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Publishers Weekly Best Books 2019

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2019 names 160 books across 13 categories. 61 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Comics

  1. Clyde Fans by Sethsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacobsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Hot Comb by Ebony Flowerssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rusty Brown, Part I by Chris Waresource (opens in a new tab)
  5. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei et al.source (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obiomasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming by László Krasznahorkai, translated by Ottilie Mulzetsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Black Forest by Valérie Mréjen, translated by Katie Shireen Assefsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCrackensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Exposed by Jean-Philippe Blondel, translated by Alison Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Frankissstein by Jeanette Wintersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. From the Shadows by Juan José Millás, translated by Thomas Bunstead and Daniel Hahnsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Ghost Wall by Sarah Mosssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Grand Union by Zadie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Mars by Asja Bakić, translated by Jennifer Zoblesource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowellsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Stroutsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Optic Nerve by María Gainza, translated by Thomas Bunsteadsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman, translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandlersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada, translated by David Boydsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Far Field by Madhuri Vijaysource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Need by Helen Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Sweetest Fruits by Monique Truongsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The World Doesn't Require You by Rion Amilcar Scottsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Trust Exercise by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Women Talking by Miriam Toewssource (opens in a new tab)

Lifestyle

  1. (It's Great to) Suck at Something: The Unexpected Joy of Wiping Out and What It Can Teach Us About Patience, Resilience, and the Stuff That Really Matters by Karen Rinaldisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. And Then We Grew Up: On Creativity, Potential, and the Imperfect Art of Adulthood by Rachel Friedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity and the Truth About Dieting by Giles Yeosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking: From Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine by Maangchi and Martha Rose Shulmansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live by Melanie Falicksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations by Sean Brocksource (opens in a new tab)

Middle Grade

  1. All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tuckersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. My Jasper June by Laurel Snydersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. New Kid by Jerry Craftsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Wargasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidtsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconissource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandezsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Line Tender by Kate Allensource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Lost Girl by Anne Ursusource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjaminsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddixsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbaliasource (opens in a new tab)

Mystery

  1. Alice's Island by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, translated by the authorsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Conviction by Denise Minasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Game of Snipers by Stephen Huntersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robothamsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippmansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Red Metal by Mark Greaney and H. Ripley Rawlings IVsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Bone Fire by S.D. Sykessource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelidessource (opens in a new tab)
  9. This Poison Will Remain by Fred Vargas, translated by Siân Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Your House Will Pay by Steph Chasource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Acid for the Children: A Memoir by Fleasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation by Andrew Marantzsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America by James Poniewoziksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Axiomatic by Maria Tumarkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration by Emily Bazelonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Edison by Edmund Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cepsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender in the Twentieth Century by Charles Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moavenisource (opens in a new tab)
  10. How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir by Saeed Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  11. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendisource (opens in a new tab)
  12. How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahrsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machadosource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warrensource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative by Jane Alisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snydersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century by George Packersource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Parisian Lives: Samuel Beckett, Simone de Beauvoir, and Me: A Memoir by Deirdre Bairsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story that Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twoheysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 by James Donovansource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Solitary by Albert Woodfox and Leslie Georgesource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775–1777 by Rick Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped an Age by Leo Damroschsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America by Margaret O'Marasource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays by Esmé Weijun Wangsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando by William J. Mannsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir by Samantha Powersource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation by Brenda Wineapplesource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Lives of Lucian Freud: The Restless Years, 1922–1968 by William Feaversource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlanesource (opens in a new tab)

Picture Books

  1. A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittensteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzelsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Another by Christian Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Birdsong by Julie Flettsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Crab Cake: Turning the Tide Together by Andrea Tsurumisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Daniel's Good Day by Micha Archersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillardsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Migration: Incredible Animal Journeys by Mike Unwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quinterosource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. River by Elisha Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Roar Like a Dandelion by Ruth Krausssource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Saturday by Oge Morasource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Small in the City by Sydney Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexandersource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Vroom! by Barbara McClintocksource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Who Wet My Pants? by Bob Sheasource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminskysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hybrida by Tina Changsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Octopus Museum by Brenda Shaughnessysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Tradition by Jericho Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. To the Wren: Collected & New by Jane Meadsource (opens in a new tab)

Religion

  1. God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America by Lyz Lenzsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorahsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor's Struggle for Home in Rural America by Ayaz Virjisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts by James K.A. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts by Karen Armstrongsource (opens in a new tab)

Romance

  1. Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmoresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuistonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Devil in the Saddle by Julia Londonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Doctor's Secret by Heidi Cullinansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Ex-Princess by Fiona Westsource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy/Horror

  1. A People's Future of the United States by Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Middlegame by Seanan McGuiresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Institute by Stephen Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbullsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurleysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starlingsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Wanderers by Chuck Wendigsource (opens in a new tab)

Top 10

  1. Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America by James Poniewoziksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. From the Shadows by Juan José Millás, translated by Thomas Bunstead and Daniel Hahnsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacobsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moavenisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Optic Nerve by María Gainza, translated by Thomas Bunsteadsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Solitary by Albert Woodfox and Leslie Georgesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775–1777 by Rick Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Trust Exercise by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult

  1. Angel Mage by Garth Nixsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gravity by Sarah Demingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venablesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamakisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburghsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Out of Salem by Hal Schrievesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribaysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Pet by Akwaeke Emezisource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Shout by Laurie Halse Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Slay by Brittney Morrissource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia by Marc Favreausource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drakesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Waning Age by S.E. Grovesource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliottsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. We Rule the Night by Claire Eliza Bartlettsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedosource (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 2019