I remember reading it when I bought my first kindle in that year, and I remember really enjoying it. Still have not read Twilight and I am okay with this.
I loved The Host so much ..I’ve never met anyone who’s been willing to give it the time of day …I’m so happy to hear Leena praise …I’ve found my people 😂💕
omg Leena the shock and VALIDATION hearing you give The Host it's flowers is a joy I did not expect to feel this week, let alone today. it's truly so good and I've been singing it's praises with the "ignore your thoughts about the author" disclaimer for years. wow I'm so goddamn delighted. also it was intended as a trilogy which I'm forever bitter never happened - second book was going to be called The Seeker.
that's fascinating about women and alcohol. it sounds like so many things starts with women and then gets overtaken by men and men won't share. computers were given to secretaries in offices and then tech became male dominated and now we're trying to get young girls back into coding
I tried to resist the temptation to do a whole list but I failed XD So here are my picks: 2000 - The Girl in the Red Coat by Roma Ligocka 2001 -This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun 2002 - Oscar And The Lady In Pink by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt 2003 - Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder 2004 - tough year, so I picked Case Histories by Kate Atkinson 2005 - Dragonslippers: This is What an Abusive Relationship Looks Like by Rosalind B. Penfold 2006 - The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins 2007 - Unwind By Neal Shusterman 2008 - City of Thieves by David Benioff 2009 - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer 2010 - The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee 2011 - The Postmortal by Drew Magary 2012 - Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed 2013 - Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green 2014 - Hunger: The Oldest Problem by Martín Caparrós 2015 - Being Mortal by Atul Gawande 2016 - Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire 2017 - We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman 2018 - The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 2019 - super tough year, I had a dozen contenders but I chose In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado 2020 - Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates 2021 - The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green 2022 - Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris 2023 - Above Ground by Clint Smith 2024 - so far: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
Every Heart A Doorway was the first Seanan McGuire book I read ! I’m currently re-reading the October Daye series, but the Wayward Children and the Ghost Roads spin-offs of InCryptid are my favourite series she wrote. the Poet X has been on my list since 2018, maybe it’s time I actually read it.
Interesting choices! I have only read three of the books on your list (Mountains beyond mountains, Eating animals, The Anthropocene reviewed), but loved those, so I think we might have similar tastes. Which is to say: Thank you for the recs! :)
I've just re-read The Book Theif and my god, it's astounding! I honestly believe that it will be studied in classes in the future if it hasn't been already
I decided to read it based on this video and everybody’s enthusiasm and wow it was so gorgeously amazing and beautifully and refreshingly written and so impressive and ah! And I normally steer away from ww2 books!
i also think the word “best” is interesting. like, most well written is a very specific category, where as best is like… most well liked ? i do personally think personal recommendations are the way to go, and i always say just because something is great doesn’t mean ill enjoy it in the moment… sometimes trash is what i need and ill never give it up
Yeah, "best" on the NYT list just means "self-serious books with a lot of marketing behind them." Nothing to do with quality or artistic merit, so why not be upfront and just admit this was a promo for the stuff publishing-houses are already trying to shove down everyone's throats?
Since most of the content I see on youtube and other social media usually mentions and recommends new books, I just love going to the library without any clue what I am going to borrow. Last time I ended up with the "W.I.T.C.H" comic, which I haven't read for like at least 16 years. So much fun!
can’t say enough good things about The Murderer’s Ape, which I read a few years ago based on your recommendation. I recently recommended it to a middle school librarian who comes into where I work, and she loved it so much she put it in her school’s library
2003 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon 2005 - Tamar, Mal Peet - I was at secondary school and read this as part of reading the children's Carnegie Prize nominees and it has stuck with me ever since. It's one of the few books I've re-read and maybe it isn't that great, but at least for me it holds a special place on my bookshelf. 2010 - the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks - absolutely incredible
You didn't go to TGS by any chance did you? We had a group who read the Carnegie Prize shortlist too at my school... great book! Likely a small small world 😂
1972- Surfacing by Margaret Atwood is absolutely amazing, and was beloved when it came out but then eclipsed by The Handmaid's Tale. Surfacing is a contemporary novel, a woman and three friends go into the remote Quebec wilderness in search of her father. One friend is a filmmaker, and there's a lot of commentary on women in film, patriarchy, environmentalism, gentrification, and women's descent into madness, all in less than 250 pages. Read it, you'll love it!! ❤
I believe the New York Times explained that these were the best books of this century thus far, and that they would be putting out another list in 10 years’ time.
This is a sci-fi recommendation: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is possibly the most astonishing book I've read in the last few years and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's a whodunit, a love letter to language, and an exploration of outsider identity, at the same time as being just a really good space opera
For books pre-2000, I recommend: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym I, Tituba Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Conde The Door by Magda Szabo The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera Four Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula Le Guin The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
This is so fun! I'm turning 30 next year so now I'm thinking I'd like to read a book from every year since 1995. Thankfully you've already got my 2025 read sorted 😏
Adorable older person and child relationship book recommendation: My Grandmother Sends her Regards and Apologies by Frederik Backman. So funny and sad and sweet
We love the Hunger Games, but c'mon Leena, Wolf Hall came out in 2009... I could gladly make the case for it being my book of the 21st century so far, and am sure it'll still be read into the 22nd and beyond (on the optimistic assumption that we get our shit together as a species enough to still be around then).
