Here are the most 2020 books of the year 2020
These tomes best capture the anxiety, isolation of the times
"That's so 2020," people collectively heaved, again and then again, during a year ravaged by a global pandemic, climate crises and political and social dissent. A year that is, finally, almost over.
As our worlds careened off the cliffs of normalcy, some books were so prescient - so very well timed - that you had to wonder: What did these authors know that we didn't?
Presenting, the most 2020 books of 2020, organized by month of publication:
January
"The Shapeless Unease: A Year of Not Sleeping,” by Samantha Harvey
Long before the pandemic destroyed once-stable sleep routines, Harvey lay awake through the wee hours - 2 a.m., 3 a.m. and as the sun climbed into the sky. The experience inspired her memoir of insomnia - and its friends anxiety and existential despair. This introspective and observant book is something to reach for in the middle of another long, sleepless night.
"Me and White Supremacy,” by Layla Saad
Saad's book was relevant when it was published, and it became even more urgent as a social justice movement erupted later in the year. The antiracism guide helps white readers understand their privilege
and the role they play in white supremacy.
March
"Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis,” by Greta Thunberg, Svante Thunberg, Malena Ernman and
Beata Ernman
The world was metaphorically on fire, and then swaths of the U.S. were literally ablaze. This family memoir is a galvanizing account of how Greta Thunberg became the face of the youth climate movement, and the crises she faced at home. It's intimate and gutsy, tinted with hope.
April "The End of October,” by Lawrence Wright
A virus emerges in Asia and then goes global, devastating an ill-prepared world. No, it's not a 2020 retelling. It's the plot of Wright's thriller, an eerily-timed story about a pathogen with no cure. "October" is packed with action - and lots of parallels to our current situation.
June "The Room Where It Happened,” by John Bolton
President Trump's former national security adviser produced a nearly 600-page tellall about the administration - one of many such books this year. It's full of alarming revelations about the "chaos" Bolton observed, about which many said he should have spoken out sooner.
July "A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking,” by T. Kingfisher
What's that you say - you're defensive baking, too? Building up a wall of carbs, one loaf at a time? Then you'll enjoy this fantasy starring a wizard whose familiar is, wait for it, a sourdough starter named Bob.
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