarceration, persistent poverty, dark money in politics, and the climate crisis. Warnock explores a vision for a more just and equitable America. Penguin Press, 2026

The Pecan Sheller

Lupe Ruiz-Flores

In 1930s San Antonio, 13-year-old Petra drops out of school and becomes a pecan sheller at a local factory to help her family. Faced with grueling conditions and low pay, Petra and her fellow workers lead a six-week strike, risking their jobs and safety. Based on real-life events that occurred in San Antonio — host of APHA's 2026 Annual Meeting and Expo — this children's book tells a little-known story about the fight for worker rights and change. Carolrhoda Books, 2025

There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America

Brian Goldstone, PhD

As rents soar and tenant protections lag, many low-wage workers are being pushed into homelessness. In his Pulitzer Prize–winning book, Goldstone follows the struggles of five Atlanta families, revealing a deepening crisis and arguing that lasting solutions require treating housing as a fundamental human right. Crown, 2025

Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth

Daisy Hernández, MFA, MA

As the daughter of Cuban and Colombian immigrants, journalist Hernández has long questioned what it means to be American. Drawing on her own family's experiences, she probes the laws, customs and language that shape inclusion and exclusion, unpacking the myths and realities of citizenship and offering a reframed view of how the U.S. defines itself. Hogarth, 2026

The Preventioneers: Diseases, Disasters and the Discoveries That Changed Our World

Barry Davis, MD, PhD

Davis, a physician and scientist, examines what drives changemakers to challenge the status quo to prevent disaster. Drawing on historical research and real-world case studies, the book shows courage, strategic thinking and sustained advocacy are needed to create meaningful change through prevention. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026

Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species

Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, MA & Jiaying Zhao, PhD, MA

Psychologist Dunn and climate behavior scientist Zhao challenge sacrifice-driven narratives, showing how climate-friendly choices can be rewarding and fulfilling. They say small, positive changes can build momentum toward collective action, helping drive meaningful, lasting change that doesn't lead to exhaustion or burnout. Avery, 2026

Deployed: A Physician on the Front Lines of Global Health

Kevin De Cock, MD

From the AIDS pandemic to outbreaks of Ebola and yellow fever and beyond, physician De Cock has been in the trenches. Drawing on his experiences, he offers a narrative that bridges clinical and cultural perspectives, providing both inspiration and practical guidance for a new generation of health leaders. JHU Press, 2025

Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America's New Age of Disaster

Jacob Soboroff, MA

For journalist Soboroff, years of reporting could not prepare him for covering the 2025 Palisades fires as they engulfed his hometown. His narrative reveals wildfires as a window into the future, one where the devastation seen today is only a preview of what lies ahead. Mariner Books, 2026

The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land

Aziz Abu Sarah & Maoz Inon

Palestinian journalist Abu Sarah and Israeli activist Inon formed an unlikely bond of brotherhood when the world expected them to be enemies. Both lost family to the conflict and have known righteous anger, yet chose a different path. On a transformative weeklong journey, they confront competing narratives and explore how compassion and unity can pull humanity back from hatred. Crown, 2026

The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics

Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, & Mark Olshaker

While the COVID-19 pandemic was the most devastating public health outbreak of the past century, epidemiologist Osterholm and journalist Olshaker predict that “the big one” is still ahead. Drawing on past pandemics and how societies have succeeded and failed in their response, as well as lessons from COVID-19, the new book serves as a wake-up call about what lies ahead and what is needed to survive the next pandemic. Little, Brown Spark, 2025

Redeem a Nation: The Century-Long Battle to Restore the Soul of America

Damario Solomon-Simmons, JD, MEd

More than a century after the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, attorney Solomon-Simmons continues the fight for justice. He chronicles his legal case for reparations and the moving stories of survivors and descendants, while offering a path forward grounded in reform, accountability and community-driven healing. Storehouse Voices, 2026

Leave If You Can: Migration and Violence in Bordered Worlds

Amelia Frank-Vitale, PhD

Anthropologist Frank-Vitale argues that shifting U.S. border enforcement policies are fueling the very migration crisis they aim to solve. Drawing on firsthand experiences with Honduran migrants, Frank-Vitale shows how immigrant caravans function as both protest and survival strategies in response to increasingly restrictive border regimes. University of California Press, 2026

I Identify as Blind: A Brazen Celebration of Disability Culture, Identity and Power

Lachi

Artist Lachi dismantles stereotypes and reshapes narratives of disability identity in her new book. Through personal storytelling and pop culture deep dives, she challenges views on disability and neurodivergence, arguing why dropping stigma is the ultimate glow-up. Each story in her inspiring book reframes disability as a source of strength. Tiny Reparations Books, 2026