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 Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Identity: Race
Tags Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Politics / Government, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Health / Medicine
Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic (Bloomsburg Press, 2015) is a nonfiction book by American journalist and writer Sam Quinones. It won the NBCC Award for General Nonfiction and was on Amazon’s list of best books of the year in 2015 as well as Slate’s list of the 50 best books of the past 25 years. In the book Quinones charts the parallel rise of prescription opiates and black tar heroin, and describes... Read Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic Summary
Publication year 1923
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Inspirational
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Fiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction
Olga Tokarczuk is among Poland’s most famous and critically acclaimed contemporary authors. She has received multiple national and international literary awards, including the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. Her most well-known novels and their translation dates into English are House of Day, House of Night (2003), Primeval and Other Times (2010), Flights (2018), and The Books of Jacob (2021).Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was published in Poland in 2009 but didn’t... Read Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Biography
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Duma Key by Stephen King is a novel in the literary-horror genre, praised for its eerie, spooky atmosphere and suspenseful build-up. Published in 2008, Duma Key is the first novel by King to be set in Florida. The book follows Edgar Freemantle as he moves from Minnesota to the island of Duma (one of the Florida Keys, or small islands) after a life-changing accident. Tormented by phantom-limb pain from his amputation and unable to remember... Read Duma Key Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Race, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Depression / Suicide, Confessional, Free verse, Grief / Death
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh was published in 2015 and won the PEN/Hemingway award for debut fiction. The novel is set in 1964. It follows the story of Eileen, a woman planning to escape her life in the New England town of X-ville. Eileen is characterized by self-loathing, depression, and body dysmorphia, all of which developed due to her abusive and neglectful childhood. Before she leaves X-ville forever, Eileen must come to terms with her own... Read Eileen Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Mythology
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Natural World: Environment, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, History: U.S., Addiction / Substance Abuse, Business / Economics, Crime / Legal, Finance / Money / Wealth, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, New Adult