Brooklyn—Brooklyn Public Library has released its favorite books of the year. Recommended by librarians and staff, the list of 100 books includes fiction, poetry, memoirs, short stories, nonfiction and more. A few of the selected titles are below. The complete list can be found here.
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth TaylorNew York Review Books
An absolutely wonderful funny-sad novel about elderly hotel residents.
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly
Atria/One Signal Publishers from Simon and Schuster
This book totally changed how I thought about music and the way big tech changes our consciousness.
Love is a Dangerous Word: Selected Poems by Essex Hemphill
New Directions
A long overdue collection featuring the unflinching work of a criminally under-heralded poet.
Woodworking by Emily St. James
Crooked Media Reads
These characters feel so real, messy and complicated. I would have gladly spent more time with them.
A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find A Stolen Generation of Children by Haley Cohen Gilliland
Avid Reader Press/Simon and Schuster
Investigative journalism at its finest. Reads like a novel. Gut-wrenching. Read if you are a person.
Fireworks by Matthew Burgess with pictures by Cátia Chien
Clarion Books
The most perfectly New Yorky book, full of colors, sounds and the magic of fireworks. (A book for kids that the whole family will enjoy.)
Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang
First Second from Macmillan
A stunning survival story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt alone and misunderstood.
Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson
Harper Collins
Pirate adventures! Art by ND Stevenson! Every moment of this was so much fun.
A Place for Feelings by Corey Ann Haydu
Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins
A lovely picture book that helps children talk about their big feelings!
Truth Is by Hannah V Sawyerr
Amulet Books
Through verse, journals and prompts, Truth Is shows there’s always a choice, hope and a way forward.
Still can’t decide? Check out the complete list here. Or get a completely personalized custom list of recommendations, hand-picked by our librarians, and created just for you. Learn more about our BookMatch service here.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library’s online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.