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The New York Times’ most notable books of 2023
The year’s top novels, memoirs, biographies, and more, as chosen by The New York Times.
Publié le 13 décembre 2023
Eastbound
Maylis de KerangalChosen as one of The New York Times’ 10 best books of 2023, this poetic novel takes place on a cramped train hurtling through the vast Siberian countryside. The mob of passengers includes a conflicted Russian conscript dreading his destination and a Frenchwoman fleeing a toxic relationship. A chance meeting between the two sets them on a path to freedom.
After Sappho
Selby Wynn Schwartz“At its heart, the book is about trying to find a shape for your life that hasn’t already been prescribed as your inevitable, cramped destiny,” says debut author Schwartz of her novel, named one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023. “After Sappho” fills in historical gaps in women’s history, speculating on the lives, pursuits, and feelings of 20th-century figures like Virginia Woolf and Natalie Barney. This story splinters between the protagonists but reads like a collective chorus railing against patriarchal expectations.
All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel
S. A. CosbyThe acclaimed crime writer who brought us propulsive hits like “Blacktop Wasteland” and “Razorblade Tears” returns with a new noir The New York Times calls “a crackling good police procedural.” A fatal school shooting leads Sheriff Titus Crowne into a complex web of racially motivated crime, forcing him to reckon with his role as a Black law enforcement officer in the American South. Narrator Adam Lazarre-White brings Cosby’s work to life once again, building tension in all the right ways.
Biography of X : A Novel
Catherine LaceyAfter a famous performance artist simply known as “X” dies, her wife is determined to write a biography of her life. But the search for answers about the mysterious, secretive X reveals shocking revelations and, ultimately, becomes a widow’s descent into near-madness. Lacey (“Pew”) frames this exploration of art and deceit as an alternative history of modern America.
Blackouts: A Novel
Justin TorresIn this 2023 National Book Award winner, an unnamed narrator and his elderly friend Juan pore over a research study about gay men and lesbians, while sharing their own experiences being queer. While the narrator and Juan’s stories are fiction, the study is real: It was pioneered in 1941 by lesbian researcher Jan Gay, whose work was twisted by others into a homophobic indictment against queer people. Through this lens, Torres mines erasure, the restoration of truth, and the power of storytelling.
Bright Young Women: A Novel
Jessica Knoll“Bright Young Women” is a fictionalized account of Ted Bundy’s deadly attack on a sorority house in 1970s Florida. Knoll, author of “Luckiest Girl Alive” (which inspired a Netflix Original movie starring Mila Kunis), refuses to name the killer; instead, she focuses on the women who are most affected by his perverse actions and how they use their trauma to seek justice. The New York Times says “Knoll pooh-poohs Bundy's much ballyhooed intelligence, celebrating the promise and perspicacity of his victims instead.”
The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)
Abraham VergheseThe long-awaited latest by Verghese (“Cutting for Stone”) is a family saga that unfolds over much of 20th-century India, giving readers a glimpse of the nation’s changing cultural landscape. It follows three generations of a family that’s simultaneously cursed with tragedy and blessed with gifts of sharp intelligence and creativity. Whether it's describing the gorgeous landscape or a breakthrough medical procedure, Verghese’s lush prose is rare and moving.
The Deluge
Stephen Markley“Immersive and ambitious,” according to The New York Times, Markley’s epic sophomore novel “shows the range of its author’s gifts: polyphonic narration, silken sentences and elaborate world-building.” Clocking in at 900 pages, the “Ohio” author traces the seemingly disparate paths of seven individuals that stretch from 2013 to 2040 and cover ground from the West Coast to the Midwest to Washington, DC. Horrifying in its realism, the future of the world hangs in a precarious balance as profit margins and corporate greed take precedence over environmental collapse.
Enter Ghost
Isabella HammadAfter working in London for years, Palestinian actress Sonia visits her sister in Haifa, finding a much different homeland than the one she left. Sonia helps a theater troupe organize a new rendition of “Hamlet” amid rising political and religious tensions. Plimpton Prize-winner Hammad (“The Parisian”) gives readers a glimpse of the Palestinian diaspora while revealing how courage and creativity often align. “Enter Ghost” is gorgeously rendered and deeply human.
Holly
Stephen KingWhen a distraught mother contacts the Finders Keepers detective agency about her missing daughter, Detective Holly Gibney agrees to the job despite a recent personal loss. At the core of the mystery is an elderly married couple no one would suspect of evil intent, but who prove cunning and shrewd. Fan-favorite character Holly, first introduced to readers in King’s “Mr. Mercedes,” is a vulnerable and brave heroine in this character-driven mystery that unfolds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Times applauds it as “a missing-persons case that — in typical King fashion — unfolds into a tale of Dickensian proportions.”
Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Novel
Emma TörzsEstranged half-sisters Joanna and Esther are brought back together to protect the magical books, written in the literal blood of scribes, that their father revered. Mystery after mystery unravels in this luscious debut that’s quickly been elevated to must-read status. In addition to being named one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023, both Good Morning America and singer Amerie selected “Ink Blood Sister Scribe” for their book clubs.
