Best Books of the 21st Century
Personal Take on the NYT Books Survey
This week, the New York Times Books section published a rolling list of the 100 best titles of the 21st Century, culled from a survey sent out to the literati glitterati who were asked to submit only TEN of their favorite titles published since 2000.
In typical NYTimes fashion, the list of 100 was typically lauded with books that are generally sad, dark, fraught, “searing”, brutal, and SAD…did I say that? Of the 100, I’d read only 17 which makes me feel sad overall, but I try not to read too many sad books because then I’m sad. That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate some soul-crunching sadness if it’s merited, but I have to take it in small doses, along with my dystopia, violence, abuse, etc, which were all aplenty in the top 100 list. I took issue with a few of the titles because of this, also because I’ve read some of those books and, as I’m sure has happened to you before, I said “what, exactly, is the big deal about this book?” (I’m looking at you The Goldfinch.)
So, although no one asked me, (okay, not true: I get asked for book recommendations all the time,) I’m here with my top 10 submissions of the Best Books of the 21st Century (so far), as well as an extended selection of 20 more titles for your viewing pleasure.
My top 10 (it’s 11) are books that not only do I still think of frequently, although it’s been years since I read them, I have found that they expanded my mind about what’s possible with my own writing, and have maybe even made me a better writer and story-teller. There’s also titles which have changed how I think of the world so fundamentally that there’s a distinct shift in my outlook on life after reading them. So, ultimately this list is pretty personal, but I have my reasons.
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My Top Ten (“But this one goes to Eleven”)
A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles, 2016. First there was Rules of Civility and then came this…both read like novels of another time — the way novels used to be written. This one is full of soigné humor, details, and a heartfelt storyline. I couldn’t put it down when it came out. A little scared to dive into the series on Hulu, only because I love it so much…
Atonement - Ian McEwan, 2001. I almost said Saturday was my favorite McEwan book, but who am I kidding. Known for his terrible, surprising ironies, the twist on the very last page is particularly shattering. Elegantly detailed, romantic, and sharply tragic.
Circe - Madeline Miller, 2018. Brilliant. Tight, nuanced, detailed, and full of constant call-backs to myth and the narrative of The Odyssey. I love how Circe finally tells her own story which makes you wonder what other female character archetypes should be given the same opportunity.
Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan, 2013. Very few satires land the way this one did, along with its two sequels. Even the film lived up to its potential. I love this book because of its spot-on details of a very specific world, and because its simply fun and entertaining. Isn’t that what we want?
Fashionopolis - Dana Thomas, 2019. After I read Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, I knew I’d read anything Dana Thomas ever wrote. (Luckily, she has a fantastic Substack, so check it out!) This one has changed how I shop, making me stop and remember “fewer better things” before I go for something cheap over something lasting. The chapters on denim and new developments in fiber science are must-reads for anyone interested in fashion or shopping.
Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, 2005. I still think about this book, especially the chapters exploring abortion and crime statistics. I feel like this is something everyone needs to read as it explains so many social issues with very clear data and a clear, light voice.
M Train - Patti Smith, 2015. I only read this last year, but I learned so much about writing from reading it. Mainly that writing can be as simple as a morning coffee as long as you describe it well. Such a lovely, compelling book about a bohemianism, creativity, objects, people, and the little joys of life.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma - Michael Pollan, 2006. This is a book that changed everything for me. After reading this I shopped for groceries differently, read labels differently, cooked differently…appreciated food in an entirely new way. Such an important book.
Season of the Witch - David Talbot, 2012. Incredible history of San Francisco during a tumultuous period from the 1960s to the 1980s. Dark and even horrifying, it’s hard to believe our city went through so much in such a short time. This book is absolutely unforgettable and I think of it all the time.
Status Anxiety - Alain de Botton, 2004. I found this title in 2009 when I’d gone through a corporate layoff and it renewed my hope that jobs weren’t always everything, in fact they shouldn’t be. I love everything Alain de Botton has ever written: his wit, charm, tenderness and clarity is unlike anyone else. A wonderful touchstone I keep coming back to read again.
We Don’t Know Ourselves - Fintan O’Toole, 2022. This book explained so much to me as an Irish-American, I wish someone had written it years ago. Telling, therapeutic, sad, dark, insightful…a nice pairing with Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say Nothing.
My Long List
Now, what to say about these other 20 titles? I suppose all I can tell you is that I chose them because in one way or another they completely blew my mind. Is that a good enough reason?
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr, 2014. Tense and beautiful, I love this book. The setting, the radio broadcasts, a blind girl taking on her role in the war. So tender and hopeful, while still breaking hearts.
American Eve - Paula Uruburu, 2008. The original crime of the century: when Harry Thaw shot Stanford White at the first Madison Square Garden late one night in front of a crowd of people. At the center of it all was the original Gibson Girl and stunner Evelyn Nesbit. A sad, strange story of an ambitious stage mother, the dangers of beauty, and the darkness of madness coupled with money. This book sent me down deep rabbit holes and touches on many narratives of Gilded Age America.
