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- Here are the 28 best books of 2020 — from revealing tell-all memoirs to scathing political indictments
Here are the 28 best books of 2020 — from revealing tell-all memoirs to scathing political indictments
- As the year winds down, Insider rounded up the best books of 2020.
- Our picks include unrestrained tell-alls, scathing political indictments, and indulgent fiction.
- Authors who made our list include Brit Bennett, Glennon Doyle, Kiley Reid and Jasmine Guillory.
- Books who made the list include "Caste," "Vanishing Half," "Wow, No Thank You" and "The Glass Hotel."
This year was one of radical transparency. And as the shine wore off of curated content thanks to an ongoing pandemic and racial unrest across the globe, people started to talk and even write more like themselves.
Bookstores were full of impolite arguments and unsung heroes thanks to the memoirs, essay collections, and novels birthed from this year's best scribes.
Insider rounded up the best books of 2020 — from a year full of unrestrained tell-alls, scathing political indictments, and indulgent fiction.
"Such A Fun Age" by Kiley Reid
In Philadelphia, tensions rise between a Black woman and her employer after she's accused of kidnapping a white child. This brilliant novel exposes the cracks in consumerist feminism that are often stuffed with Black women's struggles.
"Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord
This cute quick read offers up a romance perfect for the hashtag age. Get lost in the snarky chatter between two social media personalities unknowingly communicating on a dating app. Think "You've Got Mail" meets Tinder.
"American Dirt" by Jeanine Cummins
This controversial novel follows the experience of an undocumented immigrant fighting to secure safety for their family. This work kicked off a series of important conversations about who has the right to tell what stories.
"Big Summer" by Jennifer Weiner
The patron saint of the unfairly named "Chick Lit" brings her masterful understanding of female friendship to the social media age. When two friends reunite after an extended spat, one expects to pick up where they left off, but finds her dazzling charm doesn't quite have the same effect it did before the invention of Instagram Stories.
"Open Book" by Jessica Simpson
The singer and former reality TV star set the tone for a year of unprecedented celebrity transparency by peeling back the layers of her career as a Christian pop star. The frothy yet surprisingly self-aware memoir is revealing, uplifting, and the perfect amount of over the top.
"The Genius of Women: From Overlooked to Changing the World" by Janice Kaplan
Along with the stories that we all should know, this book details the leaders of tomorrow we cannot afford to ignore. Learn about how the women leading the charge in robotics, mathematics, and music are reclaiming the accomplishments of those who paved the way for their success and reconsider what it takes to be considered a genius.
"Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot" by Mikki Kendall
The author and cultural critic confronts the hypocrisy of not only the mainstream feminist movement, but intersectional subsects who seek to exclude the most marginalized people in our society. She argues that feminist agendas would be better served by refusing to ignore race and class thus making room for the "messy" choices of their sisters.
"Untamed" by Glennon Doyle
The bestseller gives readers permission to reimagine their lives in this fiery memoir turned manifesto. The celebrated Christian mommy blogger rejects being boxed in by others' expectations, startling her devoted fanbase. Using powerful imagery, she is able to conceive of her own reality and inspire others to do the same.
"Rodham" by Curtis Sittenfeld
"Rodham" gives a fictional glimpse at what life might have been like if the activist turned "nasty woman" had never wed a certain saxophone playing fella from Arkansas.
"Our Time Is Now" by Stacy Abrams
The activist who proved that tenacity triumphs over titles makes the case for rethinking the systems we have taken for granted. No matter your political views, you'll believe in the power of disruption after putting down this page turner.
"Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson
Indicators of American's caste system are littered in emergency rooms, movie theaters, commercial kitchens, and train stations across the country. Wilkerson focuses on how they impact us all in this well researched work. At a time when our most essential workers have been thrust into the spotlight, her findings are more relevant than ever.
"The Chiffon Trenches" by Andre Leon Talley
The esteemed journalist and editor yanks the sheen off of the fashion industry in this thoughtful tell-all. Talley reveals how some of the industry's most promising talents can fall by the way side in a world that favors pedigree and privilege above knowledge and work ethic.
"The Glass Hotel" by Emily St. John Mandel
This novel shatters illusions about what prestige, power, and security really look like when you peel back the layers. Using a tropical island as the perfect backdrop, readers will see what's on the other side of unadulterated greed.
"Party of Two" by Jasmine Guillory
Claiming a random seat at a bar lands Olivia Monroe in the middle of an inconvenient romance with a sexy junior senator. Fighting to get her law firm off the ground with press now dipping into her past, she wonders if the bond they're building is stronger than the glare of the sudden spotlight.
"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett
Twins who escape from a small town are separated by systematic racism. When one abandons the other to pass as a white woman, she finds that the world is a little bit smaller than she thought it was.
"Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering, Volume 2" by Joanna Gaines
The reality TV star put down the ship lap and picked up a ladle to create unique recipes that strayed out of her comfort zone. Satisfy that inner foodie you discovered while social distancing with her fresh take on lemon-lavender tarts or mushroom-Gruyère quiche.
"Intimations" by Zadie Smith
The acclaimed author turns her talents to crystallizing her personal experiences in a world under lockdown. While others rush to make sense of the dismal, she presents this tiny collection of essays focused not on policies or politics but pure feeling.
"The Meaning of Mariah" by Mariah Carey and Michaela Angela Davis
The ageless diva delves into the private moments that created her public persona and a stellar career. Written in a non-linear format, the book revisits her triumphs and low points using her lyrics as a guide.
"I Don't Want To Die Poor" by Michael Arceneaux
The cultural critic places a human face on the student loan crisis, debt-riddled reality stars, and would be pop-stars turned sex workers in this hilarious collection of essays. He also defends the character of the downtrodden, reminding us that life is short and interest rates are criminal.
"The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything" by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin
The organizing experts unfurl their philosophy about personal possessions with the help of ROYGBIV. Soothe yourself as the country heads into its possible second national shutdown by obsessing over something you can control — clutter.
"One to Watch" by Kate Stayman-London
When a jaded plus-size influencer goes on a reality dating show she thinks she knows exactly what she is getting into. But a few weeks in a social media-free bubble force her to reexamine why she stepped into the spotlight in the first place.
"Wow, No Thank You" by Samantha Irby
The author, who gets mistaken for fellow feminist author Roxane Gay way more often than makes sense, wonders aloud about the parts of adulting we've all been winging. You're bound to see yourself in one of her questions about friendship, marriage, parenthood, and how often you're supposed to check out what's happening with your tire pressure.
"Something To Talk About" by Meryl Wilsner
"Pretty Woman" meets "The L Word" and winks at the Me Too movement in this glamorous romance. An assistant and other women in her workplace have to navigate their personal and professional relationship under prying eyes.
"Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey
The beloved actor sequestered himself in the desert and consulted his diaries to present this collection of stories, proverbs and poems. Revisit the people, places, projects and parties that put his name on the tip of our tongues.
"What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly" by Arianna Davis
Penned by the digital director of O, Oprah Magazine, this book is what happens when a memoir meets self-help as the iconic Frida Kahlo's amazing story inspires a modern day guide to loving, living and finding true happiness.
"Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation" by Anne Helen Petersen
Boomers, self-care, and crystals, oh my! Public perception of millennials has gone from Instagram-addicted brats to frazzled 35 year olds. Learn how they ended up seemingly being the poster children for society's shortcomings.
"Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity" by Peggy Orenstein
The bestselling author consults jocks, geeks, and self-proclaimed feminist f---boys to find out what today's teens are learning about sexuality. She finds that a culture of affirmative consent can benefit those on all sides.
"The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power" by Deirdre Mask
The fragility of the social ladder is grouped into a series of five digit numbers. Wondering why your packages are delayed or your potholes remained unfilled? This work has the answers.
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