So this morning, we asked you to tell us what YOUR favorite book of 2011 was. Now, we’re kicking off our “Best Books of 2011” coverage by sharing books #31-#50 from our Top 50 Books of 2011 list. In a year of best-selling biographies, anticipated debuts and long-awaited releases from literary heavyweights, our editors voted on the books they loved to come up with a list that encompasses all of the above while making room for a few surprises.
Let us know what you think of our selections—share your own with us—and stay tuned as we reveal more titles from the list over the coming weeks, leading up to the publication of the Top 10 books in our December issue.
31. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
32. Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Elissa Schappell
33. To End All Wars by Adam Hochschild
34. The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
35. Great Soul by Joseph Lelyveld
36. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
37. Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
38. A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
39. West of Here by Jonathan Evison
40. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
41. The Realm of Hungry Spirits by Lorraine Lopez
42. Irma Voth by Miriam Toews
43. Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
44. The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier
45. The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey
46. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
47. A Covert Affair by Jennet Conant
48. The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok
49. Fiction Ruined My Family by Jeanne Darst
50. My New American Life by Francine Prose
What was your favorite book of 2011? Tell us, and you’ll be entered to win 10 books in the genre of your choice.
My favorite book of 2011 is Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke. He has the most wonderful gift of making you seem to be right there with the characters, the rain, the green trees, the smells, etc. Love him and all his books.
I loved #41 as well! I read all of Lorraine Lopez’s books after reading that one! I don’t know if you are counting juvenile or young adult books but I really loved Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt.
Of the 19 books I have only read The Weird Sisters. I thought it different and took a bit to get into it but did like it.
So hard to choose! I have really enjoyed the Dovekeepers (even though I’m not finished) and The Night Circus. Also Lethal by Sandra Brown.
I loved The Quest for Anna Klein by Thomas H Cook. It’s a love story for humanity and he writes so beautifully. But then there’s Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke. He’s the only writer I know who writes in technicolor! How can I choose just one?
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is my absolute favorite book of 2011. I’ve chosen it for my book clubs!
My favorite book(s) from 2011 are Falling Under by Gwen Hayes and Queen of Shadows & Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan. These are excellent books in the beginning phases of series to come.
Wow! My favorite books were not mentioned but I have to say “A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness, or “Gideon’s Sword” Preston & Child (of course all their books are great, especially the Pendergast series) and “Rin Tin Tin” was excellent!
My favorite…”Year Of Wonder”
The Paris Wife was my favorite book of the year.
It was so well written and gave so much insight into the life of Ernest Hemmingway……
The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
The Land Beyond the Portal by J.S. Bailey
I love YA fiction! Thanks for this vote/contest
My favorite book of 2011 is The Memory Palace, No. 48. Very moving story, well written and hard to put down once you start it. Mira is an amazing woman and author!
So hard to pin one book, I’ve read and enjoyed so many.
One that I could not put down was “The Hunger Games”
by Suzanne Collins and the 2 sequels ” Catching Fire” and
“MockingJay.”
My favorite book is Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Elissa Schappell. What a wonderful read!!!!
From this list – THE PARIS WIFE was absolutely tops! Also am enjoying Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews. So many to choose from.
One of my favorites was Iris Johansen’s EVE. I’ve read her books for awhile and it was insightful to see what makes Eve Duncan tick. I’ve also discovered Sarah Addison Allen and loved The Peach Keeper.
I’d suggest a book that seems like a bit of a sleeper…
None of Us Were Like This Before, by Joshua E. S. Phillips
It’s a remarkable nonfiction book, one of the best I’ve picked up in some time. It covers how Americans came to turn to torture, and the devastating, unrealized trauma of that experience. It’s powerful inter nation and investigative reporting, but told through deeply personal stories. It’s a marvelous book.
I have just finished reading, THE NIGHT STRANGERS (n.34) by Chris Bohjalian. Ok, it wasnt such a bad book. And although I did like the character, Emily, I thought the middle of the story seemed to stall – without any seemingly forward movement of the plot.
My personal first prize for a really haunting tale, would go to Sarah Waters, and her ghostly novel, set in a dilapitated manor house, in the heart of the English countryside, THE LITTLE STRANGER. Memories of that book (that house especially) still remain strong.
I loved The Family Fang. I’m hoping for a series!
Three favorites (my own ten best list will be coming up in the week after Christmas) this year: THE WOMAN IN WHITE by Wilkie Collins, MISERY BAY by Steve Hamilton and 11/22/63 by Stephen King.
I vote for State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I read it several months ago and the characters still remain with me.
My favorite book is always the one
I’m reading at the time. Right now I’m reading “The Murder Season” by Robert Ellis. Just received “The Four Ms. Bradwells” by Meg Waite Clayton in the mail today, will probably read it next.