Best Books of 2017
Last updated: June 04, 2024
Are you looking for the latest and best books to read in fiction or nonfiction? Are you looking for a gift for a friend or relative who is mad about history or poetry? You're in the right place. As each calendar year draws to a close, Five Books approaches experts and asks them to recommend the best books published that year in their field.
Below, all our book recommendations from the past year, both fiction and nonfiction.
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1
Out of China: How the Chinese Ended the Era of Western Domination
by Robert Bickers -
2
The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
by Lindsey Fitzharris -
3
A Deadly Legacy: German Jews and the Great War
by Tim Grady -
4
Black Tudors: The Untold Story
by Miranda Kaufmann -
5
Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation
by Peter Marshall -
6
Heligoland: Britain, Germany, and the Struggle for the North Sea
by Jan Rüger
The Best History Books: the 2018 Wolfson Prize shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
The Best History Books: the 2018 Wolfson Prize shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
Which were the best history books published this past year? Each year, the UK’s Wolfson Prize tries to sort through the hundreds of history books that are published to find outstanding books that are both important and readable. Wolfson Prize judge Carole Hillenbrand introduces the six books that made 2018 shortlist.
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1
The Islamic Enlightenment: The Struggle Between Faith and Reason, 1798 to Modern Times
by Christopher de Bellaigue -
2
How to Survive a Plague: The Story of How Activists and Scientists Tamed Aids
by David France -
3
Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe
by Kapka Kassabova -
4
An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic
by Daniel Mendelsohn -
5
To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death
by Mark O'Connell -
6
Belonging: The Story of the Jews 1492–1900
by Simon Schama
Best Nonfiction Books of 2017, recommended by Peter Bazalgette
Best Nonfiction Books of 2017, recommended by Peter Bazalgette
It’s hard to choose the very best nonfiction books of 2017, but the Baillie Gifford Prize aims to do just that. The chair of this year’s judging panel, Peter Bazalgette, talks us through the six fabulous books that made the shortlist.
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1
The Infidel and the Professor: David Hume, Adam Smith, and the Friendship That Shaped Modern Thought
by Dennis Rasmussen -
2
The Meaning of Belief: Religion from an Atheist’s Point of View
by Tim Crane -
3
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
by Robert Wright -
4
How To Be A Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living
by Massimo Pigliucci -
5
Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction
by Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek & Peter Singer
The Best Philosophy Books of 2017, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2017, recommended by Nigel Warburton
How should we live our lives? How can we best help others? What is the meaning of religious belief? The philosopher Nigel Warburton introduces us to some of the best philosophy books published in 2017.
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1
Economics for the Common Good
by Jean Tirole -
2
Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy
by Dani Rodrik -
3
Adaptive Markets: Financial Evolution at the Speed of Thought
by Andrew W Lo -
4
The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return
by Mihir Desai -
5
The Financial Diaries: How American Families Cope in a World of Uncertainty
by Jonathan Morduch and Rachel Schneider
Best Economics Books of 2017, recommended by Diane Coyle
Best Economics Books of 2017, recommended by Diane Coyle
With an array of intriguing and accessible books coming out, there’s no excuse not to be reading about economics. The ‘Enlightened Economist,’ Diane Coyle, recommends the best economics books that hit the shelves this past year.
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1
Swimming With Seals
by Victoria Whitworth -
2
Animals Strike Curious Poses
by Elena Passarello -
3
Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative Experiences and their Effects on our Bodies, Brains and Health
by Rupert Sheldrake -
4
Islander: A Journey Around Our Archipelago
by Patrick Barkham -
5
The Seabirds Cry: The Lives and Loves of Puffins, Gannets and Other Ocean Voyagers
by Adam Nicolson
The Best Nature Writing of 2017, recommended by Charles Foster
The Best Nature Writing of 2017, recommended by Charles Foster
Sales of nature books have been booming, but only the most exacting of authors get right to the heart of our own interconnectedness with the natural world, says Charles Foster, bestselling author of Being A Beast. Here, he chooses five of the best books of nature writing published in 2017.
The Best Poetry Books of 2017, recommended by Susannah Herbert
Poetry book sales are bigger this year than ever before, and the form is ‘about to reach many, many more people,’ says the head of the Forward Arts Foundation. Here’s a diagnosis of the year in poetry – and a prescription for years to come
The Best Novels of 2017, selected by Arifa Akbar
Has 2017 been a strong year for novels? Yes, says Arifa Akbar, Editor of new literary magazine Boundless – especially if you like your novels fresh and raw
The Best Tween Books of 2017, recommended by Zoe Greaves
It’s a golden age for books for 8-12 year old children—aka ‘Tweens.’ Our children’s editor, Zoe Greaves, picks some of the year’s best.
The Best Picture Books of 2017, recommended by Zoe Greaves
Looking for a lovely set of books to give to a child who is just learning to read? Five Books children’s editor, Zoe Greaves, picks five of the best published this year.
Neil Griffiths recommends the best Indie Fiction of 2017
Publishing took a hit in the 2007-8 financial crisis, but tough times may just have changed the industry for the better. As the big guys consolidate and tighten their margins, cracks grow wider and more books slip through… Which is good news for the publishers ready to catch them. The novelist Neil Griffiths, founder of a new prize for small presses, discusses 2017’s best indie books and celebrates publishers who ‘think like you, read like you, and live books like you’