2026 Read Harder – 1. A Microhistory (25 books)

Task 1: Read a microhistory

A list of recommendations for Book Riot's 2026 Read Harder Challenge. Feel free to add recommendations.

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1	Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach 4.06 avg rating — 238,817 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 21,171 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals: Death Practices Around the World by YY Liak 4.30 avg rating — 30 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke 3.73 avg rating — 9,632 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters by Rose George (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 2,627 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Just My Type: A Book About Fonts by Simon Garfield 3.95 avg rating — 61,576 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus by Bill Wasik (Goodreads Author) 3.72 avg rating — 11,890 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation by Jen Gunter 4.19 avg rating — 2,838 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Gods, Wasps and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees by Mike Shanahan (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 569 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce by Massimo Montanari 3.78 avg rating — 461 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich 3.85 avg rating — 1,545 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Poison: The History of Potions, Powders and Murderous Practitioners by Ben Hubbard (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 939 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 2,137 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Week: A History of the Unnatural Rhythms That Made Us Who We Are by David M. Henkin 3.12 avg rating — 200 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America by Leila Philip 3.75 avg rating — 2,350 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Oak: The Frame of Civilization by William Bryant Logan 3.97 avg rating — 440 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 9,780 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green (Goodreads Author) 4.37 avg rating — 164,534 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Sweetness of Venus: A History of the Clitoris by Sarah Chadwick (Goodreads Author) 4.55 avg rating — 137 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	After Work: The Politics of Free Time by Helen Hester 3.93 avg rating — 549 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration by Sarah Everts 3.82 avg rating — 1,197 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy by Hallie Lieberman (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 479 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor Hanson (Goodreads Author) 4.22 avg rating — 2,063 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 2,302 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News by Kevin Young 3.18 avg rating — 1,081 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars