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: https://www.patreon.com/TheLonesomeReaderBookClub
The New York Times' 100 Best Books of the 21st Century: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXxG6HxuF14
Books discussed & purchase links:
White Teeth – Zadie Smith: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780241981399
Fingersmith – Sarah Waters: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780349018508
Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780349004068
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780747579885
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780340822784
The Master – Colm Toibin: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781035029860
The Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780008485122
The Road – Cormac McCarthy: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781035003792
Olive Kitteridge – Elizabeth Strout: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780241985540
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780008381691
The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781784705633
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780008610517
Lila – Marilynne Robinson: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781844088829
How to Be Both – Ali Smith: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780141025209
The Parcel – Anosh Irani: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781911344452
The Years – Annie Ernaux: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781804270523
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781408871775
Night Sleep Death the Stars – Joyce Carol Oates: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780008381110
Ducks Newburyport – Lucy Ellmann: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781913111984
Empire of Pain – Patrick Radden Keefe: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781529063103
Minor Detail – Adania Shibli (translated by Elisabeth Jaquette): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781913097172
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780571376483
Solenoid – Mircea Cartarescu (translated by Sean Cotter): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9781805333197
The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
My Friends – Hisham Matar: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9054/9780241409480
My full reviews of some of these books:
The Sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPb_adWG-s
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2014/4/29/americanah-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie
Lila – Marilynne Robinson: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2015/2/27/lila-by-marilynne-robinson
How to Be Both – Ali Smith: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2014/8/20/how-to-be-both-by-ali-smith-interview-with-myself
The Parcel – Anosh Irani: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2017/10/16/the-parcel-by-anosh-irani
The Years – Annie Ernaux: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/4/12/the-years-by-annie-ernaux-translated-by-alison-l-strayer
Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2017/3/2/lincoln-in-the-bardo-by-george-saunders
Night Sleep Death the Stars – Joyce Carol Oates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkXsoe6ieKY
Ducks Newburyport – Lucy Ellmann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r60BV_UNoUM
Minor Detail – Adania Shibli (translated by Elisabeth Jaquette): https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2020/5/21/minor-detail-by-adania-shibli-translated-by-elisabeth-jaquette
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsSNNaG8MxY
Solenoid – Mircea Cartarescu (translated by Sean Cotter): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfIVQUaQk4c
The Love Songs of WEB Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers: https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2022/1/20/the-love-songs-of-web-du-bois-by-honore-fanonne-jeffers
My Friends – Hisham Matar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPwu3keS-UI
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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