Top 20 books of 2020
2020 has been a strange year, but it’s also been one of the best reading years I’ve ever had. Somewhere between baking banana bread and going for the 3rd ‘essential’ walk of the day, I managed to read over 80 books this year. To clarify my own thoughts and offer some inspiration to anyone looking for it, I put together a list of those I loved the most – my top 20 of 2020 (books I read this year, not books that came out this year).
Below is an overall top 20 list, followed by some brief thoughts on the 20 books (clicking on a book title should take you to it).
I also created separate top 10 lists for the 3 genres I read the most:
– Top 10 Non -fiction
– Top 10 Literary fiction
– Top 10 Fantasy / Sci-fi
Top 20 of 2020
- The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini (Literary fiction)
- Bad Science – Ben Goldacre (Non-fiction)
- Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl (Non-fiction)
- The Midnight Library – Matt Haig (Literary fiction)
- Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Pérez (Non-fiction)
- Mistborn trilogy – Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy)
- Antifragile – Nassim Nicholas Taleb (Non-fiction)
- Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas (Literary fiction)
- Jade City – Fonda Lee (Fantasy)
- Together – Vivek H. Murthy (Non-fiction)
- Invisible life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab (Literary fiction / Fantasy)
- Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo (Literary fiction)
- Emma – Jane Austen (Literary fiction)
- Ride of a lifetime – Robert Iger (Non-fiction)
- The case against sugar – Gary Taubes (Non-fiction)
- Station Eleven – Emily St John Mandel (Science fiction)
- Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut (Literary fiction)
- The Starless Sea – Erin Morgenstern (Fantasy)
- The Vanishing half – Brit Bennett (Literary fiction)
- The Growth Delusion – David Pilling (Non-fiction)
- The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini (Literary fiction)
‘For you, a thousand times over.’
This book shattered me into a million pieces and I think they’re still not glued back quite the same.
We begin by following the friendship of two young boys living in Afghanistan, but the story quickly turns into a profound tale of friendship, regret, redemption and forgiveness. Khaled Hosseini, both in this story and in A Thousand Splendid Suns, showcases his immaculate ability to create a fast-paced narrative, following well developed characters across multiple generations, yet somehow wrapping all of it up into beautiful sentences that just about break your heart.
You will especially enjoy this if you like character development, generational tales, moral discussion or lyrical writing.
2. Bad Science – Ben Goldacre (Non-fiction)
This is one of the most important books I’ve ever read and I honestly believe everyone should pick it up.
Goldacre does a fantastic job at showing just how much ‘bad science’ is out there, and how much of it is made worse by journalists with little to no understanding of basic research principles. While I firmly believe empirical research is the best method of ‘seeking the truth’ that we have, we don’t question the research and data presented to us anywhere near as much as we should.
This book will encourage you to hold a healthy level of skepticism towards research-backed findings you read about in your daily feed (such as coffee being a superfood one day and likely to kill you the next) and empower you with some basic skills you need to detect ‘bad science’ yourself. On top of that, Goldacre is hilarious and his writing is an absolute joy to read.
3. Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl (Non-fiction)
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist, who was imprisoned in multiple Nazi concentrations camps and survived to tell the story. Based on his own experience and his work, he founded a school of therapy called logo-therapy, centered around finding meaning.
In the first part of Man’s search for meaning, he provides a detailed account of the horrors him and others went through while being imprisoned and discusses various ways they found to cope and keep going. In the second part, he provides an in-depth explanation of the branch of therapy he developed, all based on finding purpose and meaning.
This book is incredibly moving, at times difficult to read, and overall one of the best portrayals of the importance that a sense of meaning can have in your life.
4. The Midnight Library – Matt Haig (Literary fiction)
In this story we’re following Nora Seed, who finds herself in a place called the Midnight Library. While she is there, she is given the chance to visit parallel versions of her life, by examining the regrets she holds about her past decisions.
This was beautifully written and very well thought out. The plot itself is interesting and engaging, but the true genius of the book lies in the underlying message. Haig does a great job of exploring the concepts of regretting past decisions, feeling like you’re never doing enough and trying to find meaning, which are thoughts many of us are struggling with.
You will especially enjoy this if you’re anxious about your future, feel like you should be doing more, or are dwelling on your past mistakes and regrets. More generally, if you like a thought-provoking read with a focus on the main character’s internal struggle and personal growth.
P.S. Haig also shares some thought-provoking reflections on anxiety and finding happiness in Notes on a Nervous Planet
5. Invisible Women: : Data Bias in a World Designed for Men – Caroline Criado Pérez (Non-fiction)
Another brilliant portrayal of how research is strongly prone to biases of those conducting it. Since the majority of research in the previous decades has been conducted by men, Perez demonstrates that there is a significant amount of data, which should be representing women, missing.
Worse than that, many existing datasets have been interpreted and applied to society as a whole, even though they did not represent women at all. For instance, women are 47% more likely to get seriously injured in a car accident, because the dummies they used when running the tests most closely resemble an average man, not an average woman.
You will enjoy this if you’re interested in data, policies built around it, and the impact inadequate data can have on the society.
6. Mistborn trilogy – Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy)
This trilogy is best described as a beginner-friendly epic fantasy. It has an extremely well built world and a complex hard magic system, but the plot is fast-paced and the characters are so well developed and lovable, that you can’t help but keep reading.
The most brilliant aspect of the trilogy is how towards the end, everything starts falling into place – all the dots are connected and no questions are left unanswered; if you manage to figure any of it out along the way though, the satisfaction is that much greater.
You will enjoy this if you’re fond of epic adventures, heists, complex worlds and magic systems or just want to get lost in a fascinating new world for a little while.
7. Antifragile – Nassim Nicholas Taleb (Non-fiction)
Taleb is a brilliant man, with brilliant ideas, who is very sure of himself and won’t hesitate to openly insult anyone he disagrees with in his works. If you can get past the insults and the sarcastic remarks (some of which are admittedly amusing), there is truly a lot you can learn from his work.
This was probably my favourite book of his. It explores the idea of gaining from disorder and chaos, while at the same time remaining ‘antifragile’. There is so much thought-provoking material in here and it can take a while to fully digest it, but the effort is worth it. This book changed the way I view resilience, both on a personal level and on a level of organisations and societies.
You will enjoy this if you’re interested in economics and thought-provoking ideas (and don’t mind a narrator with a bit of ‘personality’).
8. Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas (Literary fiction)
“It’s necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.“
Being of the most well-known revenge stories with well over 1,000 pages, I felt a little intimated and hesitant going into it. I needn’t have worried though, I quickly became completely invested in the plot and rooted for Dantes with every fiber of my being.
Count of Monte Cristo is an epic tale of revenge – gripping and masterfully executed. The story is complex, the plotlines are intricately woven together and the sense of satisfaction you get when things start falling into place is… unparalleled.
You’ll enjoy this if you’re in the mood for an epic revenge tale and aren’t put off by the page count.
9. Jade City – Fonda Lee (Fantasy)
“Any old horse will run when it’s whipped, but only fast enough to avoid the whipping,” Hilo said. “Racehorses, though, they run because they look at the horse on their left, they look at the one on their right, and they think, No way am I second to these fuckers.”
Jade City, home of magical jade and two rival clans of Green Bone warriors, who fight with a combined power of martial arts and jade magic. We’re following the perspectives of various family members of the No Peak clan, which is on the verge of a clan war with their rival – the Mountain clan.
This book was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. The characters were brilliantly developed, the plot was action-packed and Lee’s world-building is so good that Jade City almost feels like a real place I have memories of visiting.
You will enjoy this if you’re in the mood for a plot revolving around gang rivalry (think Asian Godfather with magic), filled with action, lovable characters and a vivid world.
10. Together – Vivek H. Murthy (Non-fiction)
Vivek Murthy was a former US surgeon general, who came to realize that loneliness levels are rapidly rising all over the country and subsequently causing a rise in a host of other illnesses and societal concerns.
In this book, he explores the various ways loneliness impacts the lives of those battling with, both from a physiological and a psychological perspective, and then goes on to explore initiatives people have come up with to combat it. I found this second part especially inspiring, and it ultimately lead me to dive into the topic of loneliness within organisations.
You will enjoy this if you’re interested in the topic of loneliness and curious about the various solutions people have come up with to combat it.
