I know these lists shouldn't be taken too seriously, but this is mostly just a list of recent bestsellers. That's not to say they're bad, but "best books of the century" is hard to measure given recency bias. The fact is we remember books we recently read better, and it's hard to evaluate books that came out years ago and have left the zeitgeist. Some of these I do think will stand the test of time as classics, but many of these I think won't have much staying power.
@@klatskyn Right, but I mean 'recent' as books from the past decade, especially bestsellers, dominate the list. In the Top 10, there's only one book from before 2011. The first 14 years of the century are underrepresented on this list.
I don’t totally agree with this…I get recency bias but powerful books tend to stay with me forever. I read bel canto in 2002 and It’s still in my top 10 books and there are so many others on this list.
I understand its the NYT but I was still baffled at how little global representation that list had and how few people have talked about it. There are more American books included than from entire continents combined and before someone says that it's an American newspaper, the list isn't about the best American books of the 21 century which means that it's about the celebration of the greatest literature produce in a century globally. The claim that an overwhelming majority of it is American is unbelievably pretentious and inaccurate. There is a lot of incredible literature produced in the world during the 21 century and the fact that it doesn't make it to NYT best lists is not because it's not as good if not better than some of the books on these lists but because they neither care about investing in the inclusion of global literature in a meaningful way nor do they not want to ever prioritise American literature over the vast majority of the world's literary contributions.
This doesn’t surprise me. Saddens me? Yes. Surprises me? Absolutely not. I just accept that most Americans aren’t interested or invested in other countries period, aside from maybe some European ones, maybe. That trickles down to literature. With that being said though, this is a biased sample size and cannot at all represent Americans or “The West” as a whole. This was a volunteered list of knowing parties. Most Americans didn’t know this poll was taking place, let alone other nationalities. Also, age bias, ethnic bias, region bias, etc. all have an effect on this list. The point of this list is no more about accurately collecting and interpreting what Americans view as the best literature of the century than Jack’s page is about promoting and funding Donald Trump😂. With that said, my first sentence still stands.
completely agree, the argument that lack of globalisation is due to it being an american paper really makes little sense to me when you consider how, even as a british reader, these books arent ones that are as impactful here. you'd think it would at the very least be applicable to the western world, if not all continents. i really dont get why they didnt just choose to make it an american list if they didnt want to commit to representing stories from the whole world since it, as you point out, creates such a false narrative that american literature is just superior to that of other countries
Oh it's a classic move that is meant to boost the claim that the US the greatest country in the world, that it exerts the most cultural influence globally (through pop culture, film, music, and now, apparently, literature as well). What can you do but roll your eyes at that..
The lack (or very reduced picks) of international/non-English books/authors in this (and especially in the original list) is kinda disappointing! Would love to see more love for translated/non English literature. 😊
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks literally altered the way I view medicine and scientific testing. I'm not a science person so I was skeptical at first, but the way the author incorporated narrative elements into the story absolutely hooked me. I read it for AP Biology last year and literally found myself crying when I finished it. It's a must-read for sure.
I read it earlier this year and LOVED it. I have recommended it to every person I know haha. Not only is the story very touching but the writing is amazing too
There were several books Jack just didn't say ANYTHING about that I was like "what? we're just gonna skip right over that?!" but Henrietta Lacks was the only one that I said that OUT LOUD to lol
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a must read. Henrietta Lack's contribution to medical science cannot be overstated. It is a story of a woman taken advantage of by the medical system and her cells used to propel modern science and medicine, enabling vital medical research and treatments. At the same time, pharma companies made billions of dollars from her cells while her children lived in poverty. I hope you take the time to look into it, as she and her story deserve recognition.
There’s so much hype from A Man Called Ove but Anxious People by him is my favourite and I feel like it doesn’t get enough recognition! Although maybe that’s because I read it first. Also, Shuggie Bain is incredible and will hopefully become a classic, it’s got all the makings of one! So many good recommendations in this video as always, thanks Jack
I couldn’t agree more! I love Fredrik’s writing and A Man Called Ove is my least favorite by him that I’ve read. Absolutely adored Anxious People and Beartown!
Sometimes our introductions to new authors, the first book of theirs we read, has a special place in our hearts. I haven't read Anxious People yet but I have it on my shelf. I've read 7 of his books so far.
There were 2 I was shocked you haven't read! First, the glass castle, such a devastating book. And the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, such an important and interesting book.
100 books of the century: 100. A Man Called One by Fredrik Backman 99. Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 98. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart 97. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh 96. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 95. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 94. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 93. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 92. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk 91. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 90. In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado 89. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 88. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth 87. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 86. Life of Pi by Yann Martel 85. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 84. Tenth of December by George Saunders 83. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann 82. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 81. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot 80. Deacon King Kong by James McBride 79. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami 78. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami 77. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari 76. Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson 75. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 74. Klara and the Sun by Kazoo Ishiguro 73. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 72. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 71. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 70. Know My Name by Chanel Miller 69. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann 68. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 67. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 66. Just Kids by Patti Smith 65. Evicted by Matthew Desmond 64. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño 63. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin 62. The Sympathiser by Viet Thanh Nguyen 61. North Woods by Daniel Mason 60. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 59. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 58. White Teeth by Zadie Smith 57. Small Things Like These by Clair Keegan 56. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 55. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 54. 11/22/63 by Stephen King 53. Trust by Hernan Diaz 52. The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah 51. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson 50. James by Percival Everett 49. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 48. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong 47. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Grams 46. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 45. There There by Tommy Orange 44. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 43. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 42. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Who by Junot Diaz 41. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 40. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 39. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 38. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai 37. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 36. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion 35. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese 34. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 33. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 32. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr 31. Circe by Madeline Miller 30. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan 29. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe 28. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese 27. Normal People by Sally Rooney 26. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen 25. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson 24. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 23. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson 22. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell 21. Homegoing by Yea Gyasi 20. The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon 19. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngoni Adichie 18. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 17. Atonement by Ian McEwan 16. Lincoln in Bardo by George Saunders 15. The Road by Cormac McCarthy 14. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 13. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 12. The Overstay by Richard Powers 11. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 10. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 9. Never Let Me Go by Kazoo Ishiguro 8. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante 7. Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 6. Educated by Tara Westover 5. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 4. The Goldfinch by Donna Tart 3. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 1. Demon Copper by Barbara Kingsolver
I'm not sure but like if you agree. Aside from the whole with Rowlings, I think I liked Goblet of Fire the most in the HP series because it was a turning point in HP's whole journey. There was the main games, but I can feel that there is a more sinister, secondary scheme brewing underneath the main plot. With Cedric's death, it marked a point that it was no longer fun and games. I don't know just my rambling thoughts
prisoner of azkaban is the crowd favorite (and might be mine too?), but i definitely agree that goblet of fire is when the series found tighter direction. not in terms of popularity or wtv but, like you said, in terms of what it brought to the story and its potential
i see what you mean!! i did a reread two years ago (bought secondhand bc fuck jkr obvs) and after really disliking the order of the phoenix as a kid i actually really liked it and it mightve become my favourite? i really enjoyed how much time was given to different plot points and characters, it all felt very fleshed out whereas the earlier books are often more superficial childrens books
I reread the series every year. Order of the phoenix had been my favorite for like as long as i can remember but in the last two or three years i feel like prisoner of azkaban or deathly hallows has taken the top spot for me
I'm currently listening to this on audible and I have to listen in chunks because its just so good feel like I need to listen to it like I'm drinking 100 year aged scotch lolz
i agree!! i randomly chose to read it out of a list of 20 in my child development class as one of my final projects and ended up reading it in one sitting then immediately watched the movie!! one of my favorite books of all time, i recommend it to everyone🤍
Sooo... i read six 😅 But yeah i expected that because although I'm an avid reader, I tend to read either classics (generally 1950s and earlier), or, if I do go for modern books, I prefer genre fiction like fantasy and horror
Empire of Pain is hands down the best non fiction book I’ve ever read! I recommend it to everyone. Also currently listening to Say Nothing! PRK is such a great writer
Where the crawdads sing was a 5 star read for me, and I also thought the movie was just “okay”. I’m definitely on the side that loves this book and I’d love to hear if Jack loves it too, or if he’d make me question my taste.
The book did nothing for me. I love nature, but the book leans too heavily on descriptions of the marsh. Kya was horrifically inconsistent as a character and the dialogue was really awful.
The Covenant of Water was absolutely STUNNING. I was nervous going into a book so big, and chose to listen to it rather than carry the brick around. The author narrates it himself. It was immersive, beautiful, devastating, and I will never forget it.
The way you speak about Americanah is why I wholeheartedly trust your opinion of books. One of my favorite books, I read it as a senior in high school and the way it impacted me was insane. Also I think I added over 50 books to my want to read list 😭😭😭
The sheer surrealism in 1Q84 makes this one of Murakamk's most fascinating works. The length works quite well, despite the lack of very descriptive texts (don't show but tell). This is definitely one of my favourite Murakami books.
ok i have to say this. but i see you on youtube on literally every video i watch lmao. i watched the karan johar-faye d'souza anti podcast ep today and there you were in the comments! what a funny coincidence!!
and i've seen you in cindy's comments and comments of video essayists i follow (especially in the comments of queer/queer media video essays). it is kind of funny like seeing someone and going 'oh i know you!!'
2666 is utterly phenomenal. Roberto Bolano is probably the greatest writer to ever live in my opinion, and 'The Savage Detectives', which was also on the critics list, may be the best book ever.
Man... I was happy just to read 13. Lol. Several of these are on my TBR. I think next year, I should do a reading month for them. Great video, Jack! Hope you have a great day!
Just 14 for me, and totally agree with you about Pachinko. It was actually even unintentionally funny towards the end, the way she would literally just write "And then he died."
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks is a very important book to read about the medical/science research field, especially its human consequences. Those immortal cells of Ms. Lacks probably were a major turning point for bioethics. A must read, Jack.
Please, PLEASE read Where the Crawdads Sing!!! It’s in my top five favorite books of all time! The language is so hauntingly beautiful and vivid I still think about specific descriptions all the time.
@@Dansback21 It sets itself up as a mystery and it’s just really not while also being really heavy handed with its plotting. It’s one of like three books I’ve ever DNF’d and I read about 150 a year. Haha
North Woods is one of my all-time favorites - I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful exploration of history, the natural world, and human experience. And when you see how things connect it is so satisfying. There's a whisper of whimsy threaded throughout to lighten the moments of tragedy and I just ADORE it.
I cannot believe the Overstory is so high on the list! Keanu Reeves recommended that book in an interview and I swear if I ever meet him in person I will only ask him to recommend another book!!
I've read The Road, so that's a big 1 of 100, lol. But hey, I just finished Chip the Dam Builder and Kalak of the Ice this week! I am such a sad (but happy) reader -- with lots of room for improvement!
The Road is in my top 10 of all time!!! Having a parent so dedicated to the survival of one small boy was endearing. I have read this with high school student that absolutely loved it as well. Happy Reading Jack!!
I was very happy to see Just Kids on this list also. It's one of my favorite books. To me, it had so many elements: the New York music and art scene of the time, the infamous Chelsea Hotel and most importantly, unconditional love.
You should definitely read Tudo é Rio, by Carla Madeira. I don't know how it actually translates but it's by a Brazilian author, and it's absolutely delightful and also brutally honest. I never cried more in my life, it's amazing.
