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Publishers Weekly Best Books 2011

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2011 names 150 books across 13 categories. 58 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Children's Fiction

  1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Nesssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Beauty Queens by Libba Braysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetyssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursusource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Chime by Franny Billingsleysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantossource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Divergent by Veronica Rothsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarrsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Laisource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Legend by Marie Lusource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broachsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraemsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Apothecary by Maile Meloysource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg et alsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Flint Heart by Katherine and John Patersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Macklersource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valentesource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvatersource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Variant by Robison Wellssource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Where She Went by Gayle Formansource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaleysource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznicksource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Nonfiction

  1. Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweetsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy by Albert Marrinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea: A Fairly Fabricated Story of a Pair of Pants by Tony Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China by Ed Youngsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert by Marc Aronsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Picture

  1. Blackout by John Roccosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. E-Mergency by Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five by Valorie Fishersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Grandpa Green by Lane Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator! by Mo WIllemssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassensource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkertsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Press Here by Hervé Tulletsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Sea of Dreams by Dennis Nolansource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savagesource (opens in a new tab)

Comics

  1. Big Questions by Anders Nilsensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Day Tripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Farm 54 by Galit and Gilad Seliktarsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeilsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Habibi by Craig Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Hark! A Vagrant! by Kate Beatonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Infinite Kung Fu by Kagan McLeodsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Love and Rockets: New Stories #4 by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandezsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media by Brooke Gladstone and Josh Neufeldsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Zahra's Paradise by Amir and Kahlilsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. Cain by José Saramagosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Changó's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes by William Kennedysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. I Married You for Happiness by Lily Tucksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Leche by R. Zamora Linmarksource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Luminarium by Alex Shakarsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Say Her Name by Francisco Goldmansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Someday This Will Be Funny by Lynne Tillmansource (opens in a new tab)
  8. State of Wonder by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Call by Yannick Murphysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollocksource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine by Alina Bronsky, translated by Tim Mohrsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenidessource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Night Circus by Erin Morgensternsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWittsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurstsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obrehtsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmadsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. There but for the by Ali Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Train Dreams by Denis Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Volt by Alan Heathcocksource (opens in a new tab)

Lifestyle

  1. Cook This Now by Melissa Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Essential Pepin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food by Jacques Pépinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Mourad: New Moroccan by Mourad Lahlousource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Eating Delicious Food Wherever You Are by Ed Levine and the editors of Serious Eatssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Morin, McMillan and Ericksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Knitter's Life List: To Do, to Know, to Explore, to Make by Gwen W. Steegesource (opens in a new tab)

Mystery

  1. A Simple Act of Violence by R.J. Ellorysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Trick of the Light by Louise Pennysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Field Gray by Philip Kerrsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hurt Machine by Reed Farrell Colemansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Revenger by Rory Clementssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The End of Everything by Megan Abbottsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippmansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Two for Sorrow by Nicola Upsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Book of Secrets: Illegitimate Daughters, Absent Fathers by Michael Holroydsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A World on Fire: Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War by Amanda Foremansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchenssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Believing Is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography by Errol Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamiltonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Blue Nights by Joan Didionsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewissource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Bossypants by Tina Feysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massiesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalinsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Hemingway's Boat by Paul Hendricksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebertsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Love and Capital: Karl Marx and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution by Mary Gabrielsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marablesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. One Day I Will Write About This Place by Binyavanga Wainainasource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orleansource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Rome: A Cultural, Visual, and Personal History by Robert Hughessource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Anatomy of a Moment by Javier Cercassource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Beautiful and the Damned: A Portrait of the New India by Siddhartha Debsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Convert: A Parable of Islam and America by Deborah Bakersource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood by James Gleicksource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Long Goodbye: A Memoir by Meghan O'Rourkesource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity by Jeffrey D. Sachssource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblattsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragososource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Townie: A Memoir by Andre Dubus IIIsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Devotions by Bruce Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Space, in Chains by Laura Kasischkesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Cold War by Kathleen Ossipsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Touch by Henri Colesource (opens in a new tab)

Religion

  1. A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny by Amy Julia Beckersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good by Miroslav Volfsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. As Far as the Heart Can See: Stories to Illuminate the Soul by Mark Neposource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of Spiritual Life by James Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Conversions: Two Family Stories from the Reformation and Modern America by Craig Harlinesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire at the Gates of Tassajara by Colleen Morton Buschsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor by Jana Riesssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World by James Carrollsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Love Wins by Rob Bellsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The God Upgrade: Finding Your 21st-Century Spirituality in Judaism's 5,000-Year-Old Tradition by Jamie S. Korngoldsource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. Angel's Rest: An Eternity Springs Novel by Emily Marchsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaudsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. No Proper Lady by Isabel Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Scandalous Desires: A Maiden Lane Novel by Elizabeth Hoytsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Secret Mistress by Mary Baloghsource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy/Horror

  1. After the Apocalypse by Maureen McHughsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Erekos by A.M. Tuomalasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Triptych by J.M. Freysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Two Worlds and In Between: The Best of Caitlín R. Kiernan, Vol. 1 by Caitlín R. Kiernansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Unpossible by Daryl Gregorysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Zoo City by Lauren Beukessource (opens in a new tab)

Top 10

  1. After the Apocalypse by Maureen McHughsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchenssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bossypants by Tina Feysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massiesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Hemingway's Boat by Paul Hendricksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. One Day I Will Write About This Place by Binyavanga Wainainasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. State of Wonder by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollocksource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenidessource (opens in a new tab)
  10. There but for the by Ali Smithsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Publishers Weekly Best Books

Year is PW's list year, not the publication year. 2009-2025 come from the PW Best Books site, one page per section; category is that page's section name. 2006-2008 come from PW's magazine articles, which list the year's picks by section and have no Top 10, so those years have no Top 10 rows. 2009 has no Romance list (PW added it in 2010). A Top 10 book also appears in its genre section, so it has two rows. Illustrator and photographer credits are dropped; translators are kept.

Organization: Publishers Weekly. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2011