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Paste Best Books of the Year 2015

Paste Magazine's Paste Best Books of the Year 2015 names 60 books across 2 categories. 25 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Fiction

  1. 1Fates and Furies by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2Language Arts by Stephanie Kallossource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3The Wolf Border by Sarah Hallsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5Purity by Jonathan Franzensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6The Harder They Come by T.C. Boylesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7The First Bad Man by Miranda Julysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8So You Don’t Get Lost in the Neighborhood by Patrick Modianosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleemansource (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Woman with a Blue Pencil by Gordon McAlpinesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. 11Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Cleggsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. 12Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. 13The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupisource (opens in a new tab)
  14. 14Our Souls at Night by Kent Harufsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. 15The Incarnations by Susan Barkersource (opens in a new tab)
  16. 16The Unfortunates by Sophie McManussource (opens in a new tab)
  17. 17Sweetland by Michael Crummeysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. 18Suitcase City by Sterling Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. 19Submission by Michel Houellebecqsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. 20Paradise City by Elizabeth Daysource (opens in a new tab)
  21. 21The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockwaysource (opens in a new tab)
  22. 22Seveneves by Neal Stephensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. 23The Rocks by Peter Nicholssource (opens in a new tab)
  24. 24Girl at War by Sara Novićsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. 25Golden Son by Pierce Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. 26Trigger Warning by Neil Gaimansource (opens in a new tab)
  27. 27Golden State by Stephanie Kegansource (opens in a new tab)
  28. 28Morte by Robert Repinosource (opens in a new tab)
  29. 29A Poet of the Invisible World by Michael Goldingsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. 30The Nightingale by Kristin Hannahsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. 1Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coatessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3M Train by Patti Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4Red Notice by Bill Browdersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5Missoula by Jon Krakauersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hoppersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowellsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8Modern Romance by Aziz Ansarisource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexandersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Dead Wake by Erik Larsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. 11One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Åsne Seierstadsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. 12The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keretsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. 13The Oregon Trail by Rinker Bucksource (opens in a new tab)
  14. 14Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. 15Country Soul by Charles L. Hughessource (opens in a new tab)
  16. 16Dime Stories by Tony Fitzpatricksource (opens in a new tab)
  17. 17We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War by Doug Bradley and Craig Wernersource (opens in a new tab)
  18. 18On the Move by Oliver Sackssource (opens in a new tab)
  19. 19Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costellosource (opens in a new tab)
  20. 20The Wright Brothers by David McCulloughsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. 21The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomerysource (opens in a new tab)
  22. 22Once in a Great City by David Maranisssource (opens in a new tab)
  23. 23The Argonauts by Maggie Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. 24Silver Screen Fiend by Patton Oswaltsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. 25Madness in Civilization by Andrew Scullsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. 26Ongoingness by Sarah Mangusosource (opens in a new tab)
  27. 27Girl in a Band by Kim Gordonsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. 28The Folded Clock by Heidi Julavitssource (opens in a new tab)
  29. 29H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonaldsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. 30Gumption by Nick Offermansource (opens in a new tab)

About the Paste Best Books of the Year

Paste's own year-end best-books lists, read directly from pastemagazine.com (robots.txt allows it; the site's AI Policy covers only Paste's own writing). 2011 and 2012 are one combined list each (Best Books): 2011 is books editor Charles McNair's ranked 11, 2012 is the unranked Our 10 Favorite Books of 2012, which includes a city guide, a music-records book and an illustrated reissue. 2013 has only a fiction list (The 17 Best Fiction Books of 2013). 2015-2019 have separate ranked Fiction and Nonfiction lists. 2022 and 2023 have an unranked novels list only; 2024 has unranked novels and nonfiction lists. No list for 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2020, 2021 or 2025: Paste's sitemap and search show no year-end books list for those years, only 'so far' and monthly lists. 2007 and 2008 are left out because they are Signs of Life pieces where guest authors name the best book they read that year, often older titles. Also left out: 'so far' lists, monthly lists, and side lists for young adult, fantasy, horror, short stories, audiobooks, comics, book covers, music books, and decade lists. Fixes: the 2015 fiction page prints Sara Nović as 'Sara Novi?', so the name comes from Kirkus and Electric Literature; the 2022 heading prints 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow' and the title is taken from the same page's body text. Ranks are kept where Paste numbered the list (2011, 2013, 2015-2019).

Organization: Paste Magazine. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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