The Overstory is the best book I have ever read. I cried so many times reading it by how beautiful it was and the way it talks about nature. BUT you do really have to love trees and nature to enjoy it, but I could see this never being bumped from my top book I’ve ever read
Highly recommend Remarkably Bright Creatures! One of my favorite books. And agreed on All the Light We Cannot See! I found the book extremely boring, but I always felt so gaslit for not loving it because I felt as if everyone was raving about it. 🥴
‘Let the Great World Spin’ is literally my favorite book.. each chapter follows a different character and the whole thing is set around the event of a person tightrope walking between the twin towers in the 70s (which actually happened) it’s an allegory for 9/11 and how everyone was connected to the event
I must say, me personally, I vibed more with the critics list. But I think its really interesting on its own to have both lists; to compare them. Like why do they differ so much? Are average readers not good at recognizing 'good' literature or are critics bad at recognizing books that have an impact on the majority of readers?
This video was so fun to watch and interactive, I was able to score 17 mostly thanks to your recommendations. My current Nr 1 would definitely be Martyr! Brilliant
i agree with the Just Kids by Patti Smith take! the sections on Robert was a beautiful ode to true love and partnerhood but that got drowned out at times by the who knows the coolest person ever sections
Wellness by Nathan Hill is the most criminally overlooked / underrated book ever. No one talks about it and it’s a legitimate masterpiece. Please read it and make a video on it so you can spread the awareness it deserves.
Say nothing by PRK is the best non fiction book I've read, as someone who already knows a fair deal about the troubles, I couldn't put it down. Empire of Pain also incredibly well written and fantastic as an audiobook. Im now just waiting for whatever PRK writes next
absolutely read where the crawdads sing!!! if you've ever felt lonely in your life you'll cry like a baby. Such a beautifully written book, I loved it a lot
I honestly can't understand how you could not like Anthony Doerrs writing haha, second place WELL deserved 😌🙌🏻 (but I also DNFed Shuggie Bain so I guess personal taste really is subjective)
I loved both of them 😂 I must say, Shuggie Bain was pretty rough going and very depressing, and I can definitely understand DNFing it. There were times while reading it that I lost all faith in humanity. All The Light We Cannot See is sort of the opposite. Heartbreaking, but hopeful.
I think you would love Bolano! He is one of the foremost South American writers and his style is unlike any other. His book "The Savage Detectives" is also amazing and a bit more accessible if the thousands of pages of 2666 is a little intimidating 😅
Bravo! You are to be applauded for the exhausting amount of work it must have taken to make this video. Also, I subscribe to your channel because I like your book reviews and recommendations, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to see this post.
YOU DIDNT LIKE CLOUD CUCKOO LAND??? I was waiting for it to come up. read it last year and it was the first proper literary fiction book i read and boy did it hook me in. i would say it made me love reading again properly. Anthony Doerr is definitely one of my favourite authors. EDIT: ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE AT #2 SUCK IT JACKK
CCL is my favorite book of all time. I simply cannot understand why it's such a hated and underappreciated book. It's one of those books where there was me before that book and there is me after.
I didn't expect to know not to mention having read most of these so I am positively surprised to say I have read two out of 100. And No.2 at that. (And I liked it. But I also really love where it takes place.)
Thanks for this video! I loved the way you went through each book. "Life After Life" would be near the top of my list, as would "Bel Canto." Anthony Doerr's short story collection, "The Shell Collector," is one of the best books I've ever read. However, I was also underwhelmed by "All the Light We Cannot See." I just think Doerr's gifts work better in a more compressed narrative space. I was sad to hear you didn't like "Gilead," as it is one of my all-time favorite books. Much of the power of the novel is what is NOT said. It is a quiet read, but immensely meaningful. Maybe try it again? Saunders' title story, "Tenth of December" is a story I will never forget. Just an amazing story. I enjoyed "A Swim in the Pond in the Rain." It inspired me to read some Russian literature again. (I'm currently reading "Dr. Zhivago" for the first time.) But I think he missed the mark in how he interpreted some of Tolstoy's work. I wish I could talk with Saunders about it. Then again, I already have, in my own head. That's part of the joy in reading: being in conversation with another mind and point of view.
