Books Update: Holiday Books

The 100 Notable Books of 2020, plus roundups of the season's thrillers, cookbooks, art books and more

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 4, 2020 Roberts Rurans Dear Reader, Have we ever needed a holiday the way we need it now? This year has been a doozy, and one of the few bright spots getting us through has been the bounty of smart, provocative, excellent and occasionally even diverting books to get us through. That may be why this year’s holiday bounty looks especially alluring and delicious — or it may just be the merits of the books themselves. Either way, we’re all in. The season’s roundups include the best in thrillers, travel, crime, cooking, historical fiction, Hollywood tales, sports books, music books, art books, science fiction and fantasy, and photography. This is a time of year for books that are just plain fun: Ben Macintyre reviews “V2,” by Robert Harris. Kiley Reid reviews “Cobble Hill,” by Cecily von Ziegesar. Patton Oswalt reviews “Alright, Alright, Alright,” by Melissa Maerz. Bill Maher reviews Craig Brown’s “150 Glimpses of the Beatles.” Yes, it’s OK to enjoy ourselves a bit. Topping it all off are our 100 Notable Books of 2020. As always, narrowing the list down to 50 works each of fiction and nonfiction is a terrible and impossible task, but these books made it worth it. We’ll also give you a sneak peek at the 10 Best Books of the year. (Check out our live podcast of the unveiling, if you missed it the first time around. We also reveal some of our personal favorites that didn’t quite make the cut.) ’Tis the season, readers. We hope these books bring you tidings of joy. Please stay in touch and let us know what you think — whether it’s about this newsletter, our reviews, our podcast, our literary calendar, our Instagram or what you’re reading. We read and ponder all of it. I even write back, albeit belatedly. You can email me at books@nytimes.com. Pamela Paul Editor of The New York Times Book Review @PamelaPaulNYT Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 100 Notable Books of 2020 The year’s notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review The Best Books to Give This Year What better way to spread joy than with books? We've rounded up 62 new titles, from thrillers to cookbooks to photography books and more, for every type of reader. THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST David Sedaris on a Career-Spanning Collection Sedaris talks about “The Best of Me” and his life as an essayist. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT FICTION Crime The 10 Best Crime Novels of 2020 Lars Kepler’s “The Rabbit Hunter,” Susan Furlong’s “Shattered Justice” and more. By Marilyn Stasio Fiction The Plot to Stop the Nazis’ Missiles With Slide Rules “V2,” Robert Harris’s new World War II novel, follows a German engineer of the feared rockets and a British woman sent to stop them. By Ben Macintyre Fiction In ‘The End of the Day,’ the Past Is Knocking at the Door Bill Clegg returns to a fictional small town in this story of big secrets. By J. Ryan Stradal Fiction Welcome to Brooklyn, Where the People Are as Unique as Their Brownstones In “Cobble Hill,” Cecily von Ziegesar visits a wealthy pocket of a trendy borough. By Kiley Reid Fiction Her Grandmother Taught Her How to Steal. Now What? In her debut novel, “White Ivy,” Susie Yang explores the life of a complicated character. By Lynn Steger Strong Graphic Content Studies of Darkness and Disguise at the Movies In Ed Park’s Graphic Content column, he looks at two new graphic novels: Katriona Chapman’s “Breakwater” and Pat Dorian’s “Lon Chaney Speaks.” By Ed Park Fiction In ‘The Midnight Library,’ Books Offer Transport to Different Lives Matt Haig provides a fresh literary twist on the “Sliding Doors” phenomenon. By Karen Joy Fowler Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NONFICTION Nonfiction How Richard Linklater’s ‘Dazed and Confused’ Came to Exist Patton Oswalt reviews “Alright, Alright, Alright,” an oral history by Melissa Maerz. By Patton Oswalt Nonfiction Michael Ian Black Has Some Wisdom for His Son (and Maybe for Yours) In “A Better Man,” the comedian proposes a sincere vision for modern masculinity. By Jayson Greene nonfiction A Life of James Beard Stocked With Tasty Morsels “The Man Who Ate Too Much,” by John Birdsall, a food critic and former cook, offers a thoroughly researched, sensitive portrait of the man known as the “dean of American cookery.” By Ligaya Mishan Nonfiction Who Was Pappy Van Winkle and Why Does His Whiskey Cost So Much? Wright Thompson’s “Pappyland” goes deep into Kentucky’s bourbon culture through a history of one of its prominent producer families. By J. D. Biersdorfer Nonfiction Bill Maher Reviews ‘150 Glimpses of the Beatles’ Craig Brown follows up the best-selling “Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret” with a book about John, Paul, George and Ringo. By Bill Maher Nonfiction A Peek at the Variety, Wonder and Trauma of Black Life, Then and Now In “Black Futures,” Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham compile a nonlinear, multimedia compendium to inspire readers of all races to fight for racial justice. By Scaachi Koul Nonfiction Rethinking Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain Alan Allport’s “Britain at Bay” looks at the early years of World War II and has some surprising things to say about Britain’s leaders. By Geoffrey Wheatcroft nonfiction The Rich, Literary Life of the Creator of America’s Favorite Girl Spy “Sometimes You Have to Lie,” a biography by Leslie Brody of Louise Fitzhugh, the author of “Harriet the Spy,” reveals a writer who had much in common with her indelible characters. By Liesl Schillinger nonfiction The Human Ingenuity That Gave Us Nice Threads In “The Fabric of Civilization,” the journalist and author Virginia Postrel recounts the evolution of textile production across cultures and centuries. By Dana Thomas Nonfiction John Steinbeck, Bard of the American Worker In a new biography, “Mad at the World,” William Souder claims the “Of Mice and Men” author was motivated by anger toward injustice. By Brenda Wineapple Nonfiction At Home With Our Ancient Cousins, the Neanderthals In “Kindred,” Rebecca Wragg Sykes offers a complete new story about Neanderthals, both how they lived and how they met their end. By Yuval Noah Harari nonfiction A Copper Mine vs. Sacred Apache Land: The Story in Words and Images In her latest work of graphic nonfiction, Lauren Redniss recounts what happened when a copper mining company decided to develop an Arizona tribe’s land. By Eliza Griswold Nonfiction A Lifelong Rock Critic Goes Back to the Actual Classics In “A Sound Mind,” the British journalist Paul Morley discovers the wonders of classical music. By John Rockwell Nonfiction The Director André Gregory Has Written a Memoir, but He Says He Hasn’t In “This Is Not My Memoir,” the co-star of “My Dinner With André” remembers his many theatrical provocations. By Phillip Lopate Nonfiction Razzle Dazzle, Part 2: Broadway Triumphs Again Michael Riedel’s “Singular Sensation” tracks the blockbuster successes of the 1990s. By Helen Shaw nonfiction Eleanor Roosevelt, First Among First Ladies David Michaelis’s “Eleanor” describes an unstoppable force who had a profound effect on American politics. By Gail Collins nonfiction Managing the Bedbugs, Bathroom Shortages and Big Egos at Yalta “The Daughters of Yalta,” by Catherine Grace Katz, recounts the events of the 1945 conference from the perspective of three daughters of Allied leaders who proved themselves indispensable. By Jennet Conant Nonfiction Upper West Side Story: The Dazzling Rise of Richard Avedon Philip Gefter’s biography, “What Becomes a Legend Most,” follows the career of one of the 20th century’s most successful photographers. By Caroline Weber nonfiction The Organization System That Changed the World? It’s Thousands of Years Old In “A Place for Everything,” Judith Flanders, a British social historian, traces the revolutionary history of alphabetical order. By Deirdre Mask Nonfiction The Golden Age of Egyptology Was Also a Time of Plunder In “A World Beneath the Sands,” Toby Wilkinson details the hundred years when many of the great discoveries of ancient Egypt were made, by Europeans. By Rosemary Mahoney nonfiction The Pious French Poet Who Palled Around With Picasso and Apollinaire In “Max Jacob: A Life in Art and Letters,” Rosanna Warren retraces the colorful history of a now largely forgotten figure of French modernism who was surrounded by famous friends. By Ayten Tartici Nonfiction The Hidden Wonders of a City, Made Visible In “The 99% Invisible City,” Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt delve into the everyday features of urban life that we take for granted. By Kenneth T. Jackson Nonfiction Are Cities Our Greatest Invention? "Metropolis,” by Ben Wilson, examines the history of civilizations and the “connective tissue” that makes them thrive. By Robert Sullivan Nonfiction How Rose Dugdale Went From British Debutante to I.R.A. ‘Freedom Fighter’ In “The Woman Who Stole Vermeer,” Anthony M. Amore recounts the social history that led to the biggest female-led art heist ever committed. By Max Carter The Shortlist Three New Books That Stare Up at the Stars From the secret lives of planets to the mysteries contained in meteors, a look at books that explore the vast and fascinating cosmos. By Kate Greene CHILDREN’S BOOKS Children’s Books Gift Books for Children (That Adults Will Also Love) Upside-down fairy tales, a neon periodic table, the art of Ramona Quimby and more. By Jennifer Krauss The 25 Best Children’s Books of 2020 The most notable picture, middle grade and young adult books of the year, selected by The Times’s children’s books editor. FEATURES By the Book Dolly Parton Likes to Read by the Fire in Her Pajamas “Especially on a rainy day off … sitting in a comfy chair.” Revisited Books to Read and Reread In excerpts from a new collection, the former Times critic explores some of her favorite books, now with reimagined covers. By Michiko Kakutani and Dana Tanamachi New & Noteworthy, From Cheese to Player Two A selection of recent books of interest; plus, a peek at what our colleagues around the newsroom are reading. Meritocracy, Silicon Valley and Other Letters to the Editor Readers respond to recent issues of the Sunday Book Review. 11 New Books We Recommend This Week Suggested reading from critics and editors at The Times. Inside the List Meet Chloe Gong, One of the Year’s Youngest Best-Selling Authors The 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student got her start as an obsessive, book-a-day reader of young adult fiction. By Elisabeth Egan New in Paperback: ‘Supreme Ambition’ and ‘Homewreckers’ Six new paperbacks to check out this week. By Tina Jordan Best Sellers Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Hardcover Fiction Hardcover Nonfiction Paperback Trade Fiction Paperback Nonfiction All Lists New International Books Illustration by Thoka Maer Your sneak preview of books coming out in 2020 from around the world. Get globetrotting. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018