Fantasy but also just cosy vibes: A Psalm For the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. Set in a future when robots became sentient and left humanity, a tea monk and robot become travel companions. The dedication is "To anyone who needs a break". Do I need to say more?!
One of the hosts of Fated Mates podcast, Sarah McLean, a romance author, was asked to contribute 10 books and then take part in the selection quiz. Their most recent episode talks about it and how genre fiction was largely left off this list and gives a little insight into the process from her end as a participant. recommend listening! For 2009 I'd suggest Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer. I really love Krakauer's nonfiction work even if the content can be challenging to read.
Spilled water by Sally Grindley came out in 2004 when I was 9 and it changed my perspective. It's short but incredibly poignant and taught me a lot at a young age. I think particularly learning about sweat shops through the eyes of a child has had a lasting impact on how I used my adult money once I had access to it and made me realise my privilege at simply being born in the uk
The elegance of the Hedgehog destroyed me emotionally when I read it. I was 16 I think ? I didn’t know I was autistic at the time, and it resonated strongly. I’ll probably come around to read some of the books you recommend. I’ve read several Ogawa novels and liked them all ! Also you sold me the Overstory better than anyone had done so far.
The amount of books I put into my TBR because of this video!! Thanks for the super thoughtful recommendations, I'm excited to give a bunch of these a try :)
So glad to see you chose doppelgänger. I bought it a couple of months ago and it’s been sitting on my chef. Will definitely be the next book on my list now.
I love your approach to this, and YES to including more genres! Funnily enough I don't have any recommendations from 2009 either, but possibly my favourite book of 2010 and definitely on my best books of the 21st century list, but missing from the NYT list, is Just Kids by Patti Smith. So, so interesting and beautifully written.
Love this video! I'll never shut up about Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club because it is a perfectly written book - it's YA but it's literary and historical fiction and it is amazing.
I really love reading Katie Fforde romance novels, they're so charming and most of the ones I've read are from the early 2000s. It makes for a really wholesome and nostalgic setting (well, as nostalgic as you can be for country you've never lived in). I re-read one recently and giggled as they explained what a jpeg is to contextualise it fot their readers. They're maybe not what I'd put on a best books list, but they definitely relate to the experience of reading a book written for a different time and still enjoying and relating to it.
My pick for 2011 is Weird sisters by Eleanor Brown. I re read it so oftern. Its 3 sisters whos father ks a shakesperian scholar and what happens one summer in their lives. You can feel the dusty heat of the streets in the writing and i just love it.
Not sure about best books of all time but definitely the most influential on me at least and would recommend 2000 - Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan - first book that ever got me into reading. Childrens horror book feat. vampires 2001 - Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. A really powerful book series on the power of racism and politics. 2002 - Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1 - Hiromu Arakawa. An incredible manga series! 2003 -The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Especially for someone with a lot of autistic family members this was such a great read. 2004 ? I actually couldn’t find any books I had read this year that I loved. Best be a year I return to and try to read more around! 2005 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak. Completely agree with you here on this book. 2006 - The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. Read in 2023 but LOVED so deeply I immediately read essentially everything else he published. 2007 - Unwind By Neal Shusterman. This book genuinely gave me nightmares. So good. 2008 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - one of the most iconic dystopian novels written. 2009 - The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. First story with a really convoluted plot that I remember coming together so clearly. 2010 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. An absolutely horrifying/fascinating insight into the creation of HeLa cells and how much we have to owe to one woman who was treated horrifically alongside her family. 2011 - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Hauntingly beautiful novel. 2012 - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. A beautiful novel about growing pains, romance and family. 2013 - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - hard pick year but I just remember having such fun reading this book. 2014 - The Fools Assasin by Robin Hobb. Nearing the end of one of the best series I’ve ever read. Honestly bit of a dead year for me for books but loved this one. 2015 - Illuminae by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff. Story of war, love, family, AI, disease in space and everything needed to survive it. This book is visually amazing. Highly recommend a physical copy of this book. 2016 - Beartown by Fredrick Backman - the importance of hockey in a small town. Such a great story told from the multiple perspectives of the people in the town. 2017 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I remember reading this in school and being so enthralled by this story. 2018 - The Poppy War by RF Kuang - the ultimate revenge against a nation story. 2019 - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar. Yes I found this book from THAT Twitter thread. Yes it was so worth it. 2020 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Another one I did not read in 2020 but having discovered it in 2024 it was such a delightful read. 2021 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I’m not normally a big reader of his stuff but I remember reading this book in that weird period between Christmas and the new year and devouring it. I also cried. 2022 - A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross. Such a romantic book full of whimsy and magic. 2023 - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. A story of magic and adventure except the protagonist is in her 40s and is on her last adventure. Such a fun romp
The two that come to mind are Bluets, by Maggie Nelson (poetry)- not sure when it was published- and Julia Hungry, by Hannah Louise Poston (also poetry). I’m not even into reading poetry, those are the only two poetry collections I’ve ever finished, and MAN. I had to savor and chew on them in a way I never had before. Unbelievably gorgeous.
