Last week I discussed some of the books making the Best Books of 2019.  The lists are still appearing, and now some outlets are adding a twist.

 

Entertainment Weekly named the best series of the last decade with Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels.  The quartet began in 2010 telling the story of two friends, Lila and Lenu, growing up in a hard-luck neighborhood in postwar Naples.  The two are immensely different, but the closest of friends even as romance, ambition and marriage pull them apart.  “My Brilliant Friend,” “The Story of a New Name, “Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay” and “The Story of the Lost Child” make up the quartet and if you haven’t read any of the books, you need to put these on your TBR list.

 

Bookbub added a twist with the Buzziest Books of the Decade.  In 2010, their choice was “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot.  Bookbub points out that the choice of each book was one “that caused a sensation, revolutionized a genre, established a cultural touchstone, or launched itself into the zeitgeist.”  That is why the book for 2011 was E L James’ “Fifty Shades of Grey.”  Gillian Flynn’s twisty thriller, “Gone Girl,” ranked for 2012, and Donna Tartt’s third novel, “The Goldfinch,” won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and is the buzziest book for 2013.

 

“Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty covers 2014, “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah ranks for 2015, “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi for 2016, “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng for 2017, “Educated” by Tara Westover for 2018 and “Three Women” by Lisa Taddeo rounds out the decade.  If you are interested in their reasoning, try bookbub.com/blog for more details.

 

Time decided to get into the act and name their “10 Best Fiction Books of the 2010s.”

 

Their choices included Elena Ferrante’s “My Brilliant Friend,”  Jennifer Egan’s “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” George Saunders’ “Tenth of December,” Jesmyn Ward’s “Sing, Unburied, Sing,” Colson Whitehead’s “The Nickel Boys,” Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl,” Chimamanda Ngozi’s “Americanah,” Kate Atkinson’s “Life After Life,” Paul Beatty’s “The Sellout,” and Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere.”

 

Go to their website for more details and visit their very long list of Best Books of 2019.  Be aware if you hit print, it is a lot of paper.

I am sure with the busy holiday season now upon us, reading just might not be very high on your to do list right now, but these lists are great places to start as those long dark, snowy days of winter approach.  And they might give you some ideas of what to give for Christmas or what to ask for.