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Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2018

Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2018 names 188 books across 27 categories. 32 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Architecture and design

  1. Elements of Architecture by Rem Koolhaassource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hassan Fathy: Earth & Utopia by Salma Samar Damluji and Viola Bertinisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Spomenik Monument Database by Donald Niebylsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century by Mark Lamstersource (opens in a new tab)

Arts and photography

  1. Bruegel: The Complete Works by Jürgen Müller and Thomas Schauertesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Italy Around 1900: A Portrait in Colour by Giovanni Fanelli, Marc Walter and Sabine Arquésource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Kay Nielsen: 1,001 Nights by Noel Danielsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Lucian Freud by Martin Gayfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. On Contemporary Art by César Airasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Collector: The Story of Sergei Shchukin and His Lost Masterpieces by Natalia Semenova and André Delocquesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The New Yorker Encyclopedia of Cartoons by David Remnick and Bob Mankoffsource (opens in a new tab)

Business

  1. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrousource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood and the World by Tom Wright and Bradley Hopesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graebersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Damaged Goods: The Inside Story of Sir Philip Green, the Collapse of BHS and the Death of the High Street by Oliver Shahsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Fifty Million Rising: The New Generation of Working Women Transforming the Muslim World by Saadia Zahidisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Leaders: Myth and Reality by Stanley McChrystal, Jeff Eggers and Jason Mangonesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsiksource (opens in a new tab)
  8. New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World — and How to Make It Work for You by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timmssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Age of Agile: How Smart Companies Are Transforming the Way Work Gets Done by Stephen Denningsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India’s New Gilded Age by James Crabtreesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth by Amy C Edmondsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Children’s books

  1. Candy by Lavie Tidharsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Rabbit and Bear: Attack of the Snack by Julian Gough and Jim Fieldsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Boy Who Hit Play by Chloé Daykinsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Extremely Weird Thing that Happened in Huggabie Falls by Adam Cecesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Mystery of the Colour Thief by Ewa Jozefkowiczsource (opens in a new tab)

Classical music

  1. Handel in London by Jane Gloversource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Speaking the Piano by Susan Tomessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Classical Music Lover’s Companion to Orchestral Music by Robert Philipsource (opens in a new tab)

Crime

  1. Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connellysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Force of Nature by Jane Harpersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. In a House of Lies by Ian Rankinsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Tombland by CJ Sansomsource (opens in a new tab)

Economics

  1. . . . and Forgive Them Their Debts: Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption From Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year by Michael Hudsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Crisis of Beliefs: Investor Psychology and Financial Fragility by Nicola Gennaioli and Andrei Shleifersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Adam Smith: What He Thought, and Why it Matters by Jesse Normansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Are Chief Executives Overpaid? by Deborah Hargreavessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Capitalism in America: A History by Alan Greenspan and Adrian Wooldridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World by Adam Toozesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Dance of the Trillions: Developing Countries and Global Finance by David Lubinsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Forging Ahead, Falling Behind and Fighting Back by Nicholas Craftssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Gigged: the Gig Economy, the End of the Job and the Future of Work by Sarah Kesslersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Keeping At It: The Quest for Sound Money and Good Government by Paul A Volcker and Christine Harpersource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Last Resort: The Financial Crisis and the Future of Bailouts by Eric A Posnersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Money and Government: A Challenge to Mainstream Economics by Robert Skidelskysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises by Ray Daliosource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Prosperity: Better Business Makes the Greater Good by Colin Mayersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Red Flags: Why Xi’s China is in Jeopardy by George Magnussource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Fed and Lehman Brothers by Lawrence M. Ballsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Finance Curse: How Global Finance Is Making Us All Poorer by Nicholas Shaxsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Future of Capitalism: Facing the New Anxieties by Paul Colliersource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Myth of Capitalism: Monopolies and the Death of Competition by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearnsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Willing World: Shaping and Sharing a Sustainable Global Prosperity by James Bacchussource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Long Way From Home by Peter Careysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Asymmetry by Lisa Hallidaysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Ayiti by Roxane Gaysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Certain American States by Catherine Laceysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ghost Wall by Sarah Mosssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Invitation to a Bonfire by Adrienne Celtsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Kudos by Rachel Cusksource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Last Stories by William Trevorsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Middle England by Jonathan Coesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Milkman by Anna Burnssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Motherhood by Sheila Hetisource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Normal People by Sally Rooneysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Ordinary People by Diana Evanssource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Long Take by Robin Robertsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Only Story by Julian Barnessource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barkersource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolversource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Washington Black by Esi Edugyansource (opens in a new tab)
  20. White Houses by Amy Bloomsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction in translation

  1. China Dream by Ma Jiansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. CoDex 1962 by Sjónsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. EEG by Dasa Drndicsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakamisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Now, Now, Louison by Jean Frémonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Tell Them of Battles, Kings and Elephants by Mathias Enardsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The End: My Struggle (Book Six) by Karl Ove Knausgaardsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Farm by Héctor Abadsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Oblique Place by Caterina Pascual Söderbaumsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Piranhas by Roberto Savianosource (opens in a new tab)

Film

  1. Room to Dream by David Lynch and Kristine McKennasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Scala Cinema 1978-1993 by Jane Gilessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece by Michael Bensonsource (opens in a new tab)

Food and drink

  1. Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rosesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Black Sea by Caroline Edensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Chicken and Charcoal: Yakitori, Yardbird, Hong Kong by Matt Abergelsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Completely Perfect: 120 Essential Recipes for Every Cook by Felicity Cloakesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Shetland: Cooking on the Edge of the World by James Morton and Tom Mortonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilssonsource (opens in a new tab)

History

  1. A Certain Idea of France: The Life of Charles de Gaulle by Julian T Jacksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A World of Empires: The Russian Voyage of the Frigate Pallada by Edyta Bojanowskasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China’s Last Golden Age by Stephen Plattsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Kingdom, Power, Glory: Mugabe, Zanu and the Quest for Supremacy, 1960-1987 by Stuart Doransource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Road to Disaster: A New History of America’s Descent into Vietnam by Brian VanDeMarksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Scots & Catalans: Union & Disunion by JH Elliottsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Frigid Golden Age: Climate Change, the Little Ice Age, and the Dutch Republic, 1560-1720 by Dagomar Degrootsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation by Colin G Callowaysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Killing Season: A History of the Indonesian Massacres, 1965-66 by Geoffrey Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Kremlin Letters: Stalin’s Wartime Correspondence with Churchill and Roosevelt by David Reynolds and Vladimir Pechatnovsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Siege of Acre 1189-1191: Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Battle That Decided the Third Crusade by John D Hoslersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Thomas Cromwell: A Life by Diarmaid MacCullochsource (opens in a new tab)

House & Home

  1. Design for Children: Play, Ride, Learn, Eat, Create, Sit, Sleep by Kimberlie Birkssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Green Escapes: The Guide to Secret Urban Gardens by Toby Musgravesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Modernist Design Complete by Dominic Bradburysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Extra Woman: How Marjorie Hillis Led a Generation of Women to Live Alone and Like It by Joanna Scuttssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Why Materials Matter: Responsible Design for a Better World by Seetal Solankisource (opens in a new tab)

Literary non-fiction

  1. Dante’s Divine Comedy: A Journey Without End by Ian Thomsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. In My Mind’s Eye: A Thought Diary by Jan Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know: The Fathers of Wilde, Yeats and Joyce by Colm Tóibínsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The End of the End of the Earth by Jonathan Franzensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Life of Saul Bellow: Love and Strife 1965-2005 by Zachary Leadersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Warm South: How the Mediterranean Shaped the British Imagination by Robert Hollandsource (opens in a new tab)

Picture books

  1. Eye Spy by Guillaume Dupratsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Mummy Time by Judith Kerrsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Dam by David Almondsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Garden Of Hope by Isabel Otter and Katie Rewsesource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Coming of the Little Green Man by John Agardsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Flame by Leonard Cohensource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Long Take by Robin Robertsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Us by Zaffar Kunialsource (opens in a new tab)

