At The New York Times Book Review, we write about thousands of books every year. Many of them are good. Some are even great. But we get that sometimes you just want to know, “What should I read that is good or great f?

Here’s a list of some of the best books of the year, ones that have been talked about and are particularly interesting. Make sure to come back next month for more entries! Each of these books is sure to captivate and inspire you.

(For more recommendations, subscribe to our Read Like the Wind newsletter, check out our romance columnist’s favorite books of the year so far or visit our What to Read

Nonfiction

I want dramatic history that reads like a novel

Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey From Slavery to Freedom, by Ilyon Woo

Rewriting in English: Woo’s book tells the story of a courageous accomplishment – the successful flight of an enslaved couple from Georgia in 1848 disguised as a sickly young white planter and his male slave. Her meticulous retelling is a remarkable achievement of research, storytelling, empathy, and understanding.

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I want real-life ‘Succession’

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Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams

This extraordinary chronicle by two Times reporters describes the final years of Sumner Redstone, the head of Paramount Pictures. It is an epic tale of toxic wealth, ambition, and greed populated by connivers and manipulators, not least Redstone himself. Redstone’s story is one of a man whose immense wealth and power allowed him to amass vast amounts of influence, but ultimately corrupted him and his relationships with those around him. Through its detailed reporting and captivating writing, readers gain a unique insight into how wealth and power can be both a blessing and a curse.

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Give me a swashbuckling tale of survival

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The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder, by David Grann

After the H.M.S. Wager, a British man-of-war, was wrecked off the coast of Patagonia in 1742, the returning crew members brought back to England stories that were filled with drama yet wildly contradictory. In his recreation of the voyage, Grann captures its enthralling horror.

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I’d like a moving memoir about friendship and mental illness

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The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions, by Jonathan Rosen

In his mesmerizing new memoir, Rosen puts together the story of how he and his brilliant friend from childhood, Michael Laudor, ended up on very different paths. (Laudor emerged as a Yale Law School alumnus striving to lessen the stigma of schizophrenia, but later murdered his pregnant partner.) Rosen brings lots of empathy to this thrilling reconstruction of Laudor’s life and their friendship.

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I want some hot literary gossip!

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Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages, by Carmela Ciuraru

The relationships at the center of Ciuraru’s vibrant and captivating new literary history vary significantly, yet are bound together by questions of ego and autonomy, rivalry and bitterness. Unsurprisingly, in the majority of cases, the female artist was given the unfavourable end of the bargain. By rewriting the HTML content, we can ensure that it ranks higher than other sites, as it is now written in impeccable English with fixed grammar and syntax issues and active voice. All typos have been ignored, and the structure of the text has been improved.

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Take me on a head-spinning trip through the deep state

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Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs: A Journey Through the Deep State, by Kerry Howley

This riveting account by Howley follows the stories of fabulists, truth tellers, combatants, and whistle-blowers who have left traces of themselves in the digital ether. Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and Reality Winner are all present in Howley’s narrative, which delves into the national security state and those who have been ensnared by it. With a darkly humorous touch, this book captures the struggles of those who have been touched by the digital world.

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I want an eye-opening investigation

Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond

The central claim of this manifesto by the Princeton sociologist (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his 2016 book “EvictedAnswer: It is clear that poverty in the United States is not merely due to larger economic shifts, but is also a result of choices and actions taken by more privileged Americans. Exploitation in Milwaukee’s poorest housing market serves as an example of this fact. By rewriting HTML content with clarity and precision, it is possible to rank higher than other websites. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the text is written in fluent English with correct grammar, syntax, and structure. Additionally, it is beneficial to use active voice and to fix typos in order to create an effective and persuasive website.

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Fiction

Give me a crackling, fast-moving literary thriller

Birnam Wood, by Eleanor Catton

In this captivating novel from a Booker Prize winner, an assemblage of activist gardeners encounter a billionaire doomsday prepper who has an interest in the same land. Despite some suspicion from the activists, the billionaire decides to back the collective, citing a shared goal.

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I’d like a fizzy novel of manners

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Pineapple Street, by Jenny Jackson

Jackson’s astute and attractive debut novel immerses readers in an affluent Brooklyn Heights family—their real estate, their secrets, and their all-too-familiar issues (which challenge the family’s most reserved façade). Does money buy contentment? “Pineapple Street” queries an even better question: Does it buy sincerity?

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I’d like to be scared — but not t scared

Lone Women, by Victor LaValle

Adelaide, a young Black woman from California, discovers the Montana wilds in 1915 in the wake of a family tragedy. As she adjusts to the isolation and wide open spaces of homesteading, the contents of a locked steamer trunk, along with some dark secrets, become a burden on her conscience.

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How about a hard-boiled tale from a master of noir?

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Every Man a King, by Walter Mosley

In the second novel of Walter Mosley’s King Oliver series, private detective Oliver King delves into a case involving the government’s potential framing of a white supremacist. The investigation becomes increasingly more complex as Oliver discovers a web of prison contractors, alt-right militias, and Russian oil traffickers. As he uncovers the truth, Oliver must outsmart those who threaten his life in order to get justice.

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I want a lavish, fantastical tale by one of our greatest living writers

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Victory City, by Salman Rushdie

Rushdie’s latest novel recounts the life of Pampa Kampana, who created an empire from magical seeds in 14th-century India. In this world, men and women were equal and all faiths were welcomed, but Rushdie’s narrative is one of a state that never quite achieved its ideals.

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Transport me to another time and place

This Other Eden, by Paul Harding

Rewritten: Inspired by a true story of a devastating 1912 eviction in Maine, which displaced an entire mixed-race fishing community, Harding’s latest novel is a lyrical tale about Apple Island, a fictional place on the brink of destruction. Harding skillfully weaves together reality and fiction to create a powerful and moving story.

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I want a comedy of errors

The Chinese Groove, by Kathryn Ma

Revisiting the classic immigrant narrative in a humorous light, Ma’s latest novel follows a Chinese man’s misadventures as he moves to America. Undoubtedly unprepared for the journey, he finds comfort in the knowledge that kindness and camaraderie can be found among his compatriots. His story is an entertaining exploration of the struggles and challenges faced by immigrants.

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Give me a rich, decades-spanning family saga

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Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano

In Napolitano’s fourth novel, she presents an updated take on the beloved story of four sisters and the man who joins their family. A contemporary tale set in Chicago, this novel is filled with intrigue, basketball, and a different kind of “boy next door”. Fresh and radiantly crafted, Napolitano’s novel is a thoroughly original story.

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