9 Can’t-Miss Books to Start Off 2026

Announcing our Next Big Idea Club season finalists.

Every season, the Next Big Idea Club editorial team reviews dozens of upcoming books to curate a selection of the most exciting, must-read nonfiction titles. We start with a broad pool of nominees from which we identify a small handful of finalists and, ultimately, an official season selection.

Today, it’s our pleasure to share our list of five finalists for Season 29! Without further ado, the new books we’re most excited about right now are…

The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World

By Brad Stulberg
Publication Date: January 27, 2026

A practical guide to realizing our potential amid the chaos of modern life and learning how to reconnect to ourselves, our work, and each other by focusing on the pursuit of excellence. View on Amazon

Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment

By Daniel Coyle
Publication Date: February 3, 2026

A science-based, practical blueprint for cultivating a life—at work and at home—full of belonging, joy, and vitality. View on Amazon

Why We Click: The Emerging Science of Interpersonal Synchrony

By Kate Murphy
Publication Date: January 27, 2026

Why do you immediately click with some people while others just as inexplicably turn you off? Do people emit vibes? Is it possible to read a room? Are bad habits contagious? Kate Murphy answers these and other fascinating questions. View on Amazon

The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us

By Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
Publication Date: January 13, 2026

Drawing on biology, psychology, and philosophy, Goldstein argues that this need to matter―and the various “mattering projects” it inspires―is the source of our greatest progress and our deepest conflicts. View on Amazon

Read on for the rest of the list: