My Best Books of the 21st Century List

Here are 25 titles which I consider the best books of the 21st century so far. Click ‘Show More’ for info & links.

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Join my bookclub:   / thelonesomereaderbookclub  

The New York Times' 100 Best Books of the 21st Century:    • The NY Times 100 Best Books of the 21...  

Books discussed & purchase links:

White Teeth – Zadie Smith: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978024...
Fingersmith – Sarah Waters: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978034...
Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978034...
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978074...
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978034...
The Master – Colm Toibin: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978103...
The Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978000...
The Road – Cormac McCarthy: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978103...
Olive Kitteridge – Elizabeth Strout: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978024...
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978000...
The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978178...
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978000...
Lila – Marilynne Robinson: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978184...
How to Be Both – Ali Smith: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978014...
The Parcel – Anosh Irani: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978191...
The Years – Annie Ernaux: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978180...
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978140...
Night Sleep Death the Stars – Joyce Carol Oates: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978000...
Ducks Newburyport – Lucy Ellmann: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978191...
Empire of Pain – Patrick Radden Keefe: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978152...
Minor Detail – Adania Shibli (translated by Elisabeth Jaquette): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978191...
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978057...
Solenoid – Mircea Cartarescu (translated by Sean Cotter): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978180...
The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
My Friends – Hisham Matar: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/978024...

My full reviews of some of these books:
The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes:    • Book to Film:  The Sense of an Ending  
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2014/...
Lila – Marilynne Robinson: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2015/...
How to Be Both – Ali Smith: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2014/...
The Parcel – Anosh Irani: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2017/...
The Years – Annie Ernaux: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/...
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2017/...
Night Sleep Death the Stars – Joyce Carol Oates:    • Interview with Joyce Carol Oates abou...  
Ducks Newburyport – Lucy Ellmann:    • Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann / ...  
Minor Detail – Adania Shibli (translated by Elisabeth Jaquette): https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2020/...
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver:    • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolve...  
Solenoid – Mircea Cartarescu (translated by Sean Cotter):    • Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu / Review  
The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2022/...
My Friends – Hisham Matar:    • My Friends by Hisham Matar / Review  



Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:37 White Teeth
2:34 Fingersmith
3:25 Oryx and Crake
4:18 Jonathan Strange
5:14 Cloud Atlas
6:37 The Master
7:42 The Year of Magical Thinking
8:26 The Road
9:30 Olive Kitteridge
10:19 Wolf Hall
11:36 The Sense of an Ending
13:24 Americanah
14:28 Lila
15:34 How to Be Both
16:49 The Parcel
18:04 The Years
18:47 Lincoln in the Bardo
19:44 Night Sleep Death the Stars
20:59 Ducks Newburyport
22:46 Empire of Pain
24:03 Minor Detail
24:56 Demon Copperhead
25:54 Solenoid
26:58 The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois
27:42 My Friends
28:44 Conclusion


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