This made me look through my list of read books to see what years books I've read are from. I only started reading books in the last two years (I turned 22 and was sad how little I had read due to dyslexia) and pretty much exclusively read books from the library, charity shops, my local queer book shop or my 63 year old dads collection, so most books I've read are the big big books from the 2010s, queer Essays, classics or from the 80s it's certainly an interesting mix. Very tempted to try and read each book from the women's prize now though
What a fun idea, here are mine, lots of overlap with our list: 2000 - Nothing stands out to me on Goodreads, my highest rating was A Storm of Swords by GRR Martin so I suppose this is how I get the A Song of Ice of Fire books into the list (although A Feast for Crows is my favourite) 2001 - I'm with you on Atonement! 2002 - Fingersmith by Sarah Waters 2003 - Also with you on The Housekeeper and the Professor 2004 - Another year with not much to choose from so I'll use it for another second book The Confusion from The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson - a great series as a whole 2005 - Also with you on The Book Thief 2006 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 2007 - Not much from this year, I'm going to go with The Gathering by Anne Enright although there are other books of hers that I prefer 2008 - I'll take this as my chance to shout out The Dublin Murder Squad series of which The Likeness (published in 2008) is my favourite 2009 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 2010 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot 2011 - Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson 2012 - Fight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver 2013 - The Goldfinch by Donna Tart 2014 - Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel 2015 - The Fifth Season by NK Jemison 2016 - The City of Mirrors representing "The Passage" series by Justin Cronin 2017 - Behind her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough 2018 - With you again on The Overstory! 2019 - Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo 2020 - What a stellar year! Maybe I appreciated books more during the pandemic - I'm going to have to go with Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 2021 - Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters 2022 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 2023 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang What a wonderful trip down memory lane
The Reluctant Fundamentalist was a book I read for my English BA and it was one of few I finshed in one sitting. It was just brilliant. He talks to you and so you're captivated from the first page. That book really stayed with me even though we were reading 4 books per week and had so much other stuff to think about, my mind still drifted back to that book. 10/10! Edit: also, YES THE HOST RULES!
I read The Overstory last year for a book club and i am sooo glad i did. I probably would never have picked it up otherwise, cause I don't like reading long books haha. It is truly an amazing book.
Definitely, I actually had to read it for work otherwise I wouldn't have either, it's definitely a word of mouth book over one that is obviously appealing, so glad so many people are discovering it after it's release like 5 years ago!
I read Ce que je sais de toi by Eric Chacour recently. Translated in English (What I know about you) and I recommend! Takes place in Egypt (mostly) from 1961 to 2001, "you" narration (which makes sense at some point), very tender and beautiful, and a little sad. I love how it's written.
I actually just picked up The Book Thief in a second hand shop last week. I had this in the back of my mind as a book that's supposed to be really good but when it comes to making a purchase I tend to go for the newer releases. Long story short - I think used book places can be a good source for discover older books. And it's "low risk" too, since the books are usually quite cheap, or even free.
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino (1972) was my favorite book for ages after being forced to read it for my Chinese Lit class at uni (which doesn't tend to inspire love- all the more reason this is a good one). Important to note it's by an Italian, but kinda sorta set in China. It's the fictional story of Marco Polo describing his travels to Kublai Khan in which the cities he's visited are absolutely bonkers. It has some of the most vivd surrealist imagery and is chock full of metaphors to pick apart for the "blue curtains means sad" enthusiasts. Also, it's pamphlet-sized, which we love. I still break this one out whenever I have a dull two minutes to fill because the chapters are that short. Satisfying to read in bits or all at once. I highly recommend for a fun, weird time ;)
I love this idea so much, while I’ve definitely read a book from each year of the 21st C I definitely haven’t loved a book from each year so will need to try and read more intentionally and probably steal some recs from this list 💛
Best books of 2009 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk was first published in 2009 (translated later), Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín.. just for starters...
Mallory O'Meara of Girly Drinks is also co-host of the book podcast Reading Glasses which is my favorite genre fiction book podcast! (Primarily horror, fantasy, and romance)
I think for 2009 I would pick Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher. It's incredible non fiction book and also says something about the times it was written in.
A few suggestions for 2009: No One Writes Back by Eun-Jin Jang Live Nude Girl: My Life as an Object by Kathleen Rooney In the Land of Invented Languages by Arika Okrent Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Three Strong Women by Marie NDiaye
It frustrated me that children’s books and middle grade books are ignored so much and often people only recommend older books or the same books, when now the scope of children’s literature is amazing and diverse, tackles really tough topic with the most beautiful writing.
Since Hilary Mantel wrote her Thomas Cromwell series over this period, I can only presume you haven't read her yet. But I guess a lot of people are going to be thinking the same thing about their favourites. 😅 All the same, I HIGHLY recommend her!
ooohh! The murderer's ape is one of my very favorite childhood books!! i read its sort of freestanding prolouge The legend of Sally Jones, written for a younger audience, first and i was overjoyed when i discovered this to me MASSIVE novel about this incredible world and its people (and apes).
The Princess Diaries series (2000) are some of the best books and I say that as someone who only read them as an adult. Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973) The House of the Spirits (1982) To Bed With Grand Music by Marghanita Laski (1946) all of Carrie Fisher's books something about pre-internet era books just hit different!!
BooksandLaLa (Kayla) started a series of finding a 5 star 🌟 book from each year since she was born.. could be a fun video for this leading lady as well 😉
I'd absolutely add In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. It does a similar thing to The Argonauts in that it's a memoir that experiments with form and explores queerness, but through the horror genre. This is the author's experience during and after/healing from an abusive romantic relationship, and each chapter is a different horror trope. I can't recommend it enough, truly.
My 2019 pick would be 'The Five: The Untold Lives Of The Women Killed By Jack The Ripper' by Hallie Rubenhold. I just read it recently and it was so well done and made me so angry on behalf of these women regarding the fandom/industry that has been built up around the "Ripper". There is a book I would recommend that I believe was published in 2011 called 'The Uncensored Picture Of Dorian Gray', Edited by Nicholas Frankel.
A couple of brilliant 2009 reads: Remarkable Creatures, Notes from No Man's Land, Drive Your Plough Over the Bones of the Dead, Delicate Edible Birds, and Cutting for Stone
I love the idea of looking back on which year the books I've read were published and seeing if there are any gaps. My favorite book that was published in the 90s is Fall on your Knees by Ann Marie MacDonald. I might be a little biased because it's set where I grew up (my high school is even mentioned) but it is a great story and worth a read. I really should look up more of her books and give them a shot.
I like the inclusion of more genres on here! I think the NYT one was a lit fic list but putting that in the title might make it less appealing or catchy. I do think it would have been cool if they had done something like they did in their 57 sandwiches of NY video where they separated them out by genre instead (but as a mostly lit fic reader, I did find it very interesting and helpful).
I found the NYT list had loads of books I'd never even heard of, which I assume must have been much bigger in America than here in the UK. Most of Nigel Slater's cookery books are written like that. My favourite is The Christmas Chronicles which runs from November to February with seasonal recipes but lots of stuff about where the traditions of Christmas etc came from and his memories of previous Christmases. I love it and read it most years.
2001, poetry collection "A Responsibility to Awe" by Rebecca Elson, a collection of poetry by a scientist about the passion and love for life that drives her pursuit of knowledge 2009, collection of fictional short stories "East of the West" by Miroslav Penkov, about the experience of Eastern Europeans post the USSR, at a time when western globalization was suddenly reaching beyond the Iron Curtain, both in the sense of how it affects those who remained in their homeland, and the diaspora who left to pursue the dreams of the West.
Also...perchance a "best books of the 90s" and then a "best books of the 80s" 👀 a new series to guide us through the murkiness of the recent past?
omg that is actually a GREAT IDEA!
that would be SO AWESOME!! I
+1
I am so in!
+1
Well... that's my cue to start my annual reread of The Host.
haha I may join you! SUMMER READ for the pessimist, I think.
One of the few books I have tabbed. I read people the ice bear pages just to watch their brain reset.
I remember reading it when I bought my first kindle in that year, and I remember really enjoying it. Still have not read Twilight and I am okay with this.
I loved The Host so much ..I’ve never met anyone who’s been willing to give it the time of day …I’m so happy to hear Leena praise …I’ve found my people 😂💕
omg Leena the shock and VALIDATION hearing you give The Host it's flowers is a joy I did not expect to feel this week, let alone today. it's truly so good and I've been singing it's praises with the "ignore your thoughts about the author" disclaimer for years. wow I'm so goddamn delighted. also it was intended as a trilogy which I'm forever bitter never happened - second book was going to be called The Seeker.
that's fascinating about women and alcohol. it sounds like so many things starts with women and then gets overtaken by men and men won't share. computers were given to secretaries in offices and then tech became male dominated and now we're trying to get young girls back into coding
Same with the film industry. The first technicians on film sets were women.
I tried to resist the temptation to do a whole list but I failed XD
So here are my picks:
2000 - The Girl in the Red Coat by Roma Ligocka
2001 -This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun
2002 - Oscar And The Lady In Pink by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
2003 - Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
2004 - tough year, so I picked Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
2005 - Dragonslippers: This is What an Abusive Relationship Looks Like by Rosalind B. Penfold
2006 - The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
2007 - Unwind By Neal Shusterman
2008 - City of Thieves by David Benioff
2009 - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
2010 - The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
2011 - The Postmortal by Drew Magary
2012 - Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
2013 - Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green
2014 - Hunger: The Oldest Problem by Martín Caparrós
2015 - Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
2016 - Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
2017 - We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman
2018 - The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
2019 - super tough year, I had a dozen contenders but I chose In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
2020 - Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates
2021 - The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
2022 - Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
2023 - Above Ground by Clint Smith
2024 - so far: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
I agree on City of Thieves and Eating Animals! Would be my picks too!
I did not know that Emperor of Maladies was so "new". It's required reading for all medical workers imo.
Every Heart A Doorway was the first Seanan McGuire book I read ! I’m currently re-reading the October Daye series, but the Wayward Children and the Ghost Roads spin-offs of InCryptid are my favourite series she wrote.
the Poet X has been on my list since 2018, maybe it’s time I actually read it.
Interesting choices! I have only read three of the books on your list (Mountains beyond mountains, Eating animals, The Anthropocene reviewed), but loved those, so I think we might have similar tastes. Which is to say: Thank you for the recs! :)
Sent this video to Mallory O'Meara (author of Girly Drinks) and you made her day. So glad you included it on the list - it's criminally underrated!
