The 25 Best Books of 2016
PART FOUR
A collection of the best novels, non-fiction, and memoirs from the past year.
At a time when politics have dominated the national conversation in a way that can often feel overwhelming, the best books of 2016 so far have provided escapism and comfort. They've shown us that empathy is a great virtue, and that art can transcend the unhappiness of the everyday. These 25 books are all highly recommended.
By Maris Kreizman and Angela Ledgerwood
Dec 5, 2016
25. How To Be a Person In the World by Heather Havrilesky
If Americans really wanted a president who "tells it like it is," Heather Havrilesky would be running for office right now. At a time when most self-help gurus are charlatans, the world could use a less bullshitty, more emotionally connected leader, one with equal parts compassion and charisma. Enter Havrilesky, who writes the advice column Ask Polly for The Cut, and who has compiled a collection of many new columns along with some old favorites. Havrilesky uses a liberating blend of straight talk, empathy, many F-bombs, and pop culture references (see the extended metaphor about Kanye West she uses in a reply to a woman searching for ways to build her self-esteem). Havrilesky's advice answers each question specifically, but they also contain universal truths that will empower just about anybody. —Maris Kreizman
24. Shrill by Lindy West
Lindy West is funny. That's the first thing you should know about her essay collection on feminism, fat acceptance, and Internet harassment. Shrill is as hilarious as it is angry. Lindy has faced so many intolerable and enraging situations as a fat woman who is outspoken in her writing and on social media, but she always frames her negative experiences with humor and perspective. With her clear-eyed insights into modern culture and her confidence in her own intelligence and personal worth, West appeals to the humanity of even the most parents' basement-dwelling, misogynistic and casually hateful of trolls. —MK
23. The Girls by Emma Cline
You might expect a novel about a young girl who joins a Manson-like cult in the summer of 1969 to be lurid, violent, and sensational. But the most surprising and rewarding trait about The Girls is the author's wonderful restraint. Emma Cline is more interested in studying the loneliness and confusion of being a teenage girl, rather than the depravity of being a cult leader. So the focus remains solidly on Evie Boyd, who has reached the exact point of longing and vulnerability that could lead an innocent-ish girl to fall in love with the women who surround the cult leader. The Girls shows how "good" girls can be drawn to the dark side, and how the decision to distance oneself from evil is sometimes more difficult and less black and white as it seems. —MK
22. The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson
Maggie Nelson is a big star in the literary world now for good reason—she combines personal essay and broader criticism in a way that feels lofty but not at all academic. The Red Parts may not be her piece de resistance, but it's the perfect introduction to Nelson's writing if you'd like to know where to start. Originally published in 2007 and reissued by Graywolf Press in April, The Red Parts is Nelson's deeply intimate memoir about the aftermath of her aunt's murder by a presumed serial killer. It's an enthralling personal story-slash-true-crime-book that just happens to be written by one of the most thoughtful writers of our time. —MK
21. What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi
If you haven't ever read Helen Oyeyemi, stop what you're doing right now and delve into her perfect backlist of luminous novels. Caught up? Great! Her new collection is perfectly on brand, dealing in monstrous teen pop stars, enchanted puppets, secret gardens, mystical diaries, and photo albums full of selfies. What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours contains Oyeyemi's heady trademark combination of upside down fairy tale fantasy that is as emotionally resonant as it is inventive, and the excellent details from modern life that bring her stories firmly into some magical version of our own world. —MK
20. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
A very slim volume that contains multitudes. Can't remember much from your high school physics class? Get confused by science fiction because you can't separate what's real versus what's been made up? Italian theoretical physicist and writer Carlo Rovelli uses a conversational tone to untangle the most complicated yet most beautiful advances in science in modern history. Lesson topics range from Einstein's theory of relativity to black holes, and you'll feel a whole lot smarter for having read this elegant, straightforward little book. —MK
19. Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
Queen of the Night joins Tipping the Velvet and The Crimson Petal and the White as the rare historical novel in which the setting may be old, but the writing makes everything feel brand new. Alexander Chee has written a subversive, sexy epic about a young American girl who struggles more than her fans will ever understand on her way to eventually become a highly celebrated soprano at the Paris Opera House. Lillet Berne's dramatic rise to success is all the more exciting because of all the wonderful details Chee includes about her life in the late 19th century. The descriptions of her dresses alone are worth the price of this book, and Chee's knowledge about opera is such that you can almost hear the music when reading his words. But for all the research and historical detail, in the end, it's a love story, as so many of the most excellent books are. —MK
