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- Thousands of books are released every year, but not every story has that magic formula that can change how people view a topic.
- As the 2010s come to a close, Insider took a look back at the books that defined the decade.
- Employees shared the books that made the most impact on them, from Pulitzer Prize-winning novels like "All The Light We Cannot See," to moving collections of essays, such as Roxane Gay's "Bad Feminist."
- The list also features a handful of blockbusters that broke records, including "Fifty Shades of Grey."
- These are the 101 books that defined the 2010s.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
"A Visit From the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan (2010)
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"A Visit From the Goon Squad" follows the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aged punk rocker, and his employee Sasha, a kleptomaniac struggling to find peace. Egan gives us their stories in anachronistic chunks, weaving together interconnected narratives through tableaux of different moments from their lives.
The story features flashbacks in time, travels around the world, poignant moments of loss, and a thread of music that ties it all together. Sarah Gray, a reporter on the News Insider team, loves Egan's book because "it has so much humanity. The human connections in the book leave such an indelible print on readers."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Just Kids" by Patti Smith (2010)
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Before Patti Smith was the "punk poet laureate," she was a struggling artist in New York City, and Robert Mapplethorpe was the aspiring photographer at her side. "Just Kids" begins during the summer Smith and Mapplethorpe spent together in 1969 at Hotel Chelsea, where they met great artists of the time and became great artists themselves.
Smith tells the story of their relationship, both as a love story between two aspiring artists and a love story between them and the city, giving readers insight into how a creative mind is made.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Room" by Emma Donoghue (2010)
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Five-year-old Jack has never been anywhere but "Room," which he thinks is the whole world. In reality, it's a tiny shed in the backyard of Old Nick, the man who kidnapped his mother, Ma, seven years ago. The reader follows Jack's journey to understand that the world isn't what he thinks, as Ma devises a plan for them to escape. The movie adaptation won Brie Larson an Academy Award for best actress.
The story is compelling in and of itself, but the language of the novel makes it even more intoxicating, as Donoghue writes entirely from Jack's perspective, showcasing how his minuscule view of reality impacts the way he speaks and thinks. At its core, "Room" is a story about a mother's love for her child.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Super Sad True Love Story" by Gary Shteyngart (2010)
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"Super Sad True Love Story" looks like an unlikely love story, starring 39-year-old Lenny Abramov, who seems ill at ease in his time, preferring books and paper journals to computers, and Eunice Park, who is jaded by the cruelties of the world.
But the startling aspect of Shteyngart's book is that it seemed to know Occupy Wall Street was coming, with the text predicting a credit panic, riots in Central Park, and a National Guard presence on the streets of Manhattan. The book is disarming in its accurate analysis of the world, quite literally coming a year ahead of its time.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" by Barbara Demick (2010)
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Since the rise of its totalitarian regime, North Korea has been largely shrouded from the rest of the world. Barbara Demick unveils some of that mystery in "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea," in which she documents the lives of six North Korean residents over the span of 15 years.
Demick shows the reader that in many ways, the lives of her subjects are entirely ordinary — they fall in love, work hard at their jobs, and have children. But other aspects of their lives are shockingly unfamiliar, and Demick deftly shows their development from total trust to disillusionment with their government. Though it was written at the beginning of the decade, it's more relevant than ever as the 2010s come to a close.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Submission" by Amy Waldman (2011)
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In Manhattan, a group of New Yorkers gather to choose an artist to make a memorial for the victims of a fatal terror attack. The jury selects their winner anonymously, only to discover the artist they chose is a Muslim man. The group is outraged after they discover their choice, but some come to the artist's defense, particularly Claire Burwell, a widow from the attack.
Amy Waldman's "The Selection" confronts the problematic ways a nation grieves.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
The "Neapolitan Novels" series by Elena Ferrante (2011)
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The "Neapolitan Novels" star Lila and Elena, best friends struggling to maintain their connection amid changes in their lives. The series spans almost 60 years, and it's "unique in its strong female minds and representation of female relationships," said Insider's Becky Peterson, an investigative reporter.
The post-war Italian backdrop is as much a character as Lila and Elena, and Ferrante captivates her readers with her rich descriptions and honest portrayals of what it's like to be a woman.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"An Invisible Thread" by Alex Tresniowski and Laura Schroff (2011)
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Alex Tresniowski and Laura Schrof's story began by a chance encounter in the 1980s when Schrof, a business executive, passed by a then 11-year-old Tresniowski panhandling for money on the subway. Schrof took Tresnioswki to lunch at McDonald's on an impulse, and the duo ended up becoming lifelong friends.
"An Invisible Thread" is a testament to their over 30-year friendship, and a "story of kindness that changed a child's life" as Kristin Mooney, Insider's executive director of events, puts it.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari (2011)
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Yuval Noah Harari's "Sapiens" is a "history of mankind and the way our culture is shaped," in Insider editorial assistant Grace DeGraf's words, looking at how the evolution of human beings shaped the way we interact with one another.
The text keeps an eye towards what might happen to our species in the future, highlighting that we may be impermanent fixtures on this planet.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes (2011)
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"This book left me completely shaken," Ju Shardlow, a video producer on Insider's London team, said.
The winner of the 2011 Man-Booker Prize, "The Sense of An Ending" by Julian Barnes tells the story of a man attempting to reconcile his turbulent past with the peaceful present he created for himself.
In the novel, protagonist Tony Webster's life goes awry when two of his childhood friends — one living and one dead — become active in his life again, forcing him to question who he is and what his life has become. "It's a beautifully-written suspenseful account of aging and regret," Shardlow said.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline (2011)
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Cline's "Ready Player One," which was made into a film in 2018, explores the human fascination with virtual reality. The book is set in 2045 when protagonist Wade Watts is obsessed with OASIS, a virtual world that most people prefer to reality. When the creator of the world dies, the public discovers that whoever figures out a series of puzzles will inherit the OASIS fortune, and Watts finds himself on a tumultuous journey when he decodes the first clue.
Aylin Woodward, a science and environment reporter for Business Insider, thinks of it as "a fascinating treatise on what living in 'reality' really means."
Find out more about this book here.
"Divergent" by Veronica Roth (2011)
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"Divergent" by Veronica Roth was a standout story in the flood of dystopian-centered young adult novels that hit bookshelves in the last decade. In the world of the three-part series, which was turned into a movie starring Shailene Woodley, people are divided into categories based on their abilities, with everyone having an aptitude for one of five "factions."
When protagonist Tris goes in for her faction testing, she discovers she is one of a select group of people who show an aptitude for multiple skills, making her "divergent." She has to keep her identity a secret, or she risks facing retribution from people who don't want to disrupt the status quo.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being" by Martin E. P. Seligman (2011)
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Addison Li, a senior product analyst for Business Insider, described "Flourish" as a book "about building a meaningful life with sustainable happiness," as author and psychologist Martin Seligman challenges the idea of how people can get the most out of life.
Rather than promoting constant happiness, Seligman lays out a pathway for people to create meaningful lives full of optimism, drawing on examples from the real world that range from the US Army's training on emotional resilience, to the strategies corporations use to improve performance and workplace contentment.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James (2011)
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"Fifty Shades of Grey" became a global sensation after it was published in 2011, with the love story of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey captivating hundreds of millions of readers.
James' work helped usher in a new era of openness regarding female desire in literature, as it was one of the first erotic books catering to women that became mainstream. The work also unintentionally gave a new voice to the BDSM community, as members were quick to point out the non-consensual nature of Ana and Christian's relationship.
The first book's success led to two sequels, as well as film adaptations starring Dakota Johnson.
You can find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" by Cheryl Strayed (2012)
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Cheryl Strayed's acclaimed memoir "Wild" follows the author's spontaneous decision to hike more than 1,000 miles in an attempt to reconnect with herself and the world around her following two catastrophic losses.
"Strayed's descriptions about life on the Pacific Coast Trail were so vivid, I felt like I was on the journey with her," said Insider's Marie Wolpert, an account director for programmatic sales. The book was later made into a film starring Reese Witherspoon.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn (2012)
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"Gone Girl" is equal parts thriller and study of modern marriage, as Gillian Flynn explores the small, seemingly mundane moments of a relationship that can cause a person to snap.
The book follows Nick Dunne, whose wife has just gone missing. Nick becomes a suspect in his wife's disappearance, and the reader must try to figure out if his behavior is that of a murderer.
Beloved by audiences and critics alike, "Gone Girl" ushered thrillers into the new age, giving readers a modern version of the femme fatale. The movie adaptation of the novel came out in 2014 and saw similar success.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail but Some Don't" by Nate Silver (2012)
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Author Nate Silvers is known for his ability to predict everything from baseball performances to political elections using data, and today he uses those skills as a political forecaster for The New York Times. Silvers explains the difference between real probability and uncertainty in "The Signal and The Noise," interviewing the world's best predictors to help the reader understand why so many people make inaccurate guesses about the future.
Business Insider's Walter Hickey describes "The Signal and The Noise" as "the defining book about stats in the news, coming out ahead of a major shift in journalism to incorporate more data in storytelling."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green (2012)
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John Green is at his best in "The Fault in Our Stars," writing about teenager and terminal cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster with an almost painful authenticity.
Hazel takes medicine that buys her a bit of time, but she knows her cancer will inevitably kill her. She's content to wait it out until she meets Augustus Waters at a support group for kids with cancer, who makes her question everything she's known to be true about her life.
Augustus and Hazel's love story captivated millions, landing Green a spot on every bestseller list you can think of, as well as a film adaptation starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"This Is How You Lose Her" by Junot Díaz (2012)
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Díaz's collection of stories explores the complexities of love, in all of its varying forms. The author shows us how a relationship falls apart, the yearning of parenthood, and the extremes people will go to for the people they love in prose that are as moving as they are real.
"This Is How You Lose Her" was a finalist for the 2012 National Book Award.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Saga: Compendium One" by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2012 to 2019)
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"Launched in 2012, the defining graphic novel of the decade is 'Saga,' a spacefaring human drama about love in a time of unease and war," Walter Hickey of Business Insider said.
"Saga" is an eight-time Eisner award-winning series about a girl named Hazel, whose parents are star-crossed lovers in a literal sense. They're on opposing sides of an intergalactic war, and their relationship forces them to go on the run. Vaughan's compelling and erotic prose is intensified by Staples' illustrations, creating a work that has sustained an audience for nearly a decade.
Find out more about this work on Amazon.
"The Garden of Evening Mists" by Tan Twan Eng (2012)
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Tan Twan Eng's "The Garden of Evening Mists" follows Yun Ling Teo, a Malaysian woman who is the only survivor of a Japanese war camp. Once free on a tea plantation in Cameron Highlands in 1951, she meets Aritomo, the owner of the only Japanese garden in the country.
Yun becomes Aritomo's apprentice because she wants to build a monument to her sister, but she finds herself drawn to Aritomo in the process — despite his Japanese heritage. The novel becomes an unlikely love story about redemption and forgiveness.
"It's absolutely beautifully written, really lyrical and lush without any shlockiness," Shona Ghosh, who oversees Business Insider's UK tech team, said of the novel.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's "Americanah" is a love story that spans generations and the globe, following the lives of Ifemelu and Obinze, two young Nigerian citizens who leave their country in search of a better life. Ifemelu finds herself wrestling with her blackness in America, while Obinze is forced to live undocumented in London following 9/11.
"This book touches on so many different topics relating to immigration, college education, economic divides, racism, gender inequality, and more," Caroline Fox, an editorial partnerships fellow at Insider, said.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Crazy Rich Asians" by Kevin Kwan (2013)
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Before it was a box office smash, "Crazy Rich Asians" was Kevin Kwan's debut book. Its protagonist is Rachel Chu, an American born Chinese woman who has recently started dating Nicholas Young. She agrees to go home with him to Singapore for the summer, only to discover Nick is the heir to more money than she can imagine, and his family doesn't see her as a suitable partner for him.
Kwan's novel sheds light on the dynamics between nationality, wealth, and income in a gloriously fun way that readers love to explore.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt (2013)
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Theo Decker's mother dies in an accident when he is 13 years old, and "The Goldfinch" explores how that loss shapes the rest of his life.
He ends up being raised by a wealthy family friend on Park Avenue, stumbling through a new life in which he feels totally ill-at-ease. Solace comes from a painting that reminds him of his mother, and the connection he feels to the work leads him to immerse himself in the art community as an adult.
A Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction, Donna Tartt's novel explores grief, fate, and the coping mechanisms that make both bearable.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Hawkeye" by Matt Fraction and David Aja Omnibus (2013)
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Building on the success of the "Avengers" franchise, "Hawkeye" takes a deep dive into the life of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents, giving readers a glimpse into how Hawkeye came to be part of the most elite squad on the planet.
The graphic novel follows Hawkeye all over the world, using stunning images to move the story forward.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Life After Life" by Kate Atkinson (2013)
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Ursula Todd has a habit of dying. She dies over and over again and is then immediately born into another body, getting another chance at life. Her number of lives seems to be infinite, which means she might have the power to save humanity as World War I approaches.
But appearances aren't always what they seem, and it will be up to Ursula to decide if she even wants to use her unique way of living for others. Kate Atkinson tells this story of death in a humorous and arresting tone that will stay with you long after you close the book.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 535 Easy(ish) Steps" by Kelly Williams Brown (2013)
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Kelly Williams Brown's "Adulting" is the go-to guide for anyone who has grown up but doesn't feel like a grown-up. Brown addresses everything from how to fix your toilet to the dangers of dating a coworker, covering the facets of adult life no one prepares you for in a hilarious and earnest tone.
The New York Times bestseller was updated in 2019 with additional steps to make growing up even easier.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness" by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi (2013)
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"The Courage to Be Disliked" addresses the way people strive for happiness through the lens of a conversation between a professor and his students.
The book pulls from popular psychology, positing that generosity towards the self and an intentional clearing out of extraneous thoughts can lead to greater happiness, providing a practical guide for how to live a more carefree life.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr (2014)
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The 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Anthony Doerr's "All the Light We Cannot See" enthralled audiences around the world through enchanting prose and devastatingly timed storytelling set against World War II.
The novel simultaneously follows Marie-Laure, a blind French girl finding a way to make sense of the world without her sight, and Werner Pfennig, an orphan with a knack for radio technology. Doerr shows the reader both character's lives leading up to the war, with Marie-Laure setting a plan for survival and Werner ending up at the heart of the Nazi regime.
The inevitable devastation we know will come, alongside Doerr's gorgeous metaphors and descriptions, make it impossible to put down.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Empathy Exams: Essays" by Leslie Jamison (2014)
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Leslie Jamison's collection of essays compels the reader to feel, exploring our ability to relate to other people through moments of pain.
Insider's Brittany Chang, a video features fellow, goes back to it because Jamison's writing style is "easy to read, but also very descriptive without being too flowery," inspiring her as she writes. "The themes throughout the book all connect to one singular idea that I think people should spend more time thinking about," Chang adds.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo (2014)
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Marie Kondo is best known for her Netflix show, but the book version of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" came first, bringing Kondo's category system of cleaning to the public.
Kondo's focus on items that "spark joy," alongside a minimalist mentality, has shown lasting results and inspired millions to rethink the way they clean.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Opposite of Loneliness" by Marina Keegan (2014)
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Marina Keegan was one of Yale's top students, with a job waiting for her at The New Yorker after her senior year. But less than a week after her graduation, Marina died in a car accident, leaving nothing but her writing and potential behind. As a tribute, Marina's family and professors collected her short stories and essays into "The Opposite of Loneliness," which went on to become a New York Times bestseller.
Marina's words are haunting and real, showing a mastery of the English language and breadth of storytelling that makes her seem older than she ever will be. And yet, she is painfully aware of how young she is as she writes, making her work even more heartbreaking. It's like Marina's in the room with you as you flip the pages, reading over your shoulder with her whole life ahead of her.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"A Brief History of Seven Killings" by Marlon James (2014)
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Though Bob Marley is typically associated with not worrying about a thing, Marlon James explores a darker chapter in the singer's life, when gunmen opened fire on Marley and his family.
James' novel is a fictional take on the events surrounding the shooting, focusing on political tensions and drug crises in Jamaica and around the globe over a more than 20-year period.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Redeployment" by Phil Klay (2014)
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Phil Klay, a former US Marine officer, turned his experiences from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into an arresting collection of short stories that earned him the 2014 National Book Award for fiction.
His stories shed light on both soldiers at war and who they become once they return home with poignancy, tenderness, and surprising moments of humor. Klay's work can be considered the "Slaughterhouse-Five" or "The Things They Carried" of the 21st century.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Bad Feminist" by Roxane Gay (2014)
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Roxane Gay's razor-sharp critique of American culture is at its best in "Bad Feminist," a collection of essays that guides her readers through the nuances of the world in which we live.
She approaches pop culture both as a consumer and critic, pointing to issues with the way women are forced to interact with the world through examples that vary from "Django in Chains" to Chris Brown's continued success, despite being a known abuser.
But Gay's honest depiction of herself is what makes the collection work, as her willingness to analyze her own behavior makes her judgment of everyone else ring with a powerful truth.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Power" by Naomi Alderman (2014)
"This book shines a light on the fact that patriarchy — a system of organizing society so pervasive we don't even recognize it for what it is — is predicated on the tacit notion that men have physical power, and women do not," said Maria Elm, a senior research analyst for Business Insider Intelligence.
"By flipping this paradigm through the device of electrical power women suddenly discover they have, Alderman leads us to explore what the alternative would look like: a world in which women hold the power over men," Elm went on to say.
"Instead of leading us to the conclusion we might expect — that a world ruled by women would be better than the one we have today — Alderman does something far more complex. She shows us that abuse of power and despising those with less of it than us will always end in the same way —badly. It's a brilliant, disturbing mind experiment."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Yes, Please" by Amy Poehler (2014)
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Reading Amy Poehler's memoir "Yes, Please" feels more like you're having dinner with the comedian than reading about her life, as she fearlessly shares intimate and hilarious details with her readers about her career and personal life. It's irreverent, thought-provoking, and inspiring, compiling the best parts of Poehler into one neat package.
"If you don't have the good fortune of grabbing a beer with her, then grab this book, take risks, be fearless, fall, fail, and get back up," said Casey Lefurge, Insider Inc.'s director of brand partnerships.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel (2014)
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Meet The Traveling Symphony, a group of actors and musicians who have made it their mission to keep art thriving in some capacity despite the pandemic that has wiped out much of civilization. In "Station Eleven," they travel around spreading their word, but an encounter with a prophet threatens to break everything they have built.
Alyse Kalish, a Prime freelance editor for Business Insider, said that the book "makes you question death, life, love, and art, and it's one of those books I still think about from time to time, even having read it years ago."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"We Should All Be Feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2014)
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"'We Should All Be Feminists' should be required reading for just about everyone," said Chloe Pantazi, a senior lifestyle editor at Insider.
"At 64 pages, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's essay — adapted from a TED talk — can easily be read in one sitting but its message is a powerful one that will stay with you long after the last page," Pantazi said, as the book explores intersectional feminism and how it can be applied to daily life in the 21st century.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty (2014)
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"Before it was one of the greatest female-led TV dramas of the 2010s, 'Big Little Lies' was one of the greatest literary dramas to emerge this decade," said Kat Tenbarge, a breaking news fellow at Insider. The book follows the lives of women living in suburban Australia, uncovering the dark aspects of their lives that hide just beneath the surface.
In Tenbarge's opinion, the book "balances wit, suspense, humor, and heavy topics, most notably domestic abuse. Based on a real-life anecdote of a woman who experienced her parents' abusive relationship, Liane Moriarty became a household name with this book."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia" by Peter Pomerantsev (2014)
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British TV producer Peter Pomerantsev gives the world an inside look at modern-day Russia in "Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible," laying out just how its fascist regime uses propaganda and money to keep the Russian political machine running.
"To understand global events in the second half of the 2010s, it's vital to understand Putin's Russia, and this is the more gorgeously written book about Putin's values and the world he wants to see," said Linette Lopez, a columnist for Business Insider, of the book's importance.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Everything I Never Told You" by Celeste Ng (2014)
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In Celeste Ng's debut novel, Lydia Lee, the favorite middle child of her Chinese American parents, is found dead in a lake in the 1970s. The aftermath of the shocking loss threatens to tear her family apart, with her mother desperate for someone to blame and her father reacting in a dangerous fashion that puts his remaining family at risk. Discovering the truth is at the heart of the novel, but secrets the family has long kept will come out in the process.
"The language is beautiful, the drama stirring but relatable," Anneta Konstantinides, a lifestyle reporter at Insider, said of the book. "Celeste tells a very specific story that somehow still feels written about you."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story" by Hyeonseo Lee (2015)
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Hyeonseo Lee grew up in communist North Korea, catching glimpses of another kind of life from her home on the border. At 17, she decided to flee, leading her on a journey that would separate her from her family for 12 years.
In "The Girl with Seven Names," Lee recounts her story, which is "not only eye-opening into life inside North Korea (which is always fascinating), but an incredible true account of a young girl's life growing up there and how she eventually defected," as Marni Wagner, a lead project manager for Insider Studios, put it.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015)
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A National Book Award Winner, "Between The World And Me" is an analysis of the experience of a black man living in America, written from the perspective of a father to his son, spanning from the origins of slavery to the reality of the prison system today.
"It's an extremely personal piece that helped further discussion on unconscious bias and institutionalized racism in America today," Steve Cameron, an associate producer for Business Insider, said.
"Since 'The Case for Reparations' in 2014, no writer has had more influence on how Americans think and talk about their society than Coates has," Marley Jay, a senior investigating reporter for Business Insider, added.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Sympathizer" by Viet Thanh Nguyen (2015)
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Viet Thanh Nguyen tells "The Sympathizer" from the perspective of a double agent Vietnamese army captain who comes to America after the Fall of Saigon. Under the guise of starting over in Los Angeles, the narrator feeds information back to communist leaders in Vietnam.
His life, torn between two worlds, becomes all the more complicated as he makes new friendships and falls in love, highlighting the struggle between ideals and identity.
"The Sympathizer" won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara (2015)
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"A Little Life" is a story about a friendship between four young men that revolves around aloof and charismatic Jude, whose early childhood traumas define everything about his life.
As the group grows older, Jude's experiences break him more and more, threatening to unravel the successful law career he has created for himself.
Hanya Yanagihara's novel examines the ways memory impacts our lives, creating an ode to friendship that is heartfelt and disturbing.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Buried Giant" by Kazuo Ishiguro (2015)
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Charlie Floyd, a video producer for Business Insider in the UK, describes "The Buried Giant" as "quiet, mythical, and haunting." The novel takes place just after the Roman-British war when couple Axl and Beatrice set out to find their long-lost son.
Both a tale of finding peace after war and of love, Floyd said "The Buried Giant" is "a book that almost feels shrouded in mist, and one that is impossible to forget."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Fifth Season" by N. K. Jemisin (2015)
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"The Fifth Season" is the first book in the "Broken Earth" trilogy by N. K. Jemisin, a fantasy series that follows protagonist Essun in her journey to find her daughter.
Essun's husband has murdered their son and kidnapped their girl on the same day their civilization has collapsed because of an oppressive regime. Even worse, the earth has literally split, spreading ash that blocks the sun and sends the earth into darkness.
The combination of events and Jeminson's excellent storytelling create a riveting tale that won the 2016 Hugo Award.
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"The Sellout" by Paul Beatty (2015)
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"The Sellout," which won the Man-Booker Prize, is "a dark, surreal satire following one man's mission to reestablish racial segregation in a Los Angeles town that's been wiped off the map," as Business Insider's Charlie Floyd puts it. He describes it as "an exhausting whirlwind of a book, and one of the most necessary reads of the decade."
"This book is so beautifully Los Angeles, while also tackling issues of race and police brutality with a biting wit," adds Sarah Gray, an associate editor on Insider's global news team. "It's tragic and hilarious."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Luckiest Girl Alive" by Jessica Knoll (2015)
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"This New York Times bestselling mystery novel is a spectacular piece of writing that many people have compared to Gillian Flynn's 'Gone Girl,'" said Kat Tenbarge, a breaking news fellow at Insider.
"Jessica Knoll drew from her own experience being raped as a teenager to craft this riveting story of high school drama that turns deadly and its lasting impact on those involved."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Barbarian Days" by William Finnegan (2015)
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Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for autobiography, "Barbarian Days" takes a deep dive into author William Finnegan's relationship with an addiction to surfing.
The story is both personal and universal, as Finnegan uses his travels to find the perfect wave to demonstrate the variety of people he interacted with during his youth, and how the drastic changes of the 1960s impacted them all.
"It spoke to the beauty and inherent violence of surfing better than anything I've ever read," said Steve Cameron, an associate producer for Business Insider.
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"NeuroTribes" by Steve Silberman (2015)
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"Never has a book so articulately and convincingly shown what autism spectrum disorder is — and is not," said Dave Mosher, a senior correspondent for Business Insider, of "NeuroTribes."
"The book is rich with historical and modern-day stories of non-neurotypical people trying to live in a society built for neurotypical people. It is essential reading to understand where roughly one in 50 people are coming from, and how and why we should not 'cure' or punish them, but embrace their neurodiversity."
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"Sex with Shakespeare" by Jillian Keenan (2016)
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Jillian Keenan uses Shakespeare's work to discuss the nuances of sexuality, highlighting the different facets of human intimacy the bard explored in his work. Part memoir and part literary analysis, Keenan unpacks a new facet to the universal nature of Shakespeare's writing.
Katie Morris, a client services manager at Business Insider UK, said, "I just think this book is great to help those people who may be scared they aren't 'normal' to feel less weird and alone."
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"Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike" by Phil Knight (2016)
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Nike founder Phil Knight's memoir was a New York Times bestseller, with its inside look at the launch of one of the world's largest corporations.
The narrative begins with Knight's light-bulb moment as he hikes through Asia, Africa, and Europe, and it carries the reader along his journey to success with humor and frankness.
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"The Mothers" by Brit Bennett (2016)
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"The Mothers" tells the story of Nadia Turner, who gets pregnant the summer after her mother dies by suicide. The father is her town's former football star, Luke Sheppard, and the couple decides to keep the pregnancy a secret, even from Nadia's best friend Aubrey.
The novel follows the three into the future, where they're each haunted by "what if's" and the weight of secrets.
"No one writes about motherhood, and the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, quite like Brit," said Anneta Konstantinides, a lifestyle reporter at Insider, of the book.
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"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead (2016)
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Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Underground Railroad" is a fictionalization of the antebellum South, in which the underground railroad is an actual series of secret train tracks living beneath the earth.
The story follows a slave named Cora's escape to the train and documents the things she sees in her journey towards the north.
Whitehead imbues the narrative with the history of slavery, forcing the reader to confront the violent and oppressive system on which America is founded.
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"Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah (2016)
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"The book is a window into a life that's very much a reality for so many people in the unique country of South Africa," said Rachel Askinasi, a visual features reporter for Business Insider, of Trevor Noah's memoir about his life as an interracial child during Apartheid rule.
Noah was forced to remain hidden for the early years of his life, as the government could have taken him away from his mother had they found out about his existence.
"It gave me — and everyone I spoke to who read it — a new perspective on life, privilege, family, and opportunity," Askinasi went on to say. "Noah tells the story of so many people in South Africa just through telling us his own story. A bonus: Noah voices the audiobook!"
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"A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles (2016)
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The bestselling novel by Amor Towles stars Count Alexander Rostov, an aristocrat who is placed on house arrest in a hotel that sits just across from the Kremlin in 1920s Russia.
Rostov is forced to live in an attic, but the location of the hotel gives him access to both information and people, as well as the time to self-reflect.
The novel will be adapted into a television series on Entertainment One.
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"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by Jack Thorne (2016)
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"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" was instantly popular because it gave fans of J.K. Rowling's world what they had been craving since her last book came out: another look into Harry Potter's life.
But despite the play's popularity, it wasn't widely liked by fans, as many took issue with the new work's characterization of Potter. Regardless, the publication ushered in the new era of "Harry Potter," with the "Fantastic Beasts" film series following shortly after.
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"Sweetbitter" by Stephanie Danler (2016)
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"Sweetbitter" begins as a classic New York coming-of-age story.
A 22-year-old nameless narrator arrives in the city and gets a job at an upscale restaurant, hoping the gig will launch her into bigger and better things. But she's in over her head before she even puts on an apron, trying cocaine, falling into a relationship with a man who is clearly using her, and making enemies in the food world without realizing it.
The story will appeal to food lovers, New Yorkers, and anyone just getting their footing in the world.
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"Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi (2016)
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"'Homegoing' by Yaa Gyasi follows a family in Ghana from the beginning of time until around the 1980s, documenting their entire genealogical history since the eighteenth century onward," according to Caroline Fox, an editorial partnerships fellow at Insider.
The story focuses on two sisters from Ghana. One marries a British man into a life of luxury, while the other is sold into slavery. Their parallel lives and the struggles of their descendants paint a portrait of how race and their roots impact everything they do.
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"The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah (2017)
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In "The Great Alone," Ernt Allbright moves to rural Alaska in the 1970s after he returns from the Vietnam War unable to cope with his previous life.
His daughter and wife go with him, fearful of what life in the wilderness will bring to them, only to discover it is Ernt's mental state that truly threatens their wellbeing.
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"Goodbye Days" by Jeff Zentner (2017)
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"Goodbye Days" opens with the death of Carver Briggs' three best friends, which he feels is all his fault, as he sent them a text that led to the fatal car accident.
The book is both a journey through Briggs' grief and his struggle with survivor's guilt, which is heightened by a judge who wants to open a criminal investigation into the accident.
"I cannot remember the last time a book made me feel so many things so quickly and I couldn't put this one down," said Paige DiFiore, an associate editor at Insider, of the novel. "The book balances humor, tragedy, and fantastic storytelling with realistic characters and dialogue."
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"Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker (2017)
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Dr. Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" breaks down the neurological benefits of sleep, explaining to readers the scientific reasons getting rest is necessary for proper brain function.
"Sleep is something we are extremely concerned with as adults, but also take for granted," said Ju Shardlow, a video producer at Business Insider in the UK. "This book will revolutionize the way you look at consciousness, dreams and, perhaps most importantly, your coffee consumption."
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"No Exit" by Taylor Adams (2017)
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Taylor Adam's thriller "No Exit" is filled with tension, imbued by physical entrapment. Darby Thorne gets stuck at a rest stop without her car during a blizzard, where four other stranded drivers are waiting. When she goes outside to try to get cell phone reception, she discovers a child trapped in a crate in the back of one of the cars.
Darby must figure out a way to free the child and escape, but she doesn't know which of the strangers at the rest stop is the kidnapper. Tortuously paced and full of shocking plot twists, "No Exit" is haunting in its delivery.
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"Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman (2017)
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Eleanor Oliphant has difficulty with social interaction, preferring isolation to awkward situations. But Eleanor's intentional life of loneliness is disrupted when she and Raymond, a smelly IT worker from her office, save a man named Sammy when he falls on the sidewalk.
The trio strikes up an unlikely friendship, and Raymond's warmth has the potential to upend everything Eleanor has believed to be true about herself.
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"Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002" by David Sedaris (2017)
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David Sedaris is known for his comedic work, but "Theft By Finding," a collection of his diary entries, introduces readers to a whole new side of him.
The work consists of his observations of the world around him, which are hilarious and heartfelt more often than not.
The entries span 25 years, showcasing Sedaris' rise from a drug-addicted college dropout to one of the wittiest minds of our time.
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"Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng (2017)
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Two mothers with vastly different views of the world are at the heart of "Little Fires Everywhere," which will soon be a Hulu show starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.
Elena Richardson lives every moment of her suburban life planned, while artist Mia Warren follows her own path. Their worlds coincide when Mia and her daughter Pearl rent an apartment from the Richardson family, becoming an integral part of their lives as the Richardson children, in particular, are drawn to the Warrens.
Their tenuous bond breaks when a couple in town tries to adopt a Chinese-American baby, putting Mia and Elena on opposite ends of a legal battle. Elena decides to look into Mia's past as their war continues, unveiling secrets with more weight than she can imagine.
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"Sing, Unburied, Sing" by Jesmyn Ward (2017)
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Jesmyn Ward's second National Book Award-winning novel, "Sing, Unburied, Sing," is told in tandem between a mother and son. Ward's lush prose spans the length of the intergenerational novel, painting a portrait of family in all its beauty and ugliness.
A 13-year-old Jojo is struggling with his identity, torn between becoming a man and staying a child, between his whiteness and his blackness as an interracial child with deeply racist white grandparents who refuse to acknowledge him. Meanwhile, Jojo's mother Leonie is struggling to be a parent to Jojo and his baby sister, dealing with demons of her own — including cocaine use and visions of her dead brother.
Jojo and Leonie's struggles come to a head as they drive to pick up Jojo's father Michael from the state penitentiary, where Jojo's grandfather was once falsely imprisoned.
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"Exit West" by Mohsin Hamid (2017)
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Saeed and Nadia fall in love just as their city is falling apart. They know they want to be together, but the threat of civil war may make it impossible. When they learn of doors that can transport them to other places, they decide to risk the unknown for the sake of their future together.
"Exit West" explores how two people hold onto each other and themselves as they dive headfirst into the unfamiliar.
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"Her Body and Other Parties: Stories" (2017)
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"Her Body and Other Parties" is a dizzying collection of short stories. Carmen Maria Machado blends almost every genre you can think of in her collection, tying her stories together with the thread of women, exploring the most intimate moments of their lives and the violence that often waits for them.
Some of the stories will seem familiar to readers – Machado modernizes the horror story of "The Green Ribbon" and reimagines every "Law and Order: SVU" episode, transforming it into a world of ghosts and longing. But others are entirely her own, like "Real Women Have Bodies," in which an unknown virus is causing young women to literally disappear, leading some to attach themselves to prom dresses to retain some bodily form.
"Her Body and Other Parties" is a humorous, provocative, horrifying, and heartwarming collection that will leave the reader breathless and raw.
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"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas (2017)
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Teenager Starr Carter's world is turned upside down when her childhood best friend Khalil is killed at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed, and Starr was the only witness to the event.
When Khalil's death becomes national news, everyone looks to Starr to understand what happened that night, with both cops and drug lords intimidating the teen and her family as the investigation into the murder develops.
Angie Thomas managed to make the Black Lives Matter movement feel both deeply personal and politically urgent in "The Hate U Give," challenging how Americans think of race and what a book for teenagers can be.
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"Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat (2017)
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"In 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,' Samin Nosrat breaks down cooking into four main elements, explaining not just how a dish comes together, but why," said Ian Burke, a food fellow for Insider. "The book is accessible and challenging at the same time, and is a must-read for chefs of all skill levels."
"Additionally, in the Netflix series based on the show, Nosrat proves, once again, that chefs don't need to be tattooed white men to have an effortlessly charming and undeniably knowledgeable presence in front of a camera," he added.
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"What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories" by Lesley Nneka Arimah (2017)
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Winner of the 2017 Kirkus Review, "What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories" is Lesley Nneka Arimah's startling debut collection, with family at the root of her tales.
Amirah shows the reader two cousins who find peace after a traumatizing night together, a mother so desperate for a child she makes one out of hair, a father struggling to connect to his daughter, and a family haunted by spirits from an uneasy war.
The stories are breathtaking in their realness, solidifying Amirah's place in the contemporary fiction schema.
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"All the Kremlin's Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin" by Mikhail Zygar (2017)
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"This book is about Vladimir Putin's inner circle, and how it evolved as he himself has evolved into a real global threat," Linette Lopez, a Business Insider columnist, said.
Zygar's carefully constructed work stems from interviews conducted with Putin's closest confidants, shifting the narrative around the Kremlin from single-handed leader to puppet controlled by his advisers.
Zygar demystifies one of the world's most powerful men in his work, highlighting the corrupt motivations those around him have for their actions.
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"12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos" by Jordan B. Peterson (2018)
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Jordan B. Peterson looks at a wide range of human experiences to create his list of 12 rules, examining the behavior of the Ancient Egyptians with the same sincerity he does skateboarding teenagers.
The end result is an innovative and compelling map for how people should live that Crystal Cox, a photography fellow for Business Insider, says "challenged her way of thinking."
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"When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir" by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele (2018)
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"In this novel, Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele, one of the cofounders of the Black Lives Matter movement, tell the story of growing up black in America, documenting stories of survival, strength, and how they came to become the activists to launch one of the most profound movements of the 21st century," said Dominic-Madori Davis, a luxury lifestyle fellow for Business Insider.
"When They Call You A Terrorist" simultaneously tells the story of how the Black Lives Matter movement was born and urges the reader to take action, documenting one of the largest modern cultural moments in America on paper.
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"Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover (2018)
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"'Educated' follows the extraordinary life of an extraordinary girl, but it's so much more than the story itself," Remi Rosmarin, a reporter on Business Insider's commerce team, said of the memoir.
The work documents Tara Westover's upbringing, where she lived in near-total isolation from society with her parents, who are doomsday preppers, and siblings. Westover details her abusive childhood, which culminated in horror when one of her brothers became violent. She found her escape through college, and the memoir functions as both a reflection and way to make sense of her unusual life.
"While Westover's life is one many of us will never know (and could probably never even imagine), her unique upbringing and trajectory to success make us question our own as well as the systems that brought us to where we are now," Rosmarin said. "The story makes you recognize privilege, understand other lived experiences, and ultimately gain empathy."
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"The Tattooist of Auschwitz" by Heather Morris (2018)
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Based on a true story, "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" tells the story of Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, a Jewish person who was forced into the most notorious concentration camp of the Holocaust in 1942. Lale was assigned to tattoo his fellow prisoners after Nazi officers discover he knows multiple languages.
The legacy of Lale's job can be seen on anyone who survived Auschwitz, but the impact of his other actions during the war — such as illegally exchanging money and jewelry for food for prisoners — haven't been documented until now. Lale's path shifts when he meets fellow captive Gita, and falls in love instantly.
Heather Morris' novel is a record of the man who marked so many Holocaust survivors forever, as well as a story of love and hope.
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"Children of Blood and Bone" by Tomi Adeyemi (2018)
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Tomi Adeyemi's fantasy revolves around rebellion, following protagonist Zélie Adebola, whose mother was killed the same night her magic was stolen from her by an oppressive regime.
Zélie sets out to return magic before a villainous prince rids the world of it forever, struggling to control her powers and growing feelings for a nemesis in the process.
It's a captivating young adult novel that moved audiences, leading its sequel to be published just a year after the first installation was released.
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"Becoming" by Michelle Obama (2018)
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"Becoming" was the first work to come out of Barack and Michelle Obama's $65 million book deal, giving readers a passenger seat view of the life of the first black first lady. Obama's memoir set the record for most books sold in 2018.
In the book, Obama details her upbringing in Chicago, how she and a someday president fell in love, her struggle to have it all as she worked and had children, and her eventual role as first lady of the United States.
The book is funny, heartwarming, and poignant, simultaneously making Michelle Obama feel like a friend and the role model of a generation.
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"The Dinner List" by Rebecca Serle (2018)
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"If you could have dinner with any five people, who would it be?" is a frequent first date or party question, used to stimulate conversation rather than act as an actual inquiry.
But Rebecca Serle imagines what would happen if your ideal group actually gathered in "The Dinner List," where protagonist Sabrina finds herself face to face with four important people from her past, and Audrey Hepburn at her 30th birthday party.
The book becomes a love story based in magical realism, giving the protagonist a chance to explore her past and future simultaneously. "Serle captures love and loneliness in this book in a way I can't remember ever reading in a novel," Paige DiFiore, an associate editor at Insider, said of the book.
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"An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones (2018)
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The bond between a husband and wife is at the heart of "An American Marriage," with couple Celestial and Roy seeming to have found the rare recipe for true love at the beginning of the novel. But their relationship is ripped apart when Roy is sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, leading Celestial to take comfort in her childhood friend Andre.
Things shift again when Roy is unexpectedly released seven years early, forcing the three characters to confront how powers out of their control have forever changed the way they feel about one another.
Both a complex love story and commentary on the impact of the federal justice system on black Americans, "An American Marriage" is profound in more ways than one.
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"Normal People" by Sally Rooney (2018)
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"It's the novel for the millennial experience," Shona Ghosh, a technology editor on Business Insider's UK team, said of "Normal People," the story of two people drawn to one another, regardless of how time and experiences change them.
Connell and Marianne meet in high school, when Connell is a popular jock and Marianne is, well, the opposite. The two bond despite their seeming differences, setting them on a course that will shape their lives in which they are drawn back to one another over and over again.
Soon to be a Hulu show, Rooney's novel shows the inevitability of love, finding words for the often inexplicable reasons people need each other.
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"This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America" by Morgan Jerkins (2018)
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Morgan Jenkins' collection of essays confronts the reality of being a black woman in America, laying bare the ways she and others are disenfranchised and marginalized because of both their race and gender.
Jenkins fearlessly points to the complexities of racism through a wide array of examples in "This Will Be My Undoing," interweaving topics as varied as her experiences of dating men who "don't see color" to the anime show "Sailor Moon."
The personal and the public go hand-in-hand throughout the work, making it clear for the reader how racism and sexism impact Jenkins and all black women on a day-to-day basis.
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"Circe" by Madeline Miller (2018)
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Madeline Miller flips a traditional Greek myth on its head in "Circe," in which she details the life of the titular character and mythical witch from "The Odyssey."
The novel follows Circe from her birth, when she is rejected by the other nymphs for her human-like qualities, and spans the thousands of years of her immortal life. The reader watches her wrestle with her immortality, magical powers, and eventually with the impossible love of motherhood.
At the heart, "Circe" is a tale of female identity, in which a woman has to find her sense of self in a world that has no place for her. Miller's prose is both direct and lyrical, offering a window into the world of the ancient Greeks.
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"Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe" by Serhii Plokhy (2018)
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Serhii Plokhy brings the people who suffered in the Chernobyl explosion to life, documenting the heroes who lost their lives when the nuclear plant exploded and the authoritarian powers of the Soviet communist party who enabled the event to occur.
Plohky's work also functions as a warning of similar disasters that could occur as those in the nuclear power industry make the same mistakes that were made in the '80s, urging those with the resources to do something to act.
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"Red Clocks" by Leni Zumas (2018)
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"Red Clocks" is a mesmerizing and disturbing warning about what a world in which Roe v. Wade was overturned.
The story follows four women living in an America in which every fetus has been given the right to life under the "Personhood Amendment," and each woman has been robbed of her ability to choose the life she wants as a result of the new rules.
Both a mystery and political commentary, "Red Clocks" is an intoxicating read, exploring the sacrifices and betrayals women make when they no longer have bodily autonomy.
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"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens (2018)
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"Where the Crawdads Sing" follows the life of Kya, known as the Marsh Girl to those who live on the North Carolina coast. She keeps to herself until two local men take an interest in her. But then Chase Andrews is found dead, and she becomes a suspect.
"Much like the marsh that acts as the center of 'Where the Crawdads Sing,' the novel itself reveals itself to be lush and full of mystery," said Insider lifestyle reporter Anneta Konstantinides of the novel.
"Delia Owens' prose turns the detailed description of Barkley Cove into poetry, and her care and consideration in developing the life story of Kya — the Marsh Girl — will give you hope and break your heart, all at once."
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"The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018)
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"The Poet X" is the story of Xiomara Batista, a teen who feels at odds with her transition to womanhood. She hides her developing body behind violence and anger, hiding the softer side of herself in a journal.
She plans to keep her personal thoughts a secret, both out of a need for privacy and out of fear of her strict Mami's retribution until she is invited to become part of her school's slam poetry club. Privacy would be safer, but the idea of reading her poems aloud intoxicates Xiomara until she knows there is no turning back.
Winner of the National Book Award for young people's literature, "The Poet X" is a must-read in the young adult genre.
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"Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup" by John Carreyrou (2018)
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"Bad Blood" tells the story of how Elizabeth Holmes, "female Steve Jobs," managed to commit fraud on such a grand scale that it earned her $4.7 billion.
"It's such a great example of good journalism and story-telling of an event that really happened," Alyse Kalish, a freelance editor for Business Insider, said of the book. "It also redefined what scams and tech startups meant in our society."
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"The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead (2019)
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Colson Whitehead is back in "The Nickel Boys," fictionalizing the Dozier School for Boys, a juvenile reformatory known for its physical and sexual abuse of inmates, that ran during Jim Crow in the South.
Protagonist Elwood Curtis is sentenced to time in the reformatory just before he is about to attend college. Elwood decides to embody Martin Luther King Jr.'s love-based approach to get him through the sentence, while his friend Turner thinks the only way to survive such a torrid environment is through corrupt acts.
Their differing approaches lead to an act neither was prepared for, an act that will shape both of their lives forever.
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"Chameleon Aura" by Billy Chapata (2019)
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Billy Chapata's poetry collection "Chameleon Aura" contains both lyrical reflection and advice to the reader, imbued with the themes of strength and self-love.
The work gives meaning to heartbreak, empowering the reader to hope.
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"She Said" by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey (2019)
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The Harvey Weinstein scandal seemed to break out of nowhere to readers, with the horrors of the producer's abuse of Hollywood's best and brightest shocking the world. But those familiar with his harassment knew the investigation was years in the making, with Weinstein using his power and resources to quash the story anytime someone came close to revealing his wrongdoing.
"She Said" tells the story before the Weinstein story, in which authors Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey worked for months to investigate his abuse for The New York Times, with their work ultimately winning them a Pulitzer Prize.
But the book continues with the after-effects of their reporting — including both the rise of the #MeToo movement and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, for which Kantor and Twohey were given front row seats.
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"The Gifted School" by Bruce Holsinger (2019)
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Ambitious parents are the subject of Bruce Holsinger's "The Gifted School," which takes place in a fictional town in Colorado.
Holsinger introduces the reader to four families, each of which has high aspirations for their children and are willing to do anything to achieve their goals.
Holsinger gives the reader insight into how these aspirations can harm the relationships in these families' lives, creating a funny and searing work that feels like a modern Icarus fable.
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"Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive" by Stephanie Land (2019)
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"Maid" is Stephanie Land's memoir of her life working as a maid, which she fell into after becoming unexpectedly pregnant as a teen.
The story is the quintessential American dream — a person who pulls herself up from her bootstraps, working to care for her daughter, and writing at night to make her dreams of being an author come true — with a twist, as Land unveils the realities of poverty with unyielding determination even as she finds success herself.
"Stephanie worked so hard to overcome so many obstacles, and she deserves all of her success," Marie Wolpert, a sales account director at Insider, said of "Maid. "But her message was also clear that so many single working mothers (just like her) are left to struggle and barely get by."
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"More Than Enough" by Elaine Welteroth (2019)
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"Now 32, Welteroth was the youngest editor-in-chief in Condé Nast history (at only 29), and only the second person with African-American heritage to hold an executive position of that sort in the company's 107-year history," Dominic-Madori Davis, a luxury lifestyle fellow for Business Insider, said of "More Than Enough" author and Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth.
Welteroth turned Teen Vogue into a brand with political voice and power through her endless work, breaking boundaries and fundamentally changing a journalism brand.
"Her tenure was a turning point, and now in 2020, more faces like hers will be in the ranks," Davis added. "It's a memoir that, because she was the first to do it, is the first and only one of its kind as of now."
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"The Rest of the Story" by Sarah Dessen (2019)
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Sarah Dessen has long been a powerhouse in the young adult world, with 14 novels to her name. But "The Rest of the Story" marks a transition in her writing, as Dessen incorporates class division and a girl caught in the middle through the story of Emma Saylor, a teen attempting to find a way to fit in with both her wealthy father's family and her mother's working-class relatives.
The story has all the trappings of a beach read — namely summer romance and a journey to self-discovery — with the additional exploration of social class that is both moving and enthralling.
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"10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works" by Dan Harris (2019)
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News Anchor Dan Harris began his journey to happiness after having a nationally televised panic attack on "Good Morning America." In his memoir, Harris documents his discovery that the voice in his head that had always motivated him was actually the root of his unhappiness, as well as the impact meditation has had on his life.
Harris brings to life fascinating characters and writes of poignant moments of defeat in his work, creating a book that is a mix of memoir and self-help.
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"Exhalation: Stories" by Ted Chiang (2019)
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Ted Chiang's collection of short stories revolve around technology, where he crafts clever narratives about the potential earth-shattering ramifications it has on our lives.
"This is the best book I've ever read about technology," Tony Manfred, the head of video for Insider Inc., said of the collection. "After reading these stories, you're left feeling that technology is irresistible, as well as amoral. It's not good or bad, but we have to use it. And it's the way we use it to get what we want that reveals who we really are."
Find out more about this book on Amazon.
"Catch and Kill" by Ronan Farrow (2019)
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Like "She Said,""Catch and Kill" tells the true story of a journalist's investigative work to uncover a powerful Hollywood producer's abuse. Ronan Farrow details the mysterious forces that aimed to kill his story, from lawyers to actual spies.
Farrow's work unveiled a web of men who use their power to protect abusers and silence victims, as well as documented the women who put themselves on the line for the sake of the truth and the safety of others.
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