Leena recommending books is my absolute favorite kind of video
My tbr list grows longer every time you do one of these recommendation videos 😂
I've just re-read The Book Theif and my god, it's astounding! I honestly believe that it will be studied in classes in the future if it hasn't been already
This books is the one I will recommend to everyone, I read it as a teen and it’s been stuck in my head ever since I need to reread it
I decided to read it based on this video and everybody’s enthusiasm and wow it was so gorgeously amazing and beautifully and refreshingly written and so impressive and ah! And I normally steer away from ww2 books!
i also think the word “best” is interesting. like, most well written is a very specific category, where as best is like… most well liked ? i do personally think personal recommendations are the way to go, and i always say just because something is great doesn’t mean ill enjoy it in the moment… sometimes trash is what i need and ill never give it up
Yeah, "best" on the NYT list just means "self-serious books with a lot of marketing behind them." Nothing to do with quality or artistic merit, so why not be upfront and just admit this was a promo for the stuff publishing-houses are already trying to shove down everyone's throats?
Since most of the content I see on youtube and other social media usually mentions and recommends new books, I just love going to the library without any clue what I am going to borrow. Last time I ended up with the "W.I.T.C.H" comic, which I haven't read for like at least 16 years. So much fun!
I used to LOVE that comic, I had almost every issue growing up
can’t say enough good things about The Murderer’s Ape, which I read a few years ago based on your recommendation. I recently recommended it to a middle school librarian who comes into where I work, and she loved it so much she put it in her school’s library
« Thank goodness words are vegan » 😂❤
Say the quiet part out loud: Books written IN ENGLISH.
Books written in English or translated to English
I love that you put The Host on this list 😂 An unexpected choice but honestly a great book, now I feel like a reread is necessary!
2003 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon
2005 - Tamar, Mal Peet - I was at secondary school and read this as part of reading the children's Carnegie Prize nominees and it has stuck with me ever since. It's one of the few books I've re-read and maybe it isn't that great, but at least for me it holds a special place on my bookshelf.
2010 - the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks - absolutely incredible
I really enjoyed The curious incident and Immortal life, excellent picks!
Curious Incident is excellent, I saw a stage adaptation of it once that was FLOORING!
Oh, Henrietta Lacks is a good shout for Leena, I reckon! 👍
You didn't go to TGS by any chance did you? We had a group who read the Carnegie Prize shortlist too at my school... great book! Likely a small small world 😂
@@helenbella93 I think a lot of schools did it as a way to encourage people to read new things!
1972- Surfacing by Margaret Atwood is absolutely amazing, and was beloved when it came out but then eclipsed by The Handmaid's Tale. Surfacing is a contemporary novel, a woman and three friends go into the remote Quebec wilderness in search of her father. One friend is a filmmaker, and there's a lot of commentary on women in film, patriarchy, environmentalism, gentrification, and women's descent into madness, all in less than 250 pages. Read it, you'll love it!! ❤
Thank you. I'm not a Margartet Atwood fan but I found Surfacing and The Edible Woman both to be memorable.
If nothing else, it’s pretty strange to think that the best books of the century were published in the first 24 years
I believe the New York Times explained that these were the best books of this century thus far, and that they would be putting out another list in 10 years’ time.
I work as a brewer, like I brew beer for a living, and I'm mad at myself that I haven't even heard of Girly Drinks...on my list immediately.
Omg yes! Spread it across the brewer community!!
I cannot believe Jhumpa Lahiri wasn’t on the list. I cannot believe it.
Yup, both on this list and on NYT's list.. I would add The name sake (2003) and Unaccustomed earth (2008)
I loved the Lowland sooo much too
I mean, given that both lists are full of bad writers, I guess I am also surprised she wasn't included...
@@DanLyndon , please don't yuck someone else's yum in such a passive aggressive way, is all I'm going to say..
I would think NYT would actually overate Lahiri, if anything.
(But also, I'm to lazy to check, but I swear The Namesake was on the NYT list...)
This is a sci-fi recommendation: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is possibly the most astonishing book I've read in the last few years and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's a whodunit, a love letter to language, and an exploration of outsider identity, at the same time as being just a really good space opera
This sounds really good, I will definitely read that!
Reading that right now and it’s great so far
For books pre-2000, I recommend:
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
I, Tituba Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Conde
The Door by Magda Szabo
The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Four Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula Le Guin
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
This is so fun! I'm turning 30 next year so now I'm thinking I'd like to read a book from every year since 1995. Thankfully you've already got my 2025 read sorted 😏
Adorable older person and child relationship book recommendation: My Grandmother Sends her Regards and Apologies by Frederik Backman. So funny and sad and sweet
0:19: "one of the top 30 books of our time anyway, at least" Bridget Jones energy and I love it
🤣🤣🤣
We love the Hunger Games, but c'mon Leena, Wolf Hall came out in 2009... I could gladly make the case for it being my book of the 21st century so far, and am sure it'll still be read into the 22nd and beyond (on the optimistic assumption that we get our shit together as a species enough to still be around then).
Thank you for putting the list in the description! 👑
I haven't read a single one of these... But now I have a lovely TBR list to work through!
Fantasy but also just cosy vibes: A Psalm For the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. Set in a future when robots became sentient and left humanity, a tea monk and robot become travel companions. The dedication is "To anyone who needs a break". Do I need to say more?!
"Ah- Yee -Tee" is how you say "ayiti" thank you for shining light on the haitian diaspora. We are so often forgotten.