Politics

  1. Brazil: A Biography by Lilia M Schwarcz and Heloisa M Starlingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dictatorland: The Men Who Stole Africa by Paul Kenyonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dreamers: How Young Indians Are Changing The World by Snigdha Poonamsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolffsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Identity: Contemporary Identity Politics and the Struggle for Recognition by Francis Fukuyamasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Into the Hands of Soldiers: Freedom and Chaos in Egypt and the Middle East by David Kirkpatricksource (opens in a new tab)
  7. No Turning Back: Life, Loss and Hope in Wartime Syria by Rania Abouzeidsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Revolution Française: Emmanuel Macron and the Quest to Reinvent a Nation by Sophie Peddersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidtsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Dawn of Eurasia: On the Trail of the New World Order by Bruno Macaessource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities by John Mearsheimersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The People Vs Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It by Yascha Mounksource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic by David Frumsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration and the Future of White Majorities by Eric Kaufmannsource (opens in a new tab)

Pop

  1. Coal Black Mornings by Brett Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Harlem 69: The Future of Soul by Stuart Cosgrovesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Kitch: A Fictional Biography of a Calypso Icon by Anthony Josephsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Despair of Monkeys and Other Trifles by Françoise Hardysource (opens in a new tab)

Science

  1. Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution by Menno Schilthuizensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain by Sarah-Jayne Blakemoresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Liquid: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances that Flow Through Our Lives by Mark Miodowniksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. On the Future: Prospects for Humanity by Martin Reessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Primate Change: How the World We Made Is Remaking Us by Vybarr Cregan-Reidsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past by David Reichsource (opens in a new tab)

Science fiction

  1. Battlestar Suburbia by Chris McCruddensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Mecha Samurai Empire by Peter Tieryassource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Meddling Kids by Edgar Canterosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rosewater by Tade Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Break Line by James Brabazonsource (opens in a new tab)

Sport

  1. Berlin 1936: Sixteen Days in August by Oliver Hilmessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cristiano and Leo: The Race to Become the Greatest Football Player of All Time by Jimmy Burnssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Red Card: Fifa and the Fall of the Most Powerful Men in Sports by Ken Bensingersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Boy on the Shed by Paul Ferrissource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyiansource (opens in a new tab)

Style

  1. Charles James: Portrait of an Unreasonable Man by Michèle Gerber Kleinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fashion Climbing: A New York Life by Bill Cunninghamsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography by Paul Martineausource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Loulou & Yves by Christopher Petkanassource (opens in a new tab)

Technology

  1. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Hararisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Architects of Intelligence: The Truth about AI from the People Building It by Martin Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Changsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine by Hannah Frysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Laniersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos by Christian Davenportsource (opens in a new tab)

Thrillers

  1. Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbottsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Greeks Bearing Gifts by Philip Kerrsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Kremlin’s Candidate by Jason Matthewssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Red Ribbon by HB Lylesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. To Die in Vienna by Kevin Wignallsource (opens in a new tab)

Travel

  1. Another Fine Mess: Across Trumpland in a Ford Model T by Tim Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Snow: The Biography by Giles Whittellsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Something of his Art: Walking to Lubeck with JS Bach by Horatio Claresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Writer’s Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands by Huw Lewis-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)

Wellness

  1. Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving by Julia Samuelsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Help Me! by Marianne Powersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. How to Change Your Mind: The New Science of Psychedelics by Michael Pollansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Natural Causes: Life, Death and the Illusion of Control by Barbara Ehrenreichsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicolsource (opens in a new tab)

Young adult

  1. Between Worlds: Folktales of Britain and Ireland by Kevin Crossley-Hollandsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Mary’s Monster by Lita Judgesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pesslsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Smoke Thieves by Sally Greensource (opens in a new tab)

About the Financial Times Best Books of the Year

FT critics' and editors' year-end picks, one list per category (fiction, politics, history, economics, business, science, crime, poetry, children's, art, food, sport and others). 2007-2015 ran as one or two long Books of the Year articles split by category; from 2016 each category is its own article in the series. Left out: FT readers' picks, critics'-choice and FT-journalists'-favourites roundups where many people each name a book, books by FT staff, gift guides, and anthologies with no named author. ft.com is paywalled, so pages were read through archive.today snapshots, with the Wayback Machine used to find the 2020 series index. Missing: 2006, 2008 and 2011 (no snapshot found) and most 2016 categories (only Fiction, Economics, History and Business found). Approved for use by the site owner on 2026-11-05.

Organization: Financial Times. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2018