The Best of "Best Book" Lists

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 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Arts / Culture, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography, Self Help


Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Self Help, Biography, Psychology


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Grandparents, Natural World: Environment

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, LGBTQ


Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Biography

Heavy is Kiese Laymon’s 2018 memoir. It won the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and the LA Times Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose. Earning praise from Alice Walker, The Boston Globe, NPR, Time, and The Paris Review, Heavy acknowledges that “we’ve arrived at the point we have as a country in part because of lies we’ve told ourselves about what America means” (Abdurraquib, Hanif. “Heavy.” 4 Columns, 2018).This guide refers to the... Read Heavy Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Military / War, History: World, Literary Fiction, Historical Nonfiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Humor


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Animals, Science / Nature, Grief / Death, Biography

H Is for Hawk (2014) is British author Helen MacDonald’s award-winning memoir about her attempts to train a goshawk named Mabel in the wake of her father’s death. It is a memoir of grief, self-discovery, and the healing power of nature. MacDonald intersperses her descriptions of training Mabel with references to the memoirs of T.H. White, who writes about his own hapless attempts at falconry in the 1930s. The memoir was an instant bestseller and... Read H Is For Hawk Summary