Science Delisted from Annual Book Lists — Health and Communications

At the close of 2025, lists of notable or recommended books, an annual tradition for many in the media, have all but ignored or ‘delisted’ books on science.

Right now, the public’s science literacy has never been more important, but we don’t seem to be encouraging reading about science. Yet despite what the administration says, every citizen needs to know that climate change is real, air pollution does contribute to illness and death, windmills are not killing whales, there is no such thing as ‘clean coal,’ etc. And regarding health in particular:

Tylenol and circumcision do not cause autism.
mRNA vaccines do protect against COVID and flu.
Endocrine disruptors do not cause gender dysphoria.
Antidepressants, like Prozac, do not contribute to school shootings.
COVID-19 was not a bio-weapon designed to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.
More newborns will die without receiving a Hepatitis B vaccine.

…and much more.

Book Lists
So, it was disturbing to open the December 7, 2025 New York Times Book Review and see that of the “100 Notable Books of 2025” listed there, only two dealt with science… fewer than fantasy (4), horror (5), thrillers (5), historical fiction (7), etc. But perhaps that was unfair; these were what the Times considered notable, not what was actually being bought (and presumably, read). Turning to their Best Sellers list, only one of the ten nonfiction books dealt with science, and even that was somewhat questionable. [ 1 ] One week later, on December 14, 2025, the Times Book Review printed “The Best Books of 2025.” Of the 53 books cited, none dealt with science.

And the Times was not alone:

Let’s hope that 2026 sees more books on science spotlighted, more people interested in reading books about science, and most especially, more citizens pushing back on the growing lies and misinformation about science. We’ll all be much healthier for it in every way.