One of the hosts of Fated Mates podcast, Sarah McLean, a romance author, was asked to contribute 10 books and then take part in the selection quiz. Their most recent episode talks about it and how genre fiction was largely left off this list and gives a little insight into the process from her end as a participant. recommend listening!
For 2009 I'd suggest Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer. I really love Krakauer's nonfiction work even if the content can be challenging to read.
Thanks for sharing, this was some interesting background and discussion. I don't even read romance, but liked hearing this ep.
Spilled water by Sally Grindley came out in 2004 when I was 9 and it changed my perspective. It's short but incredibly poignant and taught me a lot at a young age. I think particularly learning about sweat shops through the eyes of a child has had a lasting impact on how I used my adult money once I had access to it and made me realise my privilege at simply being born in the uk
The elegance of the Hedgehog destroyed me emotionally when I read it. I was 16 I think ?
I didn’t know I was autistic at the time, and it resonated strongly.
I’ll probably come around to read some of the books you recommend. I’ve read several Ogawa novels and liked them all !
Also you sold me the Overstory better than anyone had done so far.
Immediately putting all these on my Goodreads TBR❤❤❤
the host really deserves to be on this list
I'm absolutely floored that Pod wasn't the 2022 pick!
The amount of books I put into my TBR because of this video!! Thanks for the super thoughtful recommendations, I'm excited to give a bunch of these a try :)
Xxx
So glad to see you chose doppelgänger. I bought it a couple of months ago and it’s been sitting on my chef. Will definitely be the next book on my list now.
Future Leena’s glasses are adorable! Love this list.
I love your approach to this, and YES to including more genres! Funnily enough I don't have any recommendations from 2009 either, but possibly my favourite book of 2010 and definitely on my best books of the 21st century list, but missing from the NYT list, is Just Kids by Patti Smith. So, so interesting and beautifully written.
They even recommended it as one of the recommendations to read if you like Stay True, but didn’t include it in the list 😂
Love this video! I'll never shut up about Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club because it is a perfectly written book - it's YA but it's literary and historical fiction and it is amazing.
I LOVED The Host as a child and I was so confused that it never went further
You can definitely make several of those midnight chicken recipes vegan - I’ve done so and they work out deliciously!
I really love reading Katie Fforde romance novels, they're so charming and most of the ones I've read are from the early 2000s. It makes for a really wholesome and nostalgic setting (well, as nostalgic as you can be for country you've never lived in). I re-read one recently and giggled as they explained what a jpeg is to contextualise it fot their readers.
They're maybe not what I'd put on a best books list, but they definitely relate to the experience of reading a book written for a different time and still enjoying and relating to it.
My pick for 2011 is Weird sisters by Eleanor Brown. I re read it so oftern. Its 3 sisters whos father ks a shakesperian scholar and what happens one summer in their lives. You can feel the dusty heat of the streets in the writing and i just love it.
No shade to Catching Fire, love that. But Wolf Hall also came out in 2009 😁
Not sure about best books of all time but definitely the most influential on me at least and would recommend
2000 - Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan - first book that ever got me into reading. Childrens horror book feat. vampires
2001 - Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. A really powerful book series on the power of racism and politics.
2002 - Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1 - Hiromu Arakawa. An incredible manga series!
2003 -The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Especially for someone with a lot of autistic family members this was such a great read.
2004 ? I actually couldn’t find any books I had read this year that I loved. Best be a year I return to and try to read more around!
2005 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak. Completely agree with you here on this book.
2006 - The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. Read in 2023 but LOVED so deeply I immediately read essentially everything else he published.
2007 - Unwind By Neal Shusterman. This book genuinely gave me nightmares. So good.
2008 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - one of the most iconic dystopian novels written.
2009 - The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. First story with a really convoluted plot that I remember coming together so clearly.
2010 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. An absolutely horrifying/fascinating insight into the creation of HeLa cells and how much we have to owe to one woman who was treated horrifically alongside her family.
2011 - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Hauntingly beautiful novel.
2012 - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. A beautiful novel about growing pains, romance and family.
2013 - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - hard pick year but I just remember having such fun reading this book.
2014 - The Fools Assasin by Robin Hobb. Nearing the end of one of the best series I’ve ever read. Honestly bit of a dead year for me for books but loved this one.
2015 - Illuminae by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff. Story of war, love, family, AI, disease in space and everything needed to survive it. This book is visually amazing. Highly recommend a physical copy of this book.
2016 - Beartown by Fredrick Backman - the importance of hockey in a small town. Such a great story told from the multiple perspectives of the people in the town.
2017 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I remember reading this in school and being so enthralled by this story.
2018 - The Poppy War by RF Kuang - the ultimate revenge against a nation story.
2019 - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar. Yes I found this book from THAT Twitter thread. Yes it was so worth it.
2020 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Another one I did not read in 2020 but having discovered it in 2024 it was such a delightful read.
2021 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I’m not normally a big reader of his stuff but I remember reading this book in that weird period between Christmas and the new year and devouring it. I also cried.
2022 - A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross. Such a romantic book full of whimsy and magic.
2023 - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. A story of magic and adventure except the protagonist is in her 40s and is on her last adventure. Such a fun romp
Replying because Darren Shan helped my reading as a child massively! Love his books!
The fact that "The elegance of the hedgehog" is on this list makes me so happy !! 😭
It is, to this day, my number one favourite book!
What? But it‘s pure kitsch 🥺
@@wunderdings Hum, what do you mean by that? I'm confused and genuinely curious x)
IHHH, I WAS SHOCKED THAT POD DIDN'T make it on the list!!! :OOOO
The two that come to mind are Bluets, by Maggie Nelson (poetry)- not sure when it was published- and Julia Hungry, by Hannah Louise Poston (also poetry). I’m not even into reading poetry, those are the only two poetry collections I’ve ever finished, and MAN. I had to savor and chew on them in a way I never had before. Unbelievably gorgeous.
This made me look through my list of read books to see what years books I've read are from. I only started reading books in the last two years (I turned 22 and was sad how little I had read due to dyslexia) and pretty much exclusively read books from the library, charity shops, my local queer book shop or my 63 year old dads collection, so most books I've read are the big big books from the 2010s, queer Essays, classics or from the 80s it's certainly an interesting mix. Very tempted to try and read each book from the women's prize now though
Love the inclusion of some YA because honestly YA has had such a huge hold on the book industry in the last couple of decades
That's a great idea, I'll try to make my own list - this might be easier than just picking my faves.
Have you read "The Summer Book" by Tove Jansson? It has that exact pairing of a grandma and a young but smart child and it's quite lovely.
I LOVE this
Love ALL Tove Jansson, and The Summer Book is indeed wonderful !❤
What a fun idea, here are mine, lots of overlap with our list:
2000 - Nothing stands out to me on Goodreads, my highest rating was A Storm of Swords by GRR Martin so I suppose this is how I get the A Song of Ice of Fire books into the list (although A Feast for Crows is my favourite)
2001 - I'm with you on Atonement!
2002 - Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
2003 - Also with you on The Housekeeper and the Professor
2004 - Another year with not much to choose from so I'll use it for another second book The Confusion from The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson - a great series as a whole
2005 - Also with you on The Book Thief
2006 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
2007 - Not much from this year, I'm going to go with The Gathering by Anne Enright although there are other books of hers that I prefer
2008 - I'll take this as my chance to shout out The Dublin Murder Squad series of which The Likeness (published in 2008) is my favourite
2009 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
2010 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot
2011 - Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
2012 - Fight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver
2013 - The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
2014 - Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
2015 - The Fifth Season by NK Jemison
2016 - The City of Mirrors representing "The Passage" series by Justin Cronin
2017 - Behind her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
2018 - With you again on The Overstory!
2019 - Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo
2020 - What a stellar year! Maybe I appreciated books more during the pandemic - I'm going to have to go with Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
2021 - Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters
2022 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
2023 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
What a wonderful trip down memory lane
The Reluctant Fundamentalist was a book I read for my English BA and it was one of few I finshed in one sitting. It was just brilliant. He talks to you and so you're captivated from the first page. That book really stayed with me even though we were reading 4 books per week and had so much other stuff to think about, my mind still drifted back to that book. 10/10! Edit: also, YES THE HOST RULES!
1993 - A Suitable Boy. Possibly the best book I’ve ever read.
Wolf Hall absolutely. I’ve devoured the while trilogy faster than you count Henry’s wife. Virtuous prose and approach to characters.
I know the climate stuff is super important. But your book videos are my favourite 😊
I read The Overstory last year for a book club and i am sooo glad i did. I probably would never have picked it up otherwise, cause I don't like reading long books haha. It is truly an amazing book.
Definitely, I actually had to read it for work otherwise I wouldn't have either, it's definitely a word of mouth book over one that is obviously appealing, so glad so many people are discovering it after it's release like 5 years ago!
I read Ce que je sais de toi by Eric Chacour recently. Translated in English (What I know about you) and I recommend! Takes place in Egypt (mostly) from 1961 to 2001, "you" narration (which makes sense at some point), very tender and beautiful, and a little sad. I love how it's written.
I actually just picked up The Book Thief in a second hand shop last week. I had this in the back of my mind as a book that's supposed to be really good but when it comes to making a purchase I tend to go for the newer releases.
Long story short - I think used book places can be a good source for discover older books. And it's "low risk" too, since the books are usually quite cheap, or even free.
YES to Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein (2023), The Overstory Richard Powers (2018), Atonement Ian McEwan (2001)
Thank you so much for all the recomandations!
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino (1972) was my favorite book for ages after being forced to read it for my Chinese Lit class at uni (which doesn't tend to inspire love- all the more reason this is a good one). Important to note it's by an Italian, but kinda sorta set in China. It's the fictional story of Marco Polo describing his travels to Kublai Khan in which the cities he's visited are absolutely bonkers. It has some of the most vivd surrealist imagery and is chock full of metaphors to pick apart for the "blue curtains means sad" enthusiasts. Also, it's pamphlet-sized, which we love. I still break this one out whenever I have a dull two minutes to fill because the chapters are that short. Satisfying to read in bits or all at once. I highly recommend for a fun, weird time ;)
I love this idea so much, while I’ve definitely read a book from each year of the 21st C I definitely haven’t loved a book from each year so will need to try and read more intentionally and probably steal some recs from this list 💛
Best books of 2009 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk was first published in 2009 (translated later), Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín.. just for starters...
