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 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure, Sports
Publication year 1947
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Classic Fiction
Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry is a modernist novel published in 1947. Set in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, in 1938, it follows the Consul, a former British diplomat with an alcohol addiction, on the day of his death. In addition to the Consul, the small cast of characters includes the Consul’s half-brother, Hugh, his ex-wife, Yvonne, and his friend-turned-enemy, Jacques Laruelle. Malcolm Lowry, who spent time in Mexico and was known to have experienced addiction himself... Read Under the Volcano Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Magical Realism, Humor, Animals, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, Crime / Legal, History: U.S.
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Unsheltered was written by American author Barbara Kingsolver and first published in 2018. The novel explores themes of family, marriage, science in society, social justice issues, overcoming personal challenges, and new possibilities. Kingsolver is the recipient of the National Humanities Medal, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and winner of the Orange Prize, Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and PEN/Faulkner award, and she has received many other recognitions by national and international associations and publications. Unsheltered is her... Read Unsheltered Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Society: Community
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Magical Realism, Animals
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Relationships, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages
Uprooted (2016) is a fantasy novel inspired by Polish folktales and written by New York Times bestselling American fantasy author Naomi Novik, best known for her Temeraire series. In Uprooted, a young woman named Agnieszka lives in a small village in a valley on the edge of the deadly Wood. It is the task of the Dragon, a powerful wizard in a nearby tower, to keep the Wood at bay. As payment, the Dragon chooses... Read Uprooted Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Sports, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, African American Literature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2010
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Military / War, History: Middle Eastern, Journalism, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Creative Nonfiction, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government
War, a battle journal by best-selling reporter and filmmaker Sebastian Junger, describes a year in the rugged highlands of Afghanistan with a platoon of American soldiers who face the worst fighting and toughest conditions of any unit in the US military. Published in 2010, the book describes months of mind-numbing danger, multiple firefights per day, injuries and deaths, and matter-of-fact heroism. The men display extreme toughness, gallows humor, and intense mutual loyalty despite the nearly... Read War Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1986
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Watchmen is a limited series of comic books written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, published serially from 1986 to 1987 and then republished as a single volume in 1987. Set in an alternate 1985 in which masked vigilantism has been banned, Watchmen follows a cadre of “costumed heroes”—some of whom work for the government—who uncover a plot hatched by one of their own to stop global nuclear annihilation by killing a significant... Read Watchmen Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance