Every year, we approach experts and ask them to recommend the best books that have been published in their field that year. Below you’ll find all our best books of 2019 reading lists as they are published on Five Books. (Our best books of 2018 and 2017 lists are also still available: those books are also well worth reading!).
For subjects like philosophy, history, economics, and science these book recommendations have been specifically made for Five Books. For broad subjects like nonfiction and fiction, where there are so many books and topics it's impossible for any individual to make a call on what the best books are, we tend to interview the chair of distinguished prizes, as they have systematically gone through all the books published that year to choose the very best.
Either way, we can guarantee one thing: all the books below are very, very good books.
The Best Poetry Books of 2019, recommended by Simone White
New collections of poetry are increasingly pushing the bounds of language and performance in intelligent, creative, perceptive ways, says Simone White, a poet and Assistant Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania. Here, she recommends some of her favorite poetry books published (or republished) in 2019.
The Best History Books of 2019, recommended by Paul Lay
From the most brutal siege of World War I to the renewed significance of an ideology many of us had dismissed as defunct, 2019 was a good year for traditional history books on big themes. Paul Lay, editor of History Today, talks us through his picks of the best history books of the year.
Editors’ Picks: Favorite Books of 2019, recommended by Stephanie Kelley
Looking for captivating, eccentric novels, essays and letters to read at the turn of the new year? Five Books literary editor Stephanie Kelley shares favorites from her year in reading—new and old.
Editors’ Picks: Children’s Books, recommended by Sophie Roell
Five Books editor Sophie Roell selects the best children’s books of 2019, after intense discussions with her family about which books should make the list.
The Best Climate Books of 2019, recommended by Sarah Dry
In an age when we all need to work together to slow down climate change, which books are the most effective in spurring us to action? Historian of science Sarah Dry, author of Waters of the World, recommends some of the best and most important climate books of 2019.
The Best Cookbooks of 2019, recommended by Becky Krystal
Taking in cuisines from Israel to Vietnam and India, Becky Krystal, lead writer of the Washington Post’s Voraciously, recommends some of her favourite cookbooks of 2019. These books stand out for their originality, the accessibility of their recipes and their literary and aesthetic qualities.
Editors’ Picks: Notable Books of 2019, recommended by Cal Flyn
Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn reflects on a year of spectacularly rich literary output, highlighting notable new books from Mary Gaitskill and Robert Macfarlane, as well as sparkling debuts that mark the arrival of exciting new literary voices in 2019.
The Best Kids’ Books of 2019, recommended by Bianca Schulze
While not every book is for every child, for every child there is a book, says Bianca Schulze, editor and founder of The Children’s Book Review and the author of 101 Books To Read Before You Grow Up. She recommends her pick of the best kids’ books of 2019, all books that will make you ‘feel’ something.
The Best of Nature Writing 2019, recommended by Charles Foster
What do we talk about when we talk about nature? Almost everything, says the academic and bestselling author of Being a Beast, Charles Foster. Here he selects five of the best works of nature writing in 2019; books that seek to connect us more deeply with the non-human world.
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1
The Moon: A History for the Future
by Oliver Morton -
2
The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter
by Paul J. Steinhardt -
3
The Snow Leopard Project: And Other Adventures in Warzone Conservation
by Alex Dehgan -
4
The Gendered Brain
by Gina Rippon -
5
Waters of the World
by Sarah Dry
The Best Science Books of 2019, recommended by Barbara Kiser
The Best Science Books of 2019, recommended by Barbara Kiser
It’s been another fabulous year for science books that make important scientific developments accessible to a general audience. Barbara Kiser, Books & Arts Editor at Nature, talks us through her favourite science books of 2019.
The Best Crime Fiction of 2019, recommended by Val McDermid
It’s been a great year for crime fiction – with soaring sales and global bestsellers emerging from writers all over the world. Crime writing is rightly in the ascendancy, says the celebrated Scottish novelist Val McDermid as she selects the best crime fiction of 2019: five books that stand as great novels in their own right.
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1
The Technology Trap: Capital, Labor, and Power in the Age of Automation
by Carl Benedikt Frey -
2
Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control
by Stuart Russell -
3
Globalists: The End of Empire and the Birth of Neoliberalism
by Quinn Slobodian -
4
Extreme Economies
by Richard Davies -
5
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life
by Eric Klinenberg
The Best Economics Books of 2019, recommended by Diane Coyle
The Best Economics Books of 2019, recommended by Diane Coyle
The urgency of the challenges facing society has led to a wonderful supply of books by leading thinkers on a variety of pressing topics. Economist Diane Coyle, a professor at the University of Cambridge and co-director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, recommends her top five economics books of 2019.
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1
Becoming Beauvoir: A Life
by Kate Kirkpatrick -
2
Socrates in Love: The Making of a Philosopher
by Armand D'Angour -
3
A Theory of Jerks and Other Philosophical Misadventures
by Eric Schwitzgebel -
4
Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness
by Philip Goff -
5
A Theory of the Aphorism: From Confucius to Twitter
by Andrew Hui
The Best Philosophy Books of 2019, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2019, recommended by Nigel Warburton
We live in a golden age for philosophy books that are accessible to a wide audience. In the pages of even quite short books, we can find new ways of reflecting on who we are and how we should conduct ourselves in the world, as well as learn more about the brilliant thinkers who trod these paths before us. Our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton talks us through some of the best philosophy books that came out in 2019.
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1
Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America
by Christopher Leonard -
2
The Third Pillar: How Markets and the State Leave the Community Behind
by Raghuram G Rajan -
3
The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution
by Gregory Zuckerman -
4
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
by Shoshana Zuboff -
5
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
by Caroline Criado Perez -
6
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
by David Epstein
The Best Business Books of 2019: the Financial Times & McKinsey Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
The Best Business Books of 2019: the Financial Times & McKinsey Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
Confused about which of the thousands of business books published in 2019 to read? Fortunately, the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award has sifted through hundreds of entries to pick the very best. Andrew Hill, the FT’s management editor and author of Ruskinland, talks us through the six brilliant books that made this year’s shortlist.
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1
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
by Lori Gottlieb -
2
Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It
by David Zahl -
3
The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life
by David Brooks -
4
In Search of Silence
by Poorna Bell -
5
This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom
by Martin Hägglund
The Best Self-Help Books of 2019, recommended by Oliver Burkeman
The Best Self-Help Books of 2019, recommended by Oliver Burkeman
The self-help genre is sometimes dismissed as simplistic or over-earnest. But, at their best, self-help books offer powerful insights into how to live. Oliver Burkeman, the Guardian columnist and author of The Antidote, recommends five of the best self-help books published in 2019.
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1
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee
by Casey Cep -
2
On Chapel Sands: My Mother and Other Missing Persons
by Laura Cumming -
3
The Lives of Lucian Freud: Youth 1922 - 1968
by William Feaver -
4
Maoism: A Global History
by Julia Lovell -
5
Guest House for Young Widows: Among the women of ISIS
by Azadeh Moaveni -
6
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
by Hallie Rubenhold
The Best Nonfiction Books of 2019, recommended by Stig Abell
The Best Nonfiction Books of 2019, recommended by Stig Abell
Every year, the Baillie Gifford Prize judges seek to identify the very best nonfiction books published in the last year. Here, the chair of this year’s judging panel Stig Abell talks us through the 2019 shortlist: a thrilling line-up of books that are as notable for their literary prowess as for their weight and significance.
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1
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America
by Chris Arnade -
2
The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
by Binyamin Appelbaum -
3
Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream
by Nicholas Lemann -
4
American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
by Tim Alberta -
5
The War on Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future
by Andrew Yang
The Best Political Books of 2019, recommended by John Harwood
The Best Political Books of 2019, recommended by John Harwood
With the 2020 presidential race underway and a possible impeachment of President Trump on the horizon, 2019 has been an action-packed year so far in American politics. Here to discuss five new political books that break down how we got to where we are is CNBC editor-at-large John Harwood, whose razor-sharp analysis has put him at the forefront of our television screens and the nation’s political discourse.
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1
Ib's Endless Search for Satisfaction
by Roshan Ali -
2
My Father's Garden
by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar -
3
Trial by Silence
by Perumal Murugan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan -
4
A Lonely Harvest
by Perumal Murugan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan -
5
The Far Field: A Novel
by Madhuri Vijay -
6
There's Gunpowder in the Air
by Manoranjan Byapari, translated by Arunava Sinha
The Best Indian Novels of 2019, recommended by Rana Dasgupta
The Best Indian Novels of 2019, recommended by Rana Dasgupta
India has a thriving literary community working in 22 official languages plus English, says Rana Dasgupta, the literary director of the JCB Prize: a major award for the best new novel by an Indian author. Here, he talks us through their 2019 shortlist.
The Best Fiction of 2019, recommended by Peter Florence
Each year, a panel of esteemed judges reads over 100 novels to determine which titles will vie for the award of the Booker Prize for Fiction. Peter Florence, chair of the 2019 judges and founder of the famous Hay Festival, tells us why the books on this year’s shortlist are gripping, enthralling must-reads.
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1
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
by Caroline Criado Perez -
2
Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World
by John Gribbin -
3
The Remarkable Life of the Skin
by Monty Lyman -
4
Clearing the Air: The Beginning and End of Air Pollution
by Tim Smedley -
5
The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter
by Paul J. Steinhardt -
6
Infinite Powers: The Story of Calculus
by Steven Strogatz
The Royal Society Science Book Prize: the 2019 shortlist, recommended by Nigel Shadbolt
The Royal Society Science Book Prize: the 2019 shortlist, recommended by Nigel Shadbolt
“Science is a profoundly human endeavour. The stories of triumph and success in science, alongside the failures and despair, are compelling.” From a data-driven account of air pollution to a book that makes calculus fun, 2019 has been a great year for science books. Nigel Shadbolt, chair of judges, discusses the six books shortlisted for the 2019 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize.
