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Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2007

Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2007 names 155 books across 14 categories. 29 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Architecture

  1. Architecture by Authority by Richard Rosssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Churches by David Sperosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. From Agit Prop to Free Space: The Architecture of Cedric Price by Stanley Mathewssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mapping London: Making Sense of the City by Simon Foxellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Papers 2 by Jonathan Sergison and Stephen Batessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Architecture of Parking by Simon Henleysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Without and Within by Mark Pimlottsource (opens in a new tab)

Art

  1. A Life of Picasso: Volume III: The Triumphant Years 1917-1932 by John Richardsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Edward Steichen: Lives in Photography by Todd Brandow and William Ewingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. God’s Architect: Pugin and the Building of Romantic Britain by Rosemary Hillsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Horses by Yann Arthus-Bertrandsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Howard Hodgkin: Paintings 1992-2007 by Julia Maciari Alexander and David Scrasesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Klimt by Alfred Weidingersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Louise Bourgeois by Frances Morris and Marie-Laure Bernadacsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Matisse: Painter as Sculptor by Dorothy Kosinski, Jay Fisher and Steven Nashsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Soviet Posters: The Sergo Grigorian Collection by Maria Lafontsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Stained Glass: Masterpieces of the Modern Era by Xavier Barral i Altetsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Great Naturalists: From Aristotle to Darwin by Julia Brittainsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Origins of American Photography: From Daguerreotype to Dry-plate, 1839-1885 by Keith F. Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Society Portrait: Painting, Prestige and the Pursuit of Elegance by Gabriel Badea-Paunsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Writer’s Brush: Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture by Writers by Donald Friedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Two Lives: Gertrude and Alice by Janet Malcolmsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Vitebsk: The Life of Art by Aleksandra Shatskikhsource (opens in a new tab)

Business

  1. Five Minds for the Future by Howard Gardnersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hot Spots: Why Some Companies Buzz with Energy and Innovation, and Others Don’t by Lynda Grattonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them by Philippe Legrainsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mobilizing Minds: Creating Wealth from Talent in the 21st Century Organization by Lowell L. Bryan and Claudia L. Joycesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World by Alan Greenspansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Talebsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The CEO Within: Why Inside-Outsiders are the Key to Succession Planning by Joseph L. Bowersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Future of Management by Gary Hamelsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Halo Effect … and the Eight Other Business Delusions that Deceive Managers by Phil Rosenzweigsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Freres & Co by William D. Cohansource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Puritan Gift: Triumph, Collapse and Revival of an American Dream by Kenneth and Will Hoppersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Secret Language of Leadership: How Leaders Inspire Action Through Narrative by Stephen Denningsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Upside: The 7 Strategies for Turning Big Threats Into Growth Breakthroughs by Adrian Slywotzkysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Unstoppable: Finding Hidden Assets to Renew the Core and Fuel Profitable Growth by Chris Zooksource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future by Iain Carson and Vijay V. Vaitheeswaransource (opens in a new tab)

Children's: Teenagers

  1. Blood Red Snow White by Marcus Sedgwicksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Burn My Heart by Beverley Naidoosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fearless by Tim Lottsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. River Song by Belinda Hollyersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Medici Curse by Matt Chamingssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror by Chris Priestleysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Wilderness by Roddy Doylesource (opens in a new tab)

Children's: Under-10s

  1. George’s Secret Key to the Unicerse by Lucy and Stephen Hawkingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Little Neighbours of Sunnyside Street by Jessica Spanyolsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Not a Box by Antoinette Portissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Sensible Hare and the Case of Carrots by Daren Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Picture History of Britain by Clarke Huttonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson and David Robertssource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseinisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Afterwards by Rachel Seiffertsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Blank Gaze by Jose Luis Peixotosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Day by A.L. Kennedysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Diary of a Bad Year by J.M. Coetzeesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Divisadero by Michael Ondaatjesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Exit Ghost by Philip Rothsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Falling Man by Don DeLillosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Life Class by Pat Barkersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Lost City Radio by Daniel Alarconsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupinsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Montano by Enrique Vila-Matassource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Nine Nights by Bernardo Carvalhosource (opens in a new tab)
  16. No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda Julysource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Rhett Butler’s People by Donald McCaigsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Run by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Tordaysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Shutterspeed by Erwin Mortiersource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Archivist’s Story by Travis Hollandsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Dissident by Nell Freudenbergersource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Gathering by Anne Enrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The New Granta Book of the American Short Story by Richard Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Past by Alan Paulssource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Pesthouse by Jim Cracesource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamidsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Food

  1. Beyond Nose to Tail: A Kind of British Cooking: Part II by Fergus Henderson and Justin Piers Gellatlysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Citrus: A History by Pierre Laszlosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliversource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Let Me Eat Cake by Paul Arnottsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Moro East by Sam and Sam Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Pork & Sons by Stephane Reynaudsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Last Food of England: English Food: Its Past, Present and Future by Marwood Yeatmansource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The River Cottage Fish Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Nick Fishersource (opens in a new tab)

