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Why it matters
This selection preserves a named editorial recommendation alongside jury-selected books, making agreements and differences between institutions visible.
2021 selection · Mystery & crime
The Trees: A Novel
The Trees: A Novel by Percival Everett appears in NPR’s 2021 Books We Love guide. NPR’s editors categorized the recommendation around historical fiction, the dark side, funny stuff, placing it within the year’s broader reading conversation.
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Read this if…
You want an NPR-recommended historical fiction, the dark side, funny stuff title from 2021.
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Ideas inside
historical fictionthe dark sidefunny stuffthe states we’re inbook club ideas
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From the same conversation
The Stalker
- NPR Books We Love
The Stalker by Paula Bomer appears in NPR’s 2025 Books We Love guide. NPR’s editors categorized the recommendation around fiction, book club ideas, funny stuff, placing it within the year’s broader reading conversation.
Creatures of Passage
- NPR Books We Love
Creatures of Passage by Morowa Yejidé appears in NPR’s 2021 Books We Love guide. NPR’s editors categorized the recommendation around historical fiction, sci fi, fantasy & speculative fiction, book club ideas, placing it within the year’s broader reading conversation.
Yellow Wife: A Novel
- NPR Books We Love
Yellow Wife: A Novel by Sadeqa Johnson appears in NPR’s 2021 Books We Love guide. NPR’s editors categorized the recommendation around historical fiction, the states we’re in, book club ideas, placing it within the year’s broader reading conversation.