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1
The Art of Statistics: Learning from Data
by David Spiegelhalter -
2
Do Dice Play God?: The Mathematics of Uncertainty
by Ian Stewart -
3
Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors
by Matt Parker -
4
Infinite Powers: The Story of Calculus
by Steven Strogatz -
5
The Creativity Code: Art and Innovation in the Age of AI
by Marcus du Sautoy
The Best Math Books of 2019, recommended by Kit Yates
The Best Math Books of 2019, recommended by Kit Yates
As math becomes increasingly important in our daily lives, eminent mathematicians and statisticians have stepped up to the plate, writing books that are engaging for non-experts—and sometimes even funny. Kit Yates, a mathematical biologist and author of The Math of Life and Death, recommends the best math books of 2019.
The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Katharine Grant
The best historical novels are those so immersive and natural in tone that their period setting is a ‘by-the-way,’ says Katharine Grant, the novelist and judge for the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. Here she discusses the six brilliant books that made the 2019 shortlist.
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1
100 Things to Know About Numbers, Computers & Coding
Alex Frith (illustrated by Federico Mariani and Parko Polo) -
2
The Bacteria Book: The Big World of Really Tiny Microbes
by Steve Mould -
3
The Element in the Room: Investigating the Atomic Ingredients that Make Up Your Home
Mike Barfield (illustrated by Lauren Humphrey) -
4
Kid Scientists: True Tales of Childhood from Science Superstars
David Stabler (illustrated by Anoosha Syed) -
5
Planetarium: Welcome to the Museum
Raman Prinja (illustrated by Chris Wormell) -
6
Making With States of Matter
by Anna Claybourne
The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Sheila Rowan
The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Sheila Rowan
If you’re looking for the best books to get kids excited about science, the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize is a great place to start. Physicist and astronomer Sheila Rowan, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the fabulous books that made this year’s shortlist.
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1
Oscar: A Life
by Matthew Sturgis -
2
Empress: Queen Victoria and India
by Miles Taylor -
3
Birds in the Ancient World: Winged Words
by Jeremy Mynott -
4
Reckonings: Legacies of Nazi Persecution and the Quest for Justice
by Mary Fulbrook -
5
Trading in War: London's Maritime World in the Age of Cook and Nelson
by Margarette Lincoln -
6
Building Anglo-Saxon England
by John Blair
The Best History Books: the 2019 Wolfson Prize shortlist, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch
The Best History Books: the 2019 Wolfson Prize shortlist, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch
Every year the Wolfson History Prize sets out to pick the very best history books written in the past year. Historian and Wolfson prize judge, Diarmaid MacCulloch, talks us through the wonderful books that made the 2019 shortlist: history books that are both great reads and serious scholarship.
The Best Thrillers of 2019, recommended by Anthony Franze
Looking for a pacy, suspenseful thriller that keeps you racing through the pages? Look no further. Anthony Franze, author and coordinator of the International Thriller Writers’ annual awards, talks us through some of the books that made the shortlist for the best thrillers of 2019.
The Best Sci Fi Books of 2019: The Arthur C Clarke Award Shortlist, recommended by Tom Hunter
If you’re hoping to travel to a galaxy far, far away with your next book, these six excellent sci fi novels will help you on your way. Tom Hunter, the director of the Arthur C Clarke Award for science fiction books, discusses the 2019 prize shortlist.
The Best Poetry to Read in 2019, recommended by Jamie McKendrick
Looking for recent collections of poetry to read this year? Longtime Faber poet and virtuosic translator Jamie McKendrick recommends the five best poetry books he’s read in the last year, from a peculiar book of grief by Anne Carson to a long-awaited volume by Michael Hofmann.
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1
Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous
by Christopher Bonanos -
2
Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret
by Craig Brown -
3
Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History
by Yunte Huang -
4
The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century
by Mark Lamster -
5
The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created
by Jane Leavy
The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Taylor
The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Taylor
Biography is booming, says the longtime book critic and biographer Elizabeth Taylor. Here she highlights the five fantastic books shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle 2019 biography award, and how historical lives provide insight into contemporary culture.
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1
Educated: A Memoir
by Tara Westover -
2
The Day That Went Missing: A Family's Story
by Richard Beard -
3
All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir
by Nicole Chung -
4
What Drowns the Flowers in Your Mouth: A Memoir of Brotherhood
by Rigoberto González -
5
Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home
by Nora Krug -
6
Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over
by Nell Painter
The Best Memoirs: The 2019 National Book Critics Circle Awards Shortlist, recommended by Laurie Hertzel
The Best Memoirs: The 2019 National Book Critics Circle Awards Shortlist, recommended by Laurie Hertzel
An increasing diversity of voices and willingness to experiment has heralded a new golden age of autobiography, says literary critic Laurie Hertzel. Here she highlights the very best: the six memoirs recently shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Awards.