History

  1. A Little History of the English Country Church by Roy Strongsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. City of the Sharp-nosed Fish: Greek Lives in Roman Egypt by Peter Parsonssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World, 1940-41 by Ian Kershawsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Forgotten Wars: The End of Britain’s Asian Empire by Christopher Bayly and Tim Harpersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Napoleon in Egypt: The Greatest Glory by Paul Strathernsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Prehistory: The Making of the Human Mind by Colin Renfrewsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. State of the Nation: British Theatre Since 1945 by Michael Billingtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Thames: Sacred River by Peter Ackroydsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Disinherited: The Exiles who Created Spanish Culture by Henry Kamensource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Greeks and Greek Love: A Radical Reappraisal of Homosexuality in Ancient Greece by James Davidsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Khyber Pass: A History of Empire and Invasion by Paddy Dochertysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Noble Revolt: The Overthrow of Charles I by John Adamsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Them and Us: The American Invasion of British High Society by Charles Jenningssource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy by Eric D. Weitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. World war one: A Short History by Norman Stonesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Worth the Detour: A History of the Guidebook by Nicholas T. Parsonssource (opens in a new tab)

Music

  1. Eric Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton and Christopher Simon Sykessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hand Me My Travelin’ Shoes by Michael Graysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Let’s Spend the Night Together: Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies by Pamela Des Barressource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sackssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. My Bass and Other Animals by Guy Prattsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ronnie: The Autobiography by Ronnie Woodsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Wagner Clan by Jonathan Carrsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. A Worldly Country by John Ashberysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bird With a Broken Wing by Adam Thorpesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Look We Have Coming to Dover! by Daljit Nagrasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain, 950-1492 by Peter Colesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Drowned Book by Sean O’Briensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Meanest Flower by Mimi Khalvatisource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Pomegranates of Kandhar by Sarah Maguiresource (opens in a new tab)

Politics & Religion

  1. Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia by John Graysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Comrades: A World History of Communism by Robert Servicesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dancing in the Street: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreichsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Darwin’s Angel: An Angelic Riposte to ‘The God Delusion’ by John Cornwellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. God and Gold: Britain, America and the Making of the Modern World by Walter Russell Meadsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchenssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. God’s Own Country: Tales from the Bible Belt by Stephen Batessource (opens in a new tab)
  8. More Time for Politics: Diaries, 2001-2007 by Tony Bennsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement by Brian Dohertysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Bible: The Biography by Karen Armstrongsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Blair Years by Alastair Campbellsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad by Tariq Ramadansource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies by Bryan Caplansource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Triumph of the Political Class by Peter Obornesource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity and the Renewal of Civilization by Thomas Homer-Dixonsource (opens in a new tab)

Science

  1. A Life Decoded: My Genome, My Life by J. Craig Ventersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Avoid Boring People: and Other Lessons from a Life in Science by James D. Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dark Side of the Moon: The Magnificent Madness of the American Lunar Quest by Gerard DeGrootsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Everything Conceivable: How Assisted Reproduction is Changing Men, Women, and the World by Liza Mundysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Kiwi’s Egg: Charles Darwin and Natural Selection by David Quammensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Trouble with Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science and What Comes Next by Lee Smolinsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Why Beauty is Truth: The History of Symmetry by Ian Stewartsource (opens in a new tab)

Sport

  1. A Very British Coop: Pigeon Racing from Blackpool to Sun City by Mark Collingssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Baseball Haiku: The Best Haiku Ever Written About the Game by Cor van den Heuvel and Nanae Tamurasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bellies and Bullseyes: The Outrageous True Story of Darts by Sid Waddellsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Left for Dead: The Untold Story of the Tragic 1979 Fastnet Disaster by Nick Ward and Sinead O’Briensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. My Manchester United Years: The Autobiography by Bobby Charlton and James Lawtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Searching for Heroes: Fifty Years of Sporting Encounters by Ian Wooldridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Tommy’s Honour: The Extraordinary Story of Golf’s Founding Father and Son by Kevin Cooksource (opens in a new tab)

Travel

  1. No Vulgar Hotel: The Desire and Pursuit of Venice by Judith Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Barefoot Emperor: An Ethiopian Tragedy by Philip Marsdensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Ends of the Earth by Elizabeth Kolbert and Francis Spuffordsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Hill of Kronos by Peter Levisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Snake Stone by Jason Goodwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlanesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinskisource (opens in a new tab)

About the Financial Times Best Books of the Year

FT critics' and editors' year-end picks, one list per category (fiction, politics, history, economics, business, science, crime, poetry, children's, art, food, sport and others). 2007-2015 ran as one or two long Books of the Year articles split by category; from 2016 each category is its own article in the series. Left out: FT readers' picks, critics'-choice and FT-journalists'-favourites roundups where many people each name a book, books by FT staff, gift guides, and anthologies with no named author. ft.com is paywalled, so pages were read through archive.today snapshots, with the Wayback Machine used to find the 2020 series index. Missing: 2006, 2008 and 2011 (no snapshot found) and most 2016 categories (only Fiction, Economics, History and Business found). Approved for use by the site owner on 2026-11-05.

Organization: Financial Times. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2007