my best books of the 21st century
NYT Books didn't ask me but here I am anyway
Last week, NYT released their Best Books of the 21st Century list along with the nominations of the famous people who contributed to the list. Being in the bookish world I’m sure you’ve heard about it by now and even casted your own ballot. The whole thing was gamified which was a good marketing tool because it got people to subscribe, including me. I cancelled my subscription back in December and reactivated it not only because I want to see the list of books (I think I can find a list somewhere without a paywall. reddit maybe) but just so I can tick those little boxes and post my list on Instagram. Marketers, take note!
Natalie of Subverse Reads posted her own ballot last week along with a Canva link to the template below. I quickly head over to the template, added my books, and of course, have to share it in my newsletter. My ballot is straight out of my all time favorite list. I just picked the ones published after 2000. I didn’t select these because I was thinking of its impact on the world nor for its timelessness. My ballot was just all me. My only criteria was it being in my all time favorite list really. So here’s my ballot with only two books making it to the final list (Station Eleven and Cloud Atlas). I am so hurt Station Eleven is far down the list but I’m still happy it made it.
The Top 100 list created a lot of controversy that I won’t get into but I linked further reads down below if you want to read more. As long as something gets people into discussing books, I’m in for it.
Three Thoughts on the NYT Top 100: Missing Millennials, Fading Autofiction, the Genre-Bending Era by Lincoln Michel of Counter Craft
A subjective list by Nick Hornby
The Best Books of the 21st Century by Shruti and Neha of the Novel Tea
Authors who also voted for my nominated books
God bless Ann Napolitano for voting for my two favorite books - Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven.
When I first heard of this list, I was pretty sure The Immortal Life of Heinretta Lacks would make it. It’s such an incredible book! But sad to say it didn’t make the cut. But still happy that a few authors voted for it like Ed Yong and Annette Gordon-Reed.
Thank you so much Sarah MacLean for voting Circe - one of my ultimate favorite books!
One of my all time favorite books is The Night Circus. It didn’t make the cut but happy that Elin Hilderbrand voted for it.
It just makes me happy whenever writers vote for my favorite books as well. That’s saying something about that book. However, I want to see a list coming from the ballot of ordinary readers too.
My tally and additions to my TBR
I love lists because it’s a great way to find future TBRs. Here’s my final tally on the game (yes I thought of it as a game) and the books I found interesting that I haven’t read yet.
What I’m reading this week
This week I am taking a break from reading Anna Karenina and reading The Wizard of Earthsea instead. This is my first Ursula K. Le Guin and I am so excited to read this!
Le Guin is also high on my list of authors to read - you'll have to report back!
i truly think seeing the individual ballots is what prevented a full scale riot lol so many books on those ballots that could have been on the final list! Piranesi!! love that we have two in common :)