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 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery
Tags Mental Illness, Psychological Fiction
Wally Lamb’s I Know This Much Is True centers on the illness of Thomas Birdsey, a middle-aged man who has had schizophrenia for the previous 20 years. Narrated by Thomas’s twin brother, Dominick, the novel opens with Thomas having left the group home where he lives and him cutting off his hand with a knife he took from his stepfather’s weapon collection. Thomas performs this action after reading a Bible verse that commands the reader... Read I Know This Much Is True Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Politics / Government
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Philosophy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
In his 2016 psychological thriller I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid writes about the struggles of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness. Jake, a former physics postdoctoral student and avid writer, works as a janitor in a rural high school. As he contemplates suicide, Jake fictionalizes his memories into a story with characters who represent different aspects of his identity as a way to help him make his decision. In addition to this narrative, Reid... Read I'm Thinking of Ending Things Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Romance, Survival Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Jewish Literature, Romance, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Arts / Culture, Science / Nature, History: European, Renaissance, Italian Literature, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Inferno by Dan Brown is the fourth installment in Brown’s Robert Langdon series of mystery/thriller novels, following (in order) Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, and The Lost Symbol, and preceding Origin. Each edition covers a self-contained story, so readers need not follow the series in order, and often includes themes centered on European and Christian history and cultural traditions. The title character, Robert Langdon, is the only recurring character. Inferno won the Goodreads... Read Inferno Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mythology, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Relationships, American Literature, Latin American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Satire, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Post Modernism, American Literature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Sports
Infinite Jest is a fiction novel by David Foster Wallace. First published in 1996, the novel has an unconventional narrative structure with hundreds of extensive footnotes. Exploring themes of addiction, alienation, and the plight of modern existence, Infinite Jest is famous for its complexity and humor. The novel has been praised by critics and heralded as one of the most important literary works of the 20th century. This guide was written using the 2014 Abacus... Read Infinite Jest Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 1984
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Language
Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Information Age, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Humor, Arts / Culture, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Military / War, WWI / World War I
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Biography
Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir In the Dream House chronologizes her experiences in an abusive relationship with a woman. In the Dream House was published in 2019 and won the 2021 Folio Prize and the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction. The memoir discusses potential modes for queer representation through the use of multiple narrative techniques. As of 2022, Machado lives in Pennsylvania with her wife and works at the University of Pennsylvania.Other work by... Read In the Dream House Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction