The Next Big Idea Club’s January 2026 Must-Read Books
Start the year off right with one of these 29 titles.
I’m excited to introduce a new batch of standout nonfiction—the most compelling and thought-provoking titles scheduled for release in January 2026.
Each of these books has earned a spot on our longlist for Season 29 of the Next Big Idea Club. In the coming months, we will narrow our sights on a smaller pool of finalists. At the end of each season, we will announce the winner and distribute a hardcover (or ebook) copy to our members. To get in on the action, join our community of lifelong learners for a new year of big ideas.
So, without further ado, here are the January 2026 must-reads…
Intentional: The Science of Finishing What You Start
By Chris Bailey
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
To reach your goals, you must structure your daily actions around what’s most important to you—and let go of the rest. This way, getting things done becomes second nature. View on Amazon
Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy
By Chris Duffy
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
From a comedian and host of a hit TED podcast, a hilarious and enlightening guide to laughing your way into a fuller life. View on Amazon
Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic
By Kenneth R. Rosen
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
A gripping blend of travelogue and frontline reporting that reveals how climate change, military ambition, and economic opportunity are transforming the Arctic into the epicenter of a new global conflict. View on Amazon
Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life
By Ezekiel Emanuel
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
A renowned physician argues that life is not a competition to live the longest and that “wellness” shouldn’t be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one’s lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. View on Amazon
Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture
By Charles Knowles
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
We drink it, celebrate with it, and barely question it―but what is really happening in our brains and bodies when we consume alcohol? View on Amazon
This week, Book of the Day is brought to you by The Nature of Nurture: Rethinking Why and How Childhood Adversity Shapes Development by Jay Belsky—a radical evolutionary perspective on how childhood experiences shape later life. Pick up your copy today.
Think Like a Stoic: The Ancient Path to a Life Well Lived
By Ken Mogi
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
With his expertise as a neuroscientist, Mogi uncovers the cognitive foundations of the resilience that is so central to stoicism. View on Amazon
The Nature of Nurture: Rethinking Why and How Childhood Adversity Shapes Development
By Jay Belsky
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
From a leading expert on child development, a radical evolutionary perspective on how childhood experiences shape later life. View on Amazon
How To Know Your Self: The Art & Science of Discovering Who You Really Are
By J. Eric Oliver
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
What is this thing we call “me”? How does it take shape? Oliver tackles these questions and shows us that the answers we’ve inherited―and even the ones we’ve come to ourselves―are often more illusion than truth. View on Amazon
Read on for the rest of the list:
 | A guest post by
|