In today’s edition of BookPageXTRA, we revealed our top 5 most-viewed books of 2011 (so far)—only counting books that have come out in 2011. Here are the top 20 books of the year.
Which ones are your favorites? Which ones do you most want to read? What’s missing from this list? Let us know in the comments!
1. The Memory Palace by Mira Bartók
2. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
3. The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger
4. The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond
5. The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
6. The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht
7. The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
8. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
9. The Other Life by Ellen Meister
10. Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston
11. Wrecker by Summer Wood
12. Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
13. The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier
14. Being Polite to Hitler by Robb Forman Dew
15. The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern
16. Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
17. The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
18. Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress
19. Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
20. Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
Want a blast from the past? Check out our “Top 20 Books of 2010—so far” post from exactly one year ago.
I haven’t read any of these but many are on my list. Thanks for showing these.
Ann
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for putting my novel on your list!!!
Caroline Leavitt
I am reading your book right now and can not put it down… first time reader but not the last…thank you!
What lovely company to keep! Thanks!!
xx
Jodi Picoult
I have read several of these books — would like to add two of my favorites for 2011 … The Sweetness of Tears by Haji and Secret Daughter by Gowda! Happy reading!
Just finished an excellent book: “The Mountain Between Us” by Charles Martin (Martin is his last name). It is a book that would appeal to all ages and to men and women alike. It is very exciting.
My vote goes to Mistress of Nothing.
I am sure Jacaqueline Winspear’s latest, A Lesson in Secrets will join the list.
This has already been an outstanding year for fiction. I can’t wait to see what the other 8 months bring us.
So far, The Tiger’s Wife has been my favorite, but coming right behind it are:
Volt by Alan Heathcock
So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman
Quiet Americans by Erika Dreifus
This has already been a great year for fiction; I can’t wait to see what the other 8 months bring us!
So far, my favorite has been The Tiger’s Wife, but following close on its heels are:
Volt by Alan Heathcock
So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman
Quiet Americans by Erika Dreifus
Just finished In An Instant, by Bob and Lee Woodruff and These High Green Hills, Jan Karon, and The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs
So far my favorites of 2011 are: The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen; Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran; The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton; 13 rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro .
My vote for my most favorite so far this year is Left Neglected, followed closely by Pioneer Woman.
Ree Drummond’s book The Pioneer Woman is so good. I have also enjoyed the Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. And a very good nonfiction book is Heaven is For Real.
Caroline Leavitt’s “Pictures of You” was my favorite book of 2011,so far. I hope she has anotherbook coming out soon!
Hands down, the first one is a nonfiction book called Dream of Ding Village by Yan Lianke.The second nonfiction is Tiger,Tiger by Margaux Fragoso ,a true story about a 15 year relationship with a pedophile. My fiction would be Jodi Picoult’s book Sing them Home and a mystery, Love you More by Lisa Gardner.
Georgia Bottoms was GREAT. Loved it.
I have a review on my blog. To me she was the return of Scarlett O’Hara.
http://silversolara.blogspot.com/2011/02/georgia-bottoms-by-mark-childress.html
Haven’t read any of the others….looks like a great list.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned The Paris Wife. I’m disappointed in you, all.
Totally agree!!
WHAT!!!! NO EMILY AND EINSTEIN OR FORGOTTEN GARDEN?????
Those are the best books that i read so far this year. i’ve been recommendin them 2 others already. rite now i am readin Warmth of Other Suns and it seems 2 b pretty good.
I was please to see that I have read some of these books already.
Left Neglected, and the Book of Tomorrow were both excellent!
I was hooked on “Fall of Giants” – a different time than “Pillars of Earth” but equally as enjoyable….the characters were all great.
Ooooh – just added a few titles to my list of “gotta try” books – Thank You!
My favorite book this year (so far) is Sarah Addison Allen’s THE PEACH KEEPER.
I was quite taken with “Room” by Emma Donoghue and was surprised not to see it on the list.
Hi Ginny,
We loved Room, too! In fact, it was our #1 book of 2010. Because it came out last year, it wasn’t eligible for this list.
Hope you find something that looks good on our 2011 list–and happily we have MANY more books to look forward to this year.
Thanks for commenting,
Eliza
Definitely my favorite so far this year has been SWAMPLANDIA — so different and so engaging. I loved ROOM too but since it was a 2010 book and I didn’t get around to reading it until this year I guess I missed out on the kudos for it!
Best book so far, The Paris Wife!!!
I’m glad to see Picture of You on the list. I would also add – and can’t believe you don’t have! – The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Also Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen is on my list.
So far I’ve only read” The Poison Tree”, but I have a number of the books listed waiting in line. “Sing You Home” just came in at my library, and I’m picking it it up tomorrow.
I would have to say that Night Road by Kristin Hannah is at the top of my list.
Clara and Mr. Tiffany was a great read.
Night Road by Kristin Hannah was wonderful and one of my favorite books so far in 2011. A real family tear jerker, so keep the tissues handy!
I must agree with So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman
I loved Maeve Binchy’s Minding Frankie!!
also: The Complaints by Ian Rankin.
I have PICTURES OF YOU and THE TIGER’S WIFE waiting on my shelf, plus a handful of the others on my to-read list.
I really enjoyed Jodi Picoult’s SING YOU HOME, and for a heartwarming read, no one beats Maeve Binchy and MINDING FRANKIE.
So far, the only of these I have read is The Memory Palace, and I couldn’t finish that one. I didn’t dislike it, per se, but I just could not get into it. Glad others enjoyed it, though. I’m itching to read Tiger’s Wife and Swamplandia. Several of the other titles on this list are new to me – I’ve been way behind on book releases this year!
Loved The Memory Palace. Loved Paris Wife. Loved Wrecker. Not very happy with Pictures of You.
My favorite would be The Wierd Sisters by Eleanor Brown. An interesting novel about the relationships of families and there reactions to problems.
Such a pleasure to find The Lake of Dreams on your list, in such terrific company–many thanks!
Kim Edwards
Your readers are in for a treat with Dry Grass of August.
Beautifully told, page turner, great characters.
I’m glad you liked it! The novel has only been out for a few weeks, but it seems like BookPage’s readers are really responding. Do you agree that it’s just as good as “The Help” and “The Secret Life of Bees”?
Loved Pioneer Woman; looking forward to reading The Dry Grass of August.
My favorite, on the list is Mistress of Nothing, a great read that I can’t stop thinking about. Not on the list, I loved The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen and The Weird Sisters….
I also enjoyed “The Red Garden” and ” Winter Ghosts”.
My favorite book so far this year is Left Neglected. I also liked (not on the list) The Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley and Secret Daughter which I am currently reading. Many of the books on the list are on my to-read list.
I have read Lisa Genova’ s “Left Neglected” and loved it as much as her first novel, “Still Alice”. I would definitely recommend both. I am looking forward to reading “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”, “The Tiger’s Wife”, and “Pioneer Woman”. Your top 20 titles give me a great future reading list. Thanks.
Matched by Ally Condie is a winner and so is Quiet Americans by Erika Dreifus
What about the new Jean Auel?
What about the new Jean Auel?
I haven’t read The Paris Wife, but people were touting it as the best book of the DECADE before it came out! What happened?
My favorite this year is Harkness’ “A Season of Witches”. Can’t wait until the next release.
Oops, “A Discovery of Witches” (it’s still early in the morning).
I haven’t read any of the books on this list but will add some of them to my wish list. The best book I read this year was Kate Morton’s “The Distant Hours”. It may have been released in 2010. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin was another great read. There’s just not enough time to read all the great books out there!
I enjoyed many of these but my favorite so far has to be “Left Neglected”. It is every bit as amazing as her first novel “Still Alice” Lisa Genova is an incredibly gifted writer who creates wonderful characters and reminds us to live in the present.
“A Discovery of Witches” and “Learning to Swim.” My two favorites so far this year.
I loved A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES! And I’m ready for book #2 in the trilogy.
Very excited to see THE OTHER LIFE on this list. What astounding company!!
This is a great list of gems! I am surprised how many I already have or have on my wishlist. Thanks for the additions to the wishlist as well
!
I’m enjoying “the other life” immensely. I’m having trouble putting it down. On one hand its a little bit out there but I find the characters interesting enough to care about the outcome.
I very much enjoyed “Left Neglected”. I’m wait listed at the Library for “Sing You Home” and “The Lake of Dreams”. Would love to read “Georgia Bottoms” and “The Dry Grass of August”.
EVEN THOUGH THE LONLY POLYGAMIST IS NOT ON YOUR LIST THIS WAS A GREAT READ, AND I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH
I think the book “Night road by Hannah, Kristin. ” should be added to the top 20 list. This is a wonderful book, with many twist, turns, events you know will happen but you can’t pub this down because you are never sure. I loved this book.
everywhere everywhere everywhere i go , i see the beauty in the book
and enjoy from start to end.. thankoo thankoo for sing you home
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I have read “The Dry Grass of August” and loved it. If anyone hasn’t read it, they should definitely put it on their list to read. I am now reading Jennifer Donnelly’s third book in her Rose trilogy. It is “The Wild Rose”. I am loving it. As far as your list, I haven’t read several of them, however, there are several that I will add to mine to read!