Bad Blood - John Carreyrou, 2018. Tore through this the moment it came out. What a time this was in business and in fraud. Epic scams all around and the detail in this telling is precise and thorough. Reads like a thriller instead of a business history — I won’t ever forget it.
Blonde - Joyce Carol Oates, 2000. Gosh, just looking at the title feels like a gut punch. This book is A LOT. Long, slow, nuanced, beautifully abstract and incredibly dark. A fictional biography like no other, but about someone so familiar to modern America it’s difficult to reconcile. This is a masterpiece.
Brooklyn - Colm Toibin, 2009. I felt like I knew Eilis the moment I met her, and have been rooting for her ever since. I love this story: simple, romantic, uncertain, brave. A beautiful snapshot of the American experience.
Carter Beats the Devil - Glen David Gold, 2001. Of it’s era, this book ran neck-and-neck with The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (also fantastic), but I love this for it’s locality. Carter grew up in San Francisco, lived in Oakland, and moved back to San Francisco, where his house full of magic tricks still stands in Sea Cliff. Love this book and think of Carter whenever I’m in his neighborhoods.
Cleopatra: A Life - Stacy Schiff, 2010. I cannot explain what held me about this book, but I was hooked from the very beginning. It’s not often that historical biographies (of a Greek/Egyptian queen from 2000+ years ago, no less) are exciting and lush, but this one definitely is… Cleopatra beyond film renderings is surprising and insightful; a smart political player who is fun to get to know.
Faithful Place - Tana French, 2010. I’ve read all of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad books, and while In the Woods kicks the series off, I find that Faithful Place is the one I think of, likely because of the familial narrative in middle-class Dublin. Still dark, but witty and intriguing, with a whodunnit right up until the very end.
Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann, 2009. Ugh. This is a heartbreaker but so beautiful. The World Trade Center as a beacon throughout multiple narratives of love and loss. Beautifully, uniquely structured and told. Also puts me in mind of The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne which is incredible.
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides, 2002. I had this title in my top ten, but to be fair, if I were to really pick a Eugenides title for that list it would have to be The Virgin Suicides. As it’s from 1993 it can’t qualify though. This story is no less incredible — echoes of the strangeness of Greek myth in a story of immigrants in America.
Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War - Hal Vaughan, 2011. At first I was shocked to the point of disbelief, but it’s all true, and important to know about, especially given that the Chanel brand is still a leader of the luxury market in the 21st Century. Absolutely worth reading for those who love the history of fashion and business — both of which create culture.
Suite Française - Irène Némirovsky, 2004. So enchanted by this book when it first came out — the interwoven narratives, secret loves, families in diaspora across Europe. Plus, the history of the author lends a whole other dimension to the storytelling. Simply gorgeous.
The Boys in the Boat - Daniel James Brown, 2013. As a former rower, I was all in on this book from the beginning. A wonderful story of resilience with the ultimate David vs Goliath overtones at every level. One of these days I need to watch the movie…
The Buddha in the Attic - Julie Otsuka, 2011. About Asian “picture brides” coming to California, and then evolving into a history of Japanese internment on the west coast in World War II. The images are so delicate, vivid, and haunting. Unforgettable.
The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson, 2003. This book changed everything, didn’t it? The story is so wild that it’s hard to believe, especially considering how slowly the wheels of justice turned in the late 1800s. I think of the Pinkerton detectives tracing people throughout the country, finally discovering that hell-hole of a hotel in Chicago, and how near-impossible following the scant leads must have been at the time. I still think of the foot imprint on the vault door…
The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet - Reif Larsen, 2009. This book changed what I thought books could be; the maps, schematics, diagrams included in the chapters and even in the margins were delightful and added so much to the story and the character of T.S. Spivet. A lovely childhood adventure for adults.
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon, 2005. Creepy, romantic, dark. This book and the three that followed in the series are mysterious romps through literature and post-war Barcelona under Franco. Beautifully crafted and told.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin, 2022. Honestly, if you haven’t read this yet, I don’t know what to tell you. Give it a shot. You won’t be sorry.
Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer, 2003. I knew nothing about the LDS when I read this, so the revelations were shocking and downright weird. An important slice of American history whose implications are still coming to light.
Van Gogh: The Life - Steven Naifeh, 2011. Yes, it’s long and yes, it covers a lot of ground that has already been covered about Van Gogh. However, he’s presented as a very human, compassionate man who was just beginning to find comfort in life right when he died. The chapter on his death is the most important, positing a new (and vastly more reasonable) version of events than what we’ve been told for 100+ years. Modern criminology debunking the mythology. I still think about it all the time.
Have your own favorites? Share them in the comments!
Yey for Circe!
I love that Circe is on your list! It’s on mine, too.
I will say that I did try to read tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and hated it. I don’t get why everyone likes it so much.