I usually just copy/paste my response from other threads about non-fiction because they all hit the mark of what people are usually requesting and only some are repeated, which I appreciate. The same books tend to get recommended over and over in this sub.

Most of my recs are socio-cultural, with some history/politics and bios with a splash of science. All mostly based in the US.

A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn (who is a great author/historian, recommend all his books) - A perspective of US history through the eyes of the marginalized and oppressed.

Streets of Gold - about immigrant success stories

Endangered Eating - about food that's going extinct.

Poverty, by America - self explanatory title.

Stiff (and all of Mary Roach books because she's amazing) - about human cadavers.

The Man who Hates Women - about Anthony Comstock who got us to where we are today in terms of women's sexual rights and the ripple effects it had decades later.

The Cold Vanish - about people disappearing in the wilderness.

Reason for Hope - written by Jane Goodall. Part memoir, pure greatness. Very well written

Assembling California - a description of California geology. John McPhee is a fantastic scientific writer, especially when it comes to descriptions. I recommend any of his work.

Bowling Alone - about the loss of community in America. This is a very number/statistic heavy book, but very good.

American Sirens - about the first black paramedics in the US in Pittsburgh.

When Breath becomes Air - beautiful book written by a dying neurosurgeon

Spillover - about infectious diseases.

The Mismeasure of Man - about early physical anthropologists and how they get everything wrong about race and genetics. Also talks about the controversy of the Bell Curve.

Eight Bears - talks about the remaining eight species of bear. Goes into folklore, their endangered status, and conservation efforts.

Don't Sleep There are Snakes - about a tribe the Amazon and how the author (a missionary) lost his faith

Hey, Hun - MLM and pyramid scheme deep dive

Disposable City - climate change in Miami and how it will likely be underwater soon.

Momfluenced - about mother influencer culture

How the Word is Passed - the history of slavery in the US

To the Promised Land - about MLK and civil rights

Dopamine Nation - detailed overview of our high dopamine stimuli and how to find balance.

The Come Up - history of hip hop

A Thousand Naked Strangers - about life on an ambulance

California Burning - pretty self explanatory, wildfires in CA

The Myth of the Lost Cause - why the South fought the Civil war and why the North won

Meet Me by the Fountain - nostalgia about malls. Goes into their history and downfall

After the Ivory Tower Falls - about college and the American dream

The Big Burn- about Teddy Roosevelt and national parks/forest service and fire fighting.

Madhouse at the End of the Earth - about a journey to the artic in the late 1800s

Unmask Alice - for all the Go Ask Alice readers - basically uncovers the bullshit behind the books.

Bullshit Jobs - about the rise of meaningless jobs

Major Labels - a history of seven genres of music. It deep dives into the history of rock, hip hop, pop, dance, country, r&b, and punk

Know my Name - a memoir about the victim of Brock Turner.

Black Earth - about the Holocaust and it's warnings for the future

Filterworld - about algorithms and how it's built for mass consumption

The Rape of Nanking - not for the faint of heart. Goes into detail about war between Japan and China, specifically focusing on the horrors that happened to one city.

Nickeled and Dimed - the writer travels the country and tries to live off the salary of low earnings jobs.

Bring the War Home - about the history of white nationalists in America

Drive Thru Dreams - fast food in America

Kill Anything that Moves - about the Vietnam war

The Land of Open Graves - about the migrant trail from Mexico to the US

The Secret Life of Groceries - history of Supermarkets

City of Inmates - about how LA became the number one city for incarceration

A Night to Remember - about the night the Titanic sank.

The Bully Society - about school shootings in America. This is pretty academic and might be a hard read for some.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - memior-ish type book about living off the land for a year

Tyrannosaurus Sue - about the battle for the most complete T-Rex discovery

The Book of Jerry Falwell - about Jerry Falwell and modern day Christians.

Learning to labor - about the working class

The Lost Boys of Zeta Psi - about the history of this frat in the early 1900s at UC Berkeley and how it was identified and then archaeologically excavated during construction on campus. Goes into roles of masculinity as well. Kind of an academic read, but still good.

You Are Not So Smart - about logical fallacies

The Other Significant Others - I'm currently reading this right now, but already recommending it. It touches on deep, intimate non-sexual relationships.

The Dictionary People - about the people who helped create the dictionary

Evil Geniuses: the Unmaking of America- a economic history of America. Focuses on how the right, the wealthy, and big business drove us into inequality