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Publishers Weekly Best Books 2012

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2012 names 141 books across 13 categories. 54 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Children's Fiction

  1. Ask the Passengers by A.S. Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashoresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Cinder by Marissa Meyersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Weinsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Drama by Raina Telgemeiersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFeverssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Liar & Spy by Rebecca Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertgesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Son by Lois Lowrysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Starry River of the Sky by Grace Linsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypackersource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagansource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Diviners by Libba Braysource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsensource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Fault in Our Stars by John Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtissource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvatersource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Second Life of Abigail Walker by Frances O'Roark Dowellsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnagesource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Will Sparrow's Road by Karen Cushmansource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Wonder by R.J. Palaciosource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Nonfiction

  1. Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaportsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Chuck Close Face Book by Chuck Closesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. One Times Square: A Center of Change at the Crossroads of the World by Joe McKendrysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March by Cynthia Y. Levinsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Picture

  1. A Home for Bird by Philip Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. And Then It's Spring by Julie Foglianosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willemssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hilda and the Midnight Giant by Luke Pearsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.source (opens in a new tab)
  6. I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughessource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCostasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Bear in the Book by Kate Bankssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassensource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Unspoken by Henry Colesource (opens in a new tab)

Comics

  1. Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdelsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary and Bryan Talbotsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderfsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Voyeurs by Gabrielle Bellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Wizzywig by Ed Piskorsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggerssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Waltersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Broken Harbor by Tana Frenchsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Dear Life by Alice Munrosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ghosting by Kirby Gannsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Little Sinners by Karen Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Magnificence by Lydia Milletsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Narcopolis by Jeet Thayilsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Pure by Andrew Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Seven Houses in France by Bernardo Atxagasource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walkersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Coldest Night by Robert Olmsteadsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Cove by Ron Rashsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Dog Stars by Peter Hellersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplinsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Patrick Melrose Novels: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, and Mother's Milk by Edward St. Aubynsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharyasource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powerssource (opens in a new tab)
  19. This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díazsource (opens in a new tab)

Lifestyle

  1. Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Gartensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguidsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Cast On Bind Off: 54 Step-by-Step Methods by Leslie Ann Bestorsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Concussions and Our Kids: America's Leading Expert on How to Protect Young Athletes and Keep Sports Safe by Robert Cantu and Mark Hymansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America and the Spanish Caribbean by Mariel E. Presillasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Knit Your Own Cat by Sally Muir and Joanna Osbornesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry by Ray Hemachandrasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Small-Space Container Gardens: Transform Your Balcony, Porch, or Patio with Fruits, Flowers, Foliage, and Herbs by Fern Richardsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelmansource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Zen Gardens by Mira Lochersource (opens in a new tab)

Mystery

  1. Afterwards by Rosamund Luptonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Black Box by Michael Connellysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Creole Belle by James Lee Burkesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Dead Anyway by Chris Knopfsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Exit Plan by Larry Bondsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynnsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cainsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Live by Night by Dennis Lehanesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Mandarin Gate by Eliot Pattisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Phantom by Jo Nesbøsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Fayesource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald by Errol Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. How the French Invented Love: Nine Hundred Years of Passion and Romance by Marilyn Yalomsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Joseph Roth: A Life in Letters by Joseph Roth, translated by Michael Hofmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Louise: Amended by Louise Krugsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Many Subtle Channels: In Praise of Potential Literature by Daniel Levin Beckersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Mortality by Christopher Hitchenssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. My American Revolution: Crossing the Delaware and I-78 by Robert Sullivansource (opens in a new tab)
  11. My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman and Alan Lightsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. On Extinction: How We Became Estranged from Nature by Melanie Challengersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Reinventing Bach by Paul Eliesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Timothy Egansource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammensource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Stranger Magic: Charmed States and the Arabian Nights by Marina Warnersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Ice Balloon: S.A. Andrée and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration by Alec Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Outsourced Self: Intimate Life in Market Times by Arlie Russell Hochschildsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Patagonian Hare by Claude Lanzmann, translated by Frank Wynnesource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Second World War by Antony Beevorsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Voice Is All: The Lonely Victory of Jack Kerouac by Joyce Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Titian: His Life by Sheila Halesource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Wild by Cheryl Strayedsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Animal Eye by Paisley Rekdalsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Place by Jorie Grahamsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corralsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton by Lucille Cliftonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Useless Landscape, or, A Guide for Boys by D.A. Powellsource (opens in a new tab)

Religion

  1. Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Religion for Atheists by Alain de Bottonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Revelations: Visions, Prophecies, & Politics in the Book of Revelation by Elaine Pagelssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis by Lauren Winnersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America by Edward J. Blum and Paul Harveysource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Daresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dog Days by Elsa Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Love on the Run by Zuri Daysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Bridegroom Wore Plaid by Grace Burrowessource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy/Horror

  1. At the Mouth of the River of Bees by Kij Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Games by Ted Kosmatkasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisinsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinnsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennettsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Weird by Ann and Jeff VanderMeersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Wonders of the Invisible World by Patricia A. McKillipsource (opens in a new tab)

Top 10

  1. All We Know: Three Lives by Lisa Cohensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantelsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Building Stories by Chris Waresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Detroit City Is the Place to Be: The Afterlife of an American Metropolis by Mark Binellisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Happiness Is a Chemical in the Brain by Lucia Perillosource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1945–1956 by Anne Applebaumsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo by Richard Lloyd Parrysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Barbarous Years: The Peopling of British North America: The Conflict of Civilizations, 1600–1675 by Bernard Bailynsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Devil in Silver by Victor LaVallesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Round House by Louise Erdrichsource (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 2012