11. Invisible life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab (Literary Fiction / Fantasy)
“Because time is cruel to all, and crueler still to artists. Because visions weaken, and voices wither, and talent fades…. Because happiness is brief, and history is lasting, and in the end… everyone wants to be remembered”
Invisible life of Addie LaRue is one of those books that won’t be for everyone, but oh boy, it was for me.
We are introduced to a young girl, who makes a deal with the devil and spends the rest of her life learning how to live with the consequences. It’s atmospheric, lyrical, and filled with art and beauty. While I sadly didn’t find Addie to be the most memorable character (and I frankly wasn’t the biggest fan of the other main character either), I fell in love with the concept of the story and it kept me engrossed until the last page.
You will enjoy this book if you’re in the mood for lyrical writing and a concept-driven narrative. If you’re looking for a coherent, action-filled plot, with a clear structure and strong character development, this one probably won’t be for you.
12. Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo (Literary fiction)
This book follows the lives of 12 black characters across the UK. It portrays their lives, their relationships and their unique struggles. It’s written as a mix of prose and poetry with minimal punctuation, which I’m not usually a big fan of, but I thought it worked exceptionally with this topic and writing style.
Evaristo does a great job of exploring difficult topics, such as abusive relationships, identity and privilege, but does it in a very smart and subtle manner. She’ll likely make you question some of your own beliefs, then leave you to figure out the answers yourself. Personally, I loved seeing England, and especially London, through the eyes of these character – it allowed me to view the city where I live in a completely new light, which is a captivating experience.
You’ll enjoy it if you like character-driven writing and want to further explore topics such as feminism and privilege (and if an unconventional structure / writing style isn’t a deal breaker for you).
13. Emma – Jane Austen (Literary fiction)
Amidst the sea of strong, humble and driven female characters I normally read about, it was surprisingly refreshing to be following Emma. Even though she is conceited, spoiled and loves meddling into other people’s business, her thoughts and actions appear so deeply grounded in the society of her time, that I couldn’t help but sympathize with her.
I loved Austen’s writing style and thoroughly enjoyed her sense of humor. I was captivated by the little town the novel takes place in and loved seeing all the ways in which life was different back then.
You’ll enjoy this if you’re in the mood for a humorous portrayal of life in the 19th century English countryside, and if a slightly vain and selfish main character isn’t your deal breaker.
14. Ride of a lifetime – Robert Iger (Non-fiction)
“Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
Okay hear me out – autobiographies of CEOs, walking us through their journey from ‘the bottom’ to leading one of the biggest companies on the planet, are in fact the real life equivalent of the typical hero trope. Right?!
In this one, Iger describes his career, from his start at ABC, all the way to becoming the CEO of Disney. As he talks about his work, he reflects on his past actions and attempts to draw insight and advice on leadership from them. His writing style is very engaging and the book is filled with compelling anecdotes, such as his early encounters with Steve Jobs or how they acquired Lucasfilm.
You’ll enjoy this most if you’re interested in business and leadership, but also have a soft stop for Disney, Pixar and the world of entertainment in general.
15. The case against sugar – Gary Taubes (Non-fiction)
A fascinating account of the history of the sugar industry and how its development impacted research in the fields of nutritional science and medicine.
This isn’t a book that would give you dietary advice or discuss the negative effects of sugar consumption, though it does briefly touch upon them. It discusses how the development of the sugar industry (and its various governing bodies) blamed dietary fat for the majority of health concerns occurring in the modern world, despite there being evidence showing sugar is the main culprit.
Admittedly, we’d need to hear a few different perspectives to get the full picture, but it’s nonetheless a thought-provoking read.
You’ll especially enjoy this if you’re interested in nutritional science and research.
16. Station Eleven – Emily St John Mandel (Sci-fi)
“Survival is insufficient.”
It’s impossible to tell how I would have felt had I read this book before 2020, but this year… it hit me, and it hit me hard.
Mild spoiler ahead: This book explores the aftermath of a global pandemic.
While classified as science fiction, certain parts of the plot felt terrifyingly familiar and just a little too close for comfort. The more I read, the more I felt like the plot is not just a figment of the author’s imagination, but a very real possibility in the near, tangible future. The author did a fantastic job at portraying what life in the earliest stages of an outbreak feels like and a what the world could turn into in the aftermath.
You’ll enjoy this if you’re into post-apocalyptic scenarios and haven’t been too traumatized by this year’s pandemic to read a, well, worst case scenario.
17. Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut (Literary fiction)
We’re following a man called Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier who was captured by the German army during the 2nd world war and was in Dresden when the bombings occurred. The book is inspired by the Author’s own experiences.
The plot is a jumbled mess – it jumps back and forth in time, from Billy’s childhood, to his time in Germany, to his post-war years and back. This structure reflects his internal state; he claims that when we he was in Germany he got ‘unstuck in time’ and is now able to visit whichever part of his life he wants to.
Kurt Vonnegut explains that the story reflects the reality of war – there is nothing structured and coherent about it. While this book was written before PTSD was established as a disorder, Billy’s paranoia and perception of space and time can definitely be seen as its symptoms, which demonstrates how well Vonnegut was able to understand and depict the suffering of those returning from war.
While I wouldn’t exactly describe it as a fun book, its accurate and unique depiction of post-war trauma is an important and worthwhile read.
18. The Starless Sea – Erin Morgenstern (Fantasy)
“Not all stories speak to all listeners, but all listeners can find a story that does, somewhere, sometime. In one form or another.”
Another one of those books you will either love or absolutely hate, so proceed with caution.
I’ve seen this book described as a love letter to story-telling and I couldn’t agree more. It’s art, and it’s beautiful and mystical and brilliant; it’s filled with symbols and stories that intertwine, build on one another, lead nowhere and everywhere at the same time. In terms of characters and the plot, this book could do with some improvements, but I absolutely loved getting lost in Morgenstern’s world and her enchanting storytelling and for me, that was more than enough.
You will enjoy this if you like lyrical writing, vivid imagery and beautiful snippets of a world you just want to lose yourself in. If you need clear plot structures, lots of action and well developed characters, I would probably skip this one.
19. The Vanishing half – Brit Bennett (Literary fiction)
“People thought that being one of a kind made you special. No, it just made you lonely. What was special was belonging with someone else.“
We’re following twin sisters from a small Southern US town, Stella and Desiree. They are inseparable from birth, until one of them runs away and their paths diverge.
This books explores topics such as race and class in a brilliant, empathic and impactful way. I was captivated by both Stella and Desiree’s stories and they’ve remained in my thoughts long after I finished the book.
You’ll enjoy this if you’re a fan of character-driven writing, generational stories writing exploring societal issues.
20. The Growth Delusion – David Pilling (Non-fiction)
“Only in economics is endless expansion seen as a virtue. In biology it is called cancer.”
This is a clever take on how GDP is not only an inadequate measure of prosperity, but could also be guiding us to take actions that are going against our wealth and well-being. By judging everything from our credit ratings to the ranking of the world economies with a measurement that does not take into account factors such as depletion of natural resources, effects on climate change or general well-being of the population, we are essentially placing growth for the sake of growth as the primary driver of our actions.
Aside from a well thought-out critique of the GDP, Pilling also presents some concrete alternatives to the current GDP, some of which are already in use. I would like to have seen a little more discussion around the barriers to implementing these (perhaps focused on the infrastructure and systems that are already in place), but overall a good read!
TOP 10 Non-Fiction
- Bad science – Ben Goldacre
- Man’s search for meaning – Viktor E. Frankl
- Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Pérez
- Antifragile – Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Together – Vivek H. Murthy
- Ride of a lifetime – Robert Iger
- The case against sugar – Gary Taubes
- Growth delusion – David Pilling
- Atomic Habits – James Clear
- Think like a monk – Jay Shetty
TOP 10 Literary Fiction
- Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
- The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
- Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
- Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo
- Emma – Jane Austen
- Slaughterhouse 5 – Kurt Vonnegut
- The Vanishing half – Brit Bennett
- Rosie Project – Graeme Simsion
- A gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles
TOP 10 Fantasy / Sci-fi
- Mistborn [trilogy] – Brandon Sanderson
- Jade City – Fonda Lee
- Invisible life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
- Station Eleven – Emily St John Mandel
- Starless Sea – Erin Morgenstern
- Crescent City – Sarah J Mass
- An Ember in the Ashes – Sabaa Tahir
- Elantris – Brandon Sanderson
- Ninth House – Leigh Bardugo
- Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon