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Library Journal Best Books 2017

Library Journal Best Books 2017 names 100 books across 19 categories. 33 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Biography & Memoir

  1. An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohnsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Mean by Myriam Gurbasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Book of Emma Reyes by Emma Reyessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Wine Lover's Daughter by Anne Fadimansource (opens in a new tab)

Business

  1. A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions by Muhammad Yunussource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Blue Ocean Shift: Beyond Competing; Proven Steps To Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgnesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Economism: Bad Economics and the Rise of Inequality by James Kwaksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World by Brad Stonesource (opens in a new tab)

Christian Fiction

  1. A Time To Stand by Robert Whitlowsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reidsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. If We Make It Home: A Novel of Faith and Survival in the Oregon Wilderness by Christina Suzann Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Purgatory Road by Samuel Parkersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)

Cooking

  1. Dinner: Changing the Game by Melissa Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey by Robyn Eckhardtsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sweet: Desserts from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Gohsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Haven’s Kitchen Cooking School: Recipes and Inspiration To Build a Lifetime of Confidence in the Kitchen by Alison Caynesource (opens in a new tab)

Crafts & DIY

  1. Heirloom Wood: A Modern Guide to Carving Spoons, Bowls, Boards, and Other Homewares by Max Bainbridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hello Tokyo: 30+ Handmade Projects and Fun Ideas for a Cute, Tokyo-Inspired Lifestyle by Ebony Bizyssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. If You Can Doodle, You Can Paint: Transforming Simple Drawings into Works of Art by Diane Culhansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Family Cabin: Inspiration for Camps, Cottages, and Cabins by Dale Mulfingersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork by Blair Stockersource (opens in a new tab)

E-Originals

  1. Dim Sum Asylum by Rhys Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 by S.E. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fool Me Once by Catherine Bybeesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Madly/Completely by Ruthie Knoxsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Penric’s Mission/Mira’s Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujoldsource (opens in a new tab)

Graphic Novels

  1. Boundless by Jillian Tamakisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gauguin: The Other World by Fabrizio Dorisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Motor Crush. Vol. 1 by Brendan Fletchersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Best We Could Do by Thi Buisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Flintstones. Vol. 1 by Mark Russell and Steve Pughsource (opens in a new tab)

Health & Medicine

  1. Caring for the Dying: The Doula Approach to a Meaningful Death by Henry Fersko-Weisssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. No Apparent Distress: A Doctor’s Coming-of-Age on the Front Lines of American Medicine by Rachel Pearsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Teeth: Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America by Mary Ottosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Natural First Aid Handbook: Household Remedies, Herbal Treatments, and Basic Emergency Preparedness Everyone Should Know by Brigitte Marssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity by Melanie Greenbergsource (opens in a new tab)

Historical Fiction

  1. Golden Hill by Francis Spuffordsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Lilli De Jong by Janet Bentonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Alice Network by Kate Quinnsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuykersource (opens in a new tab)

Mystery

  1. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjeesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Glass Houses by Louise Pennysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Murder in Mayfair: An Atlas Catesby Mystery by D.M. Quincysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Persons Unknown by Susie Steinersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Western Star by Craig Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbarsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Some Say by Maureen N. McLanesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. When I Grow Up I Want To Be a List of Further Possibilities by Chen Chensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Whereas by Layli Long Soldiersource (opens in a new tab)

Religion & Spirituality

  1. A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation by Craig Harlinesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hiking Naked: A Quaker Woman’s Search for Balance by Iris Gravillesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet by Lyndal Ropersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World by Stephen Batchelorsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Evangelicals: The Struggle To Shape America by Frances FitzGeraldsource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. Every Dark Corner by Karen Rosesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Someone To Wed by Mary Baloghsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Daresource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Too Scot To Handle by Grace Burrowessource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy

  1. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Autonomous by Annalee Newitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuiresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Ardensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakrabortysource (opens in a new tab)

Science & Technology

  1. Big Chicken: The Incredible Story of How Antibiotics Created Modern Agriculture and Changed the Way the World Eats by Maryn McKennasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Altersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard Harrissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Archipelago of Hope: Wisdom and Resilience from the Edge of Climate Change by Gleb Raygotodetskysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea by Jack E. Davissource (opens in a new tab)

Short Stories

  1. Five-Carat Soul by James McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machadosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Mexico by Josh Barkansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Mountain by Paul Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Purple Swamp Hen and Other Stories by Penelope Livelysource (opens in a new tab)

Thrillers

  1. Say Nothing by Brad Parkssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Freedom Broker by K.J. Howesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Lost Order by Steve Berrysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionnesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Saboteur by Andrew Grosssource (opens in a new tab)

Top Ten

  1. Ghost of the Innocent Man: A True Story of Trial and Redemption by Benjamin Rachlinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwigsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsiesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gaysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grannsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunderssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaransource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Centry by Jessica Brudersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexiesource (opens in a new tab)

World Literature

  1. Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbecksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Human Acts by Han Kangsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Out in the Open by Jesús Carrascosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Kites by Romain Garysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Year of the Comet by Sergei Lebedevsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Library Journal Best Books

Starts in 2010, the year LJ named its first Top Ten (its own announcement calls it the inaugural list); LJ's 2006-2009 Best Books lists are not online and no archived copy was found. Top Ten for 2010-2017; LJ dropped the Top Ten in 2018 and publishes only section lists after that. Category is LJ's section name, with spelling variants merged (Crime = Crime Fiction, Cookbooks = Cooking, Memoir = Biography & Memoir, Sci-Tech = Science & Technology). 2010 has the Top Ten only: the genre lists were not recovered. 2011-2015 come from reviews.libraryjournal.com and 2016-2017 from the lj.libraryjournal.com microsites, both read through the Wayback Machine because the originals are gone; some genre lists for those years were not archived (for example 2013 mystery, SF, and thrillers). SELF-e indie ebook picks (2016-2017), Best Media, and Best Reference are left out. 2025 has the Stellar Selections list (~790 titles); the 100 Editors' Picks are published only as prose and are left out. ISBNs are the ones LJ prints in each citation.

Organization: Library Journal. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2017