Mallory O'Meara of Girly Drinks is also co-host of the book podcast Reading Glasses which is my favorite genre fiction book podcast! (Primarily horror, fantasy, and romance)
I think for 2009 I would pick Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher. It's incredible non fiction book and also says something about the times it was written in.
ayiti is a book I never hear people talk about and I think about it all the time! also, I'd have to put Piranesi on the list.
A few suggestions for 2009:
No One Writes Back by Eun-Jin Jang
Live Nude Girl: My Life as an Object by Kathleen Rooney
In the Land of Invented Languages by Arika Okrent
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Three Strong Women by Marie NDiaye
It frustrated me that children’s books and middle grade books are ignored so much and often people only recommend older books or the same books, when now the scope of children’s literature is amazing and diverse, tackles really tough topic with the most beautiful writing.
Since Hilary Mantel wrote her Thomas Cromwell series over this period, I can only presume you haven't read her yet. But I guess a lot of people are going to be thinking the same thing about their favourites. 😅 All the same, I HIGHLY recommend her!
ooohh! The murderer's ape is one of my very favorite childhood books!! i read its sort of freestanding prolouge The legend of Sally Jones, written for a younger audience, first and i was overjoyed when i discovered this to me MASSIVE novel about this incredible world and its people (and apes).
I was rooting for the Book Thief for 2005 immedeately and I am so glad you agreed!
Though my favorite for 2001 would have been The Shadow of the Wind.
Are you going to turn this list (i.e. your list) into a Storygraph reading challenge?
Happy to see a children's book on the list, i miss those lessons 🫶
The Princess Diaries series (2000) are some of the best books and I say that as someone who only read them as an adult.
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973)
The House of the Spirits (1982)
To Bed With Grand Music by Marghanita Laski (1946)
all of Carrie Fisher's books
something about pre-internet era books just hit different!!
BooksandLaLa (Kayla) started a series of finding a 5 star 🌟 book from each year since she was born.. could be a fun video for this leading lady as well 😉
I'd absolutely add In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. It does a similar thing to The Argonauts in that it's a memoir that experiments with form and explores queerness, but through the horror genre. This is the author's experience during and after/healing from an abusive romantic relationship, and each chapter is a different horror trope. I can't recommend it enough, truly.
Just when I was going through a reading slump, I am saved ❤
Best books of the 90s!! We’d love to hear your list ❤
I love when you do book content. Thank you.
just finished the elegance of the hedgehog and now I am not okay. thanks leena
My 2019 pick would be 'The Five: The Untold Lives Of The Women Killed By Jack The Ripper' by Hallie Rubenhold. I just read it recently and it was so well done and made me so angry on behalf of these women regarding the fandom/industry that has been built up around the "Ripper". There is a book I would recommend that I believe was published in 2011 called 'The Uncensored Picture Of Dorian Gray', Edited by Nicholas Frankel.
A couple of brilliant 2009 reads: Remarkable Creatures, Notes from No Man's Land, Drive Your Plough Over the Bones of the Dead, Delicate Edible Birds, and Cutting for Stone
I would add Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016)
I love the idea of looking back on which year the books I've read were published and seeing if there are any gaps. My favorite book that was published in the 90s is Fall on your Knees by Ann Marie MacDonald. I might be a little biased because it's set where I grew up (my high school is even mentioned) but it is a great story and worth a read. I really should look up more of her books and give them a shot.
For me, for 2009, "The City and the City" by China Mieville!
I'm nearly done reading doppelganger by Naomi Klein too and i honestly love it, so so many things to talk about from it
19:20 Oooooh, cookbook memoir, love this concept! Food is comfort for the soul, so it is a good mix with philosophy, as far as I'm concerned.
A similar book would be Relish by Lucy Knisley. It's a graphic memoir about the author's love of food. One of my favourites!
@@thiadesg Thank you!
I like recipe books. There’s “Love, Loss, and What We Ate” which was reeeeally good
Any chance of a part 2 of this video were you read our recommendations?
I like the inclusion of more genres on here! I think the NYT one was a lit fic list but putting that in the title might make it less appealing or catchy. I do think it would have been cool if they had done something like they did in their 57 sandwiches of NY video where they separated them out by genre instead (but as a mostly lit fic reader, I did find it very interesting and helpful).
Probably not anyones genre around here...Any Patrick O'Brian book. The amount of research and detail is unmatched imo.
Oh I completely missed Sarah Knight and I live for that book!
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami was published in 2009 I think. Not an easy read, but it’s less than 250 pages and so, so good. :-)
Exactly! we need more non-classic examinations of other decades!!!!
I found the NYT list had loads of books I'd never even heard of, which I assume must have been much bigger in America than here in the UK.
Most of Nigel Slater's cookery books are written like that. My favourite is The Christmas Chronicles which runs from November to February with seasonal recipes but lots of stuff about where the traditions of Christmas etc came from and his memories of previous Christmases. I love it and read it most years.
2001, poetry collection "A Responsibility to Awe" by Rebecca Elson, a collection of poetry by a scientist about the passion and love for life that drives her pursuit of knowledge
2009, collection of fictional short stories "East of the West" by Miroslav Penkov, about the experience of Eastern Europeans post the USSR, at a time when western globalization was suddenly reaching beyond the Iron Curtain, both in the sense of how it affects those who remained in their homeland, and the diaspora who left to pursue the dreams of the West.