The Best of "Best Book" Lists Collection gathers together a selection of popular bestsellers and fan favorites that frequently appear on "Best of" lists. This diverse Collection includes picks to suit a range of age groups and genre preferences, from otherworldly fantasy to gripping crime thrillers.
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, Biography, Politics / Government, History: European, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags British Literature
The Children Act is a novel by award-winning British author Ian McEwan. First published in the United States by Nan A. Talese in 2014, it is the London-set story of well-respected family law judge Fiona Maye, her disintegrating marriage, and the young man whose case changes her life forever. In 2017, McEwan wrote the screenplay for the feature-film version of The Children Act, which stars Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, with direction by Richard Eyre.As... Read The Children Act Summary
Publication year 1974
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, first published in 1974, is a novel that delves into the dark aspects of adolescence, authority, and conformity. Set in an all-boys Catholic high school called Trinity, the story centers around Jerry Renault, a freshman who defies the school’s two most powerful forces–the secret student group known as the Vigils, and acting Headmaster Brother Leon–by refusing to participate in the annual chocolate sale. Jerry’s act of defiance exposes the... Read The Chocolate War Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Self Discovery, Identity: Race
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, History: World, Magical Realism
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Politics / Government, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
China Miéville’s The City and the City, originally published in 2009, is a hybrid of two distinct genres—speculative fiction and detective fiction—that explores the human susceptibility to fear and the erection of borders as a response to that fear. Other themes examined in the novel are political corruption, violence inspired by far-right politics, and the allure of myths. The City and the City is the winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the World Fantasy... Read The City and the City Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Urban Development, Information Age, African American Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2019
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Disability, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America (2017) is a historical study of how the US government and legal system implemented and enforced de jure segregation. This guide cites the 2017 Kindle edition, and all pagination refers to location numbers.Rothstein challenges the belief that segregation was de facto, or the result of individual choices. Rather, he shows how all levels of government created the system of residential... Read The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Inspirational, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction
The Corrections is a 2001 novel by Jonathan Franzen that won the National Book Award. Franzen is the author of several essay collections and novels, including the novels Freedom, Purity, and Crossroads. He has received many awards for his work, including the Whiting Award in 1988 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1996.The main action of the novel takes place during the turn of the 21st century, a time of great financial prosperity in the United... Read The Corrections Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena’s 2016 international best-seller, begins as a classic detective story. As the mystery deepens, the novel turns into a tense psychological study of a dysfunctional family, the calculating logic of emotional manipulation, the spiral of post-partum depression, and the corrupting power of greed. Paramount Television optioned the novel for a TV series adaptation in 2018. Shari Lapena is the author of eight novels for adults, including The Couple Next Door... Read The Couple Next Door Summary
Publication year 1966
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Satire, Post Modernism, American Literature, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) is a short novel by Thomas Pynchon that handles topics related to the US counterculture movement and the 1960s at large. In the novel, Oedipa Maas unearths a centuries-old conspiracy about warring mail-delivery firms. This discovery leads her along an absurdist investigation of the firms and their motivations. The novel has been heralded as one of the best English-language novels of the 20th century and is considered a primary... Read The Crying of Lot 49 Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, History: World