Books to Give to Someone at the End of 2020
15 Books I’ve Read and One I Haven’t Read Yet
I have said before that I cannot comprehend how anyone could write a “Best Books of the Year” list. Imagine how many books were published in 2020! Imagine the ego it would take to say that you know what the best of them are. Imagine how much reading you would have to do to not only know that much about what was published this year, but to know which of it was the best! Imagine how many classics you would have to have already read or eschew altogether to get this list created!
Instead, I’ve put this list together. It’s a few of my favorite books I’ve read in the last few years, plus one I haven’t read yet.
I strayed away from including classics on this list, with the exception of The Fire Next Time.
(And no, there are no affiliate links in here. That’s not why I wrote this.)
The Fire Next Time (1963) by James Baldwin
This is the oldest book on this list. While there are a lot of other excellent books on racism, anti-racism, and social justice that were written more recently, The Fire Next Time is a book everyone should own. Get it for the person who is particularly concerned about what’s happening these days—or the person who should be. Plus, like a lot of the best books that make for good gifts, it’s a short, quick read.
Postal (2020) by Brock Wilbur and Nathan Rabin
Lol what even is this book? What I know is that it’s so good. And I say this, despite it being about a video game I haven’t played and a movie I haven’t watched. Two thirds of the book is written by comedian and journalist Brock Wilbur, with the other third written by journalist and long-time AV Club contributor Nathan Rabin. Get it for the pop culture junkie in your life. They will read it in one sitting and thank you afterward. Buy it from Boss Fight Books here.
Death in Her Hands (2020) by Ottessa Moshfegh
I am so confused by this novel. What is it? I think it’s one woman’s descent into madness, including enormous amounts of time imagining a murder mystery in her own head, daydreaming about Harrison Ford, and using Ask Jeeves. Do I really recommend it as a gift? I think so? Just be sure to clarify that this isn’t the spiritual successor to Gone Girl, and more an exploration of what happens when someone imagines themself into a murder mystery while spending far too much time alone. Get it here.
Deaf Republic (2019) by Ilya Kaminsky
This poetry book is all killer and no filler. It opens with “We Lived Happily During the War”, a poem I think about every day. And it’s a good pick for both poetry buffs and for someone who might be reluctant to read a poetry book, as these poems tell one, long narrative, while also ready to be appreciated on their own. You can read that first poem here and buy the book here.
We Were Eight Years in Power (2017) by Ta-Nehisi Coates
It seems that Coates’s Between the World and Me is the one that gets all the attention these days, but I prefer this work to that one. Is it fair to prefer one book by an author to another book by them? Is it my place to do so? Read this to be challenged and give it to someone who is open to being challenged. Coates will convince you that Donald Trump is the first white president, that President Obama embodied the legacy of Malcolm X, and that reparations should exist—or at least he’ll make you think very hard about it. Get it here.
Love (2020) by Roddy Doyle
This book takes place over one evening, when two men reaching late middle age meet in a pub in Dublin to talk about the entirety of their lives. Like a lot of Roddy Doyle’s work, I think it’s a book to give to a man, especially one who values friendship and enjoys good contemporary literature where nothing much happens. Get it here.
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (2019) by Jenny Odell
Has this book already been described as “an antidote to the Instagram era”? I’m sure it has. Anyway, I’m also describing it that way. A good book for someone interested in mindfulness, meditation, nature, and other concepts that are often repackaged as new forms of consumption. This book slows you down, makes you think, and does what a lot of the best books do: gets you talking with both yourself and others about things you might not otherwise talk about. Get it from Melville House here.
Such a Fun Age (2019) by Kiley Reid
One of those extremely contemporary novels that tells a story rooted in the digital age: a woman is accused of kidnapping and goes viral, in a novel that explores both institutional and personal racism. While there are things about this book I didn’t love (a plot built on coincidence, like many contemporary novels), this book is a page turner to give to someone who enjoys books set in the current era that explore real issues.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2020) by Gabe Durham
I recommend this book as a gift to two main audiences: Zelda fans and people interested in having thoughtful conversations about contemporary fan culture. It is, as far as I know, the first book to discuss the concept of a fan theory—and as a nice extra reason to read it, it cites my definition of fan theory from the article What We Talk About When We Talk About Fan Theories. Get it from Boss Fight Books here.
CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties (2019) by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring
For the conspiracy theorist in your life. Or the person you know fascinated by Charles Manson, JFK, the CIA, or MK Ultra. Not for everyone, but good for the person who might benefit from spending less time online and more time with a book—and who is also down to read something about how the Manson murders might’ve been connected to the JFK assassination. Here it is.
Zone One (2011) by Colson Whitehead
My favorite novel by Colson Whitehead, and the one I wish had been his breakout work. Again: not my place to say something like that. The guy has two Pulitzers. But if you’re looking for a novel that explores both race and a post-pandemic American landscape, you can’t do better than this one. (And yes, it’s about zombies.)
This is Shakespeare (2019) by Emma Smith
A must-read for any Shakespeare fan—or any aspiring Shakespeare fan. She breaks down some of the best and most compelling ideas around Shakespeare, including adaptations over the ages and cultural significance, but without taking an Explain Like I’m Five approach. Here you go.
IRL (2020) by Chris Stedman
Here’s the one book on this list I haven’t read yet. But I’m a major fan of Chris Stedman and his particular brand of humanism and empathy—and this book seems to be arriving at a perfect time. Get it here.
Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World (2018) by Anand Giridharadas
Oof. This book is magnificent but a friend of mine texted me, a few chapters in, after I recommended it to him, and asked “does this get any less depressing?” The answer is no. It does not. But who should you give it to? Give it to the person interested in dissecting the role played by so-called “thought leadership” in society. Or the person who wonders about wealth disparity, or the person who is particularly keen on philanthropy. Check out the author’s website here.
The Guest List (2020) by Lucy Foley
My endorsement of the book is sure to make little-to-no difference. Reese Witherspoon endorsed it long before me. But yeah, this is the book to give to the person who loves thrillers, mysteries, and weddings gone wrong. It’s an absolute page turner and perfect for the person you know who loves reading a book that makes them say oh my god every time they turn the page. Check out Reese’s book club list here, if that’s your kind of thing.
Top 10 Games You Can Play In Your Head, By Yourself (2019), edited by Sam Gorski and D. F. Lovett
Of course I’m going to include a book I worked on in here. And the narrative I’m pushing lately is that any fledgling chess fans needs to check out J. Theophrastus Bartholomew’s take on the classic game. Don’t take my word for it: go read this review in Twin Cities Geek.
Want more takes on books? Check out some of the book blogging I’ve been doing this year, starting with January.