Best Books of the Year
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TIME Best Books of the Year 2023

TIME Best Books of the Year 2023 names 120 books across 3 categories. 54 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

100 Must-Read

  1. A Day in the Life of Abed Salama by Nathan Thrallsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Living Remedy by Nicole Chungsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Above Ground by Clint Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Absolution by Alice McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartzsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. After the Funeral by Tessa Hadleysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. All Souls by Saskia Hamiltonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosbysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Anansi's Gold by Yepoka Yeebosource (opens in a new tab)
  10. August Blue by Deborah Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Big Swiss by Jen Beaginsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Biography of X by Catherine Laceysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Cattonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Blackouts by Justin Torressource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Chrome Valley by Mahogany L. Brownesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Crook Manifesto by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Desertion by Abdulrazak Gurnahsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Doppelganger by Naomi Kleinsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felixsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Fair Play by Katie Barnessource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedosource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Fire Weather by John Vaillantsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. From From by Monica Younsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Ghost Music by An Yusource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Greek Lessons by Han Kangsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitanosource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Holding Pattern by Jenny Xiesource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Holler, Child by Latoya Watkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  29. How Not to Kill Yourself by Clancy Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclairsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. I Am Still With You by Emmanuel Idumasource (opens in a new tab)
  32. I Do Everything I'm Told by Megan Fernandessource (opens in a new tab)
  33. I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkaisource (opens in a new tab)
  34. I Love Russia by Elena Kostyuchenkosource (opens in a new tab)
  35. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbecksource (opens in a new tab)
  36. King: A Life by Jonathan Eigsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Wardsource (opens in a new tab)
  38. Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go by Cleo Qiansource (opens in a new tab)
  39. Liliana's Invincible Summer by Cristina Rivera Garzasource (opens in a new tab)
  40. Lone Women by Victor LaVallesource (opens in a new tab)
  41. Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woosource (opens in a new tab)
  42. Mobility by Lydia Kieslingsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. Mott Street by Ava Chinsource (opens in a new tab)
  44. My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisandsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. None of the Above by Travis Alabanzasource (opens in a new tab)
  46. North Woods by Daniel Masonsource (opens in a new tab)
  47. Nothing Special by Nicole Flatterysource (opens in a new tab)
  48. Our Migrant Souls by Héctor Tobarsource (opens in a new tab)
  49. Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquezsource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Owner of a Lonely Heart by Beth Nguyensource (opens in a new tab)
  51. Pageboy by Elliot Pagesource (opens in a new tab)
  52. Pineapple Street by Jenny Jacksonsource (opens in a new tab)
  53. Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmondsource (opens in a new tab)
  54. Red Memory by Tania Branigansource (opens in a new tab)
  55. Ripe by Sarah Rose Ettersource (opens in a new tab)
  56. River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearersource (opens in a new tab)
  57. Some People Need Killing by Patricia Evangelistasource (opens in a new tab)
  58. Spare by Prince Harrysource (opens in a new tab)
  59. Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilalsource (opens in a new tab)
  60. Terrace Story by Hilary Leichtersource (opens in a new tab)
  61. The 272 by Rachel L. Swarnssource (opens in a new tab)
  62. The Bee Sting by Paul Murraysource (opens in a new tab)
  63. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghesesource (opens in a new tab)
  64. The Deadline by Jill Leporesource (opens in a new tab)
  65. The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinensource (opens in a new tab)
  66. The Future by Naomi Aldermansource (opens in a new tab)
  67. The Good Life by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulzsource (opens in a new tab)
  68. The Great Reclamation by Rachel Hengsource (opens in a new tab)
  69. The Great White Bard by Farah Karim-Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  70. The Guest by Emma Clinesource (opens in a new tab)
  71. The Half Known Life by Pico Iyersource (opens in a new tab)
  72. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  73. The Hive and the Honey by Paul Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  74. The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  75. The Male Gazed by Manuel Betancourtsource (opens in a new tab)
  76. The Postcard by Anne Berestsource (opens in a new tab)
  77. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghuesource (opens in a new tab)
  78. The Talk by Darrin Bellsource (opens in a new tab)
  79. The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  80. The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  81. The Vegan by Andrew Lipsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  82. The Wager by David Grannsource (opens in a new tab)
  83. The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  84. The Young Man by Annie Ernauxsource (opens in a new tab)
  85. Thin Skin by Jenn Shaplandsource (opens in a new tab)
  86. This Other Eden by Paul Hardingsource (opens in a new tab)
  87. Thunderclap by Laura Cummingsource (opens in a new tab)
  88. To Free the Captives by Tracy K. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  89. Tom Lake by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  90. Tremor by Teju Colesource (opens in a new tab)
  91. Vengeance Is Mine by Marie NDiayesource (opens in a new tab)
  92. Victory City by Salman Rushdiesource (opens in a new tab)
  93. Waiting to Be Arrested at Night by Tahir Hamut Izgilsource (opens in a new tab)
  94. Wandering Souls by Cecile Pinsource (opens in a new tab)
  95. What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménezsource (opens in a new tab)
  96. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyamasource (opens in a new tab)
  97. When Crack Was King by Donovan X. Ramseysource (opens in a new tab)
  98. Y/N by Esther Yisource (opens in a new tab)
  99. Yellowface by R.F. Kuangsource (opens in a new tab)
  100. You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. 1Biography of X by Catherine Laceysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquezsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4The Bee Sting by Paul Murraysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilalsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7Tom Lake by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8The Hive and the Honey by Paul Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9Y/N by Esther Yisource (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Tremor by Teju Colesource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. 1Some People Need Killing by Patricia Evangelistasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2Doppelganger by Naomi Kleinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3To Free the Captives by Tracy K. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4A Day in the Life of Abed Salama by Nathan Thrallsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclairsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmondsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8Liliana's Invincible Summer by Cristina Rivera Garzasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9Fire Weather by John Vaillantsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10King: A Life by Jonathan Eigsource (opens in a new tab)

About the TIME Best Books of the Year

Fiction and Nonfiction top 10 lists by year (a single combined top 10 in 2006 and 2025) plus TIME's unranked 100 Must-Read Books, published 2020-2025. Separate YA/children's and genre lists are excluded. 2012-2013 cite entertainment.time.com, TIME's arts site at the time.

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

The most recommended books of 2023