O Magazine's Best Books of 2010

Submitted by Tara on December 4, 2010 - 5:08pm

In addition to many other Best Books of 2010 lists out there, O Magazine came out with their own list featuring fiction and nonfiction published this year. 2010 must have been a great year for biographies as several of those made the list as well! What has been the best book you've read so far this year?

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the International Hunt for His Assassin by Hampton Sides
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

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Comments

Submitted by April G. on December 5, 2010 - 10:22am.

The best book I read this year wasn't the best for literary reasons but for long-sought life-changing reasons: The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom by Michelle Singletary. I did its recommended financial fast and have been on a happy financial road since April 2010. Now if I could just find a DIET AND EXERCISE book that was similarly life-and-perspective changing!

Submitted by Michelle on December 3, 2010 - 5:27am.

It's interesting (or maybe not) how many of these best of books are on nearly every list! Does that mean they are really that great or the critics aren't that critical?

Submitted by Tara on December 3, 2010 - 11:27am.

I love this observation. I feel like it means that most critics have the same taste in books. It reminds me very much of the Oscars - books that are sad seem to have more value. I have seen a new trend in that first authors are also more heavily favored. What sticks out to me are the ones that are unique to each list and those are the ones that get my attention.