The big lists
Basically, the usual popular stuff (that I feel obligated to include)
- The big behemoth online retailer everyone loves to hate has their list of 2017 best books out.
- The New York Times has their 100 notable books for 2017. I can say I have not read a single book in this list, and I feel fine. I do have some from their nonfiction list in my TBR lists.
- Apparently the NYT also asked their readers to pipe in on their favorites over at the NYT Facebook page, and here are the highlights in case you care. From this list, I have Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology on my TBR list (my public library has it, but I have not gotten my hands on it yet. No rush neither as I have plenty of other things to read at the moment).
- Here is The Guardian's list, which includes hits and misses.
Other lists
These are the not quite major reading lists that I think are still good and/or interesting somehow.
- The Spectator (UK) has a books of the year list going.
- Livres Hebdo announces some of the best books of the year from Lire magazine. (French language article).
- Signature has a reading guide for 2017 by month.
- Vox has a list of best of 2017 and another of best books their staff read in 2017.
- Book Riot has a books gift guide organized by themes they selected.
- The Progressive magazine offers their favorite books of 2017. From this list, I recently acquired Mark Bray's Antifa for my library, which I have checked out to read soon. Though I will be honest, given I recently promised myself to take a serious break on reading anything political or activist, I am not sure if I will get to it any time soon. The Hard Times have seriously worn me down, and to be honest, I am just effing tired of reading stuff that to me is preaching to the choir while the idiots, who should be reading those books but are barely literate, burn the place down. This does not worry me much. I have no shame returning a book to the library I did not read because my mood changed. There will always be another book. On a side note, from this list also, the FBI in Latin America book sounds interesting.
- Alison Green of Ask a Manager has her 2017 book recommendations.There is more here than just business books; the list does have some variety.
- The ladies at Pretty Deadly Reviews offer their picks for 2017. They also have a list of books they hope Santa will bring them.
- If you like romance, the Shameless Book Club has their Shameless Book Awards for 2017.
Cookbooks
For some reason, I came across a lot of cookbook lists for the end of the year. Part of me always wonders how many people who buy or get these books as gifts actually use them to cook anything from them. I have often observed that a lot of higher end cookbooks are totally impractical and nearly useless unless you are a professional chef with an industrial well-stocked kitchen. But at least the pictures are often nice to look at. Here then is a sampling of cookbook lists.
- Naturally, The New York Times has their list of best cookbooks, this time with a focus on baking books.
- The Atlantic has their list of cookbooks for 2017.
- Even Wired got in on this action with their list of cookbooks.
- And you need to wash down all that food with something, so how about some booze? Via Seven Fifty Daily, here is a list of must-reads for drink industry people.
Books on specific topics
These are lists on specific topics. Some of these lists may help you understand better a specific topic or issue. Signature often does that type of list well, and I link to the ones I find of interest over on my commonplace blog Alchemical Thoughts. So here are some books on specific things.
- Business. For some reason, business people love to tell others what to read. If you are into business books, here are some ideas. Inc.'s Leigh Buchanan offers what she deems as 10 brilliant business books.
- Also writing for Inc., Mareo MacCracken has his list of 12 impactful books. (Whatever that means. Yes, I know the dictionary definition of impactful, and yes, it is a real word. However, let's be honest, dictionary aside it does sound more like something bad could happen to your bowels.)
- Buddhism. Tricycle staff picks out their top Buddhist books for 2017.
- Photography books. The folks at Atlas Obscura offer a list of photography books. This is a genre I have been enjoying more recently, in part because I find just looking at nice photos and pictures to be relaxing. From this list, the book about Hong Kong shop cats sounds interesting. By the way, on a side note, the Atlas Obscura folks have their own book, Atlas Obscura: an Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders, out now, which I have added to my TBR list and hope to read soon.
- Art books. NYT has a list for those.
- Picture books for children. Shelf Talk has some suggestions.
- Horror. One of my reading challenges for 2017 involved reading horror books. It is a genre I enjoy, but I do not always make the time to read it. So I am always looking for suggestions. Barnes and Noble has a list of best horror for 2017.
- Books about books. Fine Books and Collections has a roundup of books about books.
- Books for the holidays and/or about the holidays.
- Signature has a list of books on and about Christmas, fiction and nonfiction.
- New York Public Library has a few suggestions for Chanukah romances.
- For Progressives. Here is a guide for progressives who wish to give books as gifts to their relatives ranging from the woke niece to your hopeless bigoted elder (they are way more optimistic than I am in thinking that asshole is going to read a book). Via Yes! Magazine.
- For books in Spanish, either in Spanish language or translated into Spanish, El Pais newspaper offers their 20 best (Spanish language source).
A few other bookish things
These are just a few extra things about books and reading I found interesting.
- Blogcritics has a list of Top Ten book covers.
- Shelf Talk blog offers some advice to succeed at giving books as gifts during the holidays.
- Via The Digital Reader (who got it from the NYT looks like) an infographic to help you out with buying a book for a loved one.
- Via Smithsonian, how about if we bring back the tradition of telling ghost stories during the Christmas season?
- Via Libropatas, a news item on books being a favorite for Christmas presents. (Spanish language article).
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