Best Books of the Year
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Washington Post Best Books of the Year 2013

Washington Post Best Books of the Year 2013 names 110 books across 3 categories. 48 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

10 Best Books

  1. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marrasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Leporesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol by Ann Dowsett Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. How the Light Gets In by Louise Pennysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Thank You for Your Service by David Finkelsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Good Lord Bird by James McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 by Rick Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Son by Philipp Meyersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messudsource (opens in a new tab)

Notable Fiction

  1. & Sons by David Gilbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Deniable Death by Gerald Seymoursource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozekisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichiesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseinisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Brewster by Mark Sloukasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway by Sara Gransource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticatsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Dirty Love by Andre Dubus IIIsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Doctor Sleep by Stephen Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Faces of Love: Hafez and the Poets of Shiraz by Hafez, Jahan Malek Khatun and Obayd-e Zakani, translated by Dick Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Flora by Gail Godwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. MaddAddam by Margaret Atwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Man Alive! by Mary Kay Zuravleffsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. My Education by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  17. NOS4A2 by Joe Hillsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Night Film by Marisha Pesslsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Nostalgia by Dennis McFarlandsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kaysource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Schroder by Amity Gaigesource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Someone by Alice McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Sparta by Roxana Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Sycamore Row by John Grishamsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Telling the Bees by Peggy Heskethsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Tenth of December by George Saunderssource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oatessource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Antagonist by Lynn Coadysource (opens in a new tab)
  30. The Blood of Heaven by Kent Wascomsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Stroutsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Wintersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushnersource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Goldfinch by Donna Tarttsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzersource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldmansource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Luminaries by Eleanor Cattonsource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Maid’s Version by Daniel Woodrellsource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Raven’s Gift by Don Reardensource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Realm of Last Chances by Steve Yarbroughsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The River of No Return by Bee Ridgwaysource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beaumansource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The Transylvanian Trilogy by Miklos Banffysource (opens in a new tab)
  47. The Watch Tower by Elizabeth Harrowersource (opens in a new tab)
  48. The Woman Who Lost Her Soul by Bob Shacochissource (opens in a new tab)
  49. Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russellsource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Want Not by Jonathan Milessource (opens in a new tab)

Notable Nonfiction

  1. 1913: In Search of the World Before the Great War by Charles Emmersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination by Philip Shenonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story by Qais Akbar Omarsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Act of Congress: How America’s Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn’t by Robert G. Kaisersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions by Susan Tive and Cami Ostmansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Blackett’s War: The Men Who Defeated the Nazi U-Boats and Brought Science to the Art of Warfare by Stephen Budianskysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Bolívar: American Liberator by Marie Aranasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein — Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe by Mario Liviosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution by Nathaniel Philbricksource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America by Dan Balzsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollansource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House by Peter Bakersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James Swansonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865 by James Oakessource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Gabriele D’Annunzio: Poet, Seducer and Preacher of War by Lucy Hughes-Hallettsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roachsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Hothouse: The Art of Survival and the Survival of Art at America’s Most Celebrated Publishing House, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux by Boris Kachkasource (opens in a new tab)
  18. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lambsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Invisible Armies: An Epic History of Guerrilla Warfare from Ancient Times to the Present by Max Bootsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands by Charles Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  22. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayorsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Norman Mailer: A Double Life by J. Michael Lennonsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Queen Bee of Tuscany: The Redoubtable Janet Ross by Ben Downingsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence by Joseph J. Ellissource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Swimming Studies by Leanne Shaptonsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire by Neil Irwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Billionaire’s Apprentice: The Rise of the Indian-American Elite and the Fall of the Galleon Hedge Fund by Anita Raghavansource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide by Gary J. Basssource (opens in a new tab)
  30. The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwinsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son by Pat Conroysource (opens in a new tab)
  32. The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks by Amy Stewartsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being in Charge Isn’t What It Used to Be by Moises Naimsource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stonesource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War by Daniel Stashowersource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832 by Alan Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasawsource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution by Marcia Coylesource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan: A Boy Avenger, a Nazi Diplomat, and a Murder in Paris by Jonathan Kirschsource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripleysource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Spark: A Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius by Kristine Barnettsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance by David Epsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Terror Courts: Rough Justice at Guantanamo Bay by Jess Bravinsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packersource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth by Mark Mazzettisource (opens in a new tab)
  47. The Wolf and the Watchman: A Father, a Son, and the CIA by Scott C. Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  48. The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarnesource (opens in a new tab)
  49. This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral — Plus Plenty of Valet Parking! — in America’s Gilded Capital by Mark Leibovichsource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Why Does the World Exist? An Existential Detective Story by Jim Holtsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Washington Post Best Books of the Year

Three lists a year: 10 Best Books, Notable Fiction, and Notable Nonfiction. 2011-2025 notable lists are WaPo's 50 notable works of fiction and nonfiction. 2006-2010 notable lists are Book World's holiday Best Books of the year, whose genre subsections are folded into fiction and nonfiction; 2006 and 2011 top lists are top five fiction plus top five nonfiction. WaPo pages were read through the Wayback Machine because washingtonpost.com blocks direct fetches. Secondary sources where no WaPo copy was readable: the 2008 top 10 and nine of the 2010 top 10 come from Publishers Lunch; the 2025 lists are cut off by the paywall in every archived copy and come from yearendlists.com (item 1 on each WaPo page matches). WaPo's separate genre lists (thrillers, SF, poetry, graphic novels) and critics' personal picks are left out. No list is ranked.

Organization: The Washington Post. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2013