Kantika
Elizabeth Graver“Kantika,” meaning “song” in Ladino (Judeao-Spanish), was also selected as one of the year's top 100 books. The New York Times writes: “Inspired by the life of Graver’s maternal grandmother, this exquisitely imagined family saga spans cultures and continents as it traces the migrations of a Sephardic Jewish girl from turn-of-the-20th-century Constantinople to Barcelona, Havana and, finally, Queens.” A moving portrait of motherhood, music, resiliency, and making (more than) a living in the face of exile and antisemitism.
Not Even the Dead
Juan Gómez BárcenaBárcena’s hallucinatory wonder of a novel begins in post-conquest Mexico and follows soldier Juan de Toñanes across continents and centuries as he completes his last mission: hunting down a heretic known as “The Father.” Juan’s dreamlike journey from the 1600s to the present is fantastical and mysterious from his first step to his last.
The Reformatory: A Novel
Tananarive DueIn this supernatural horror novel set in Jim Crow-era Florida, Robbie, a young Black boy, is unjustly sent to a cruel reformatory school. Haunted by ghosts of the past and a sadistic warden, Robbie’s forced to make a chilling choice between self-preservation and justice — for the living and the dead. Based on the real-life horrors of the Dozier School for Boys (where the author’s great-uncle died as a teenager), this story delves into humanity’s capacity for evil. In his review for The New York Times, Randy Boyagoda wrote, “The novel’s extended, layered denouement is so heart-smashingly good, it made me late for work. I couldn’t stop reading.”
The Saint of Bright Doors
Vajra ChandrasekeraFetter can see demons. He also deals with his mother’s more metaphorical demons — she raised him in a violent cult, training him from birth to kill his father. When Fetter rejects his bloody “Chosen One” status and escapes to the big city, he discovers portals to other worlds, dark demons using the portals, and the fate he was always meant for. Dreamlike and haunting with inventive world-building, “The Saint of Bright Doors” is a thought-provoking fantasy novel.
This Other Eden
Paul HardingIn the 18th century, former slave Benjamin Honey settled Malaga Island off the coast of Maine alongside his Irish wife. Over a century later, government officials would forcefully displace the mixed-race inhabitants of Malaga. Many were involuntarily institutionalized. Harding (author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Tinkers”) rehumanizes history in this fictitious retelling of true events, highlighting the effects of racism, eugenics, and colonization with affecting prose and rich characterization.
Tom Lake: A Novel
Ann PatchettPatchett’s latest is both a New York Times Notable Book and a Reese Witherspoon book club pick. Lara’s three adult daughters return to the family cherry farm to quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lara fills the long hours by sharing stories of her early adulthood, when she had a brief acting career and a whirlwind romance with a rising film star. Patchett (“The Dutch House,” “Bel Canto”) laces beauty and meaning into every strand of a dual-timeline story narrated by the iconic Meryl Streep.
We Could Be So Good: A Novel
Cat SebastianWe loved to see The New York Times include this swoonworthy romance as one of the most notable books of the year. Sebastian writes the best adorkable characters ever, and the two at the heart of “We Could Be So Good” are no exception. Andy Fleming is a newspaper tycoon’s inept son; Nick Russo is a scrappy Brooklynite who’s worked his way up in the newsroom. The two become unlikely friends, resulting in a cross-class queer romance set in the 1950s that’s as charming as it is fraught.
Western Lane
Chetna MarooThis “polished and disciplined debut novel” is another New York Times’ pick for the 100 best books of the year. The Times writes, “An 11-year-old Jain girl in London who has just lost her mother turns her attention to the game of squash — which in Maroo’s graceful telling becomes a way into the girl’s grief.”
Witness: Stories
Jamel BrinkleyBrinkley, a National Book Award finalist for his debut, “A Lucky Man,” crafts a collection set in New York City. The characters in these stories all bear witness to loss, injustice, or other forms of grief, and they must weigh the risks of speaking up with the costs of staying silent. Intimate, devastating, and reflective, each vignette in “Witness” is more immersive than the last.
Y/N: A Novel
Esther YiCalling it one of the best books of 2023, The New York Times describes “Y/N” as “a weird and wondrous novel.” Yi’s fervent debut follows a Korean American copywriter who becomes entranced with a K-pop star. “Y/N” moves from Berlin to Seoul and between reality and fanfiction, exploring how art and fandom shape our sense of self.
Yellowface: A Novel
R. F. KuangIn another New York Times standout novel of the year, June, a white writer, steals a manuscript from her recently deceased Chinese American rival, then publishes it under a racially ambiguous persona. But June’s choices soon haunt her in more ways than one. Kuang, author of bestselling BookTok sensations “Babel” and “The Poppy War,” delivers a sharp satire-meets-literary-thriller that skewers white entitlement and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry and beyond.
Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom
Ilyon WooIn one of the 10 Best Books of 2023 according to The New York Times, Woo revives an incredible true story. “Master Slave Husband Wife” follows Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery in 19th-century America by posing as slave and master on their travels north. “Their story,” writes The Times, “is remarkable enough. But Woo’s immersive rendering, which conjures the Crafts’ escape in novelistic detail, is equally a feat — of research, storytelling, sympathy and insight.”
Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
Siddharth KaraKara, a professor and expert in modern slavery, explores how the smartphones and laptops that power the developed world are rooted in heinous human rights violations. Part exposé, part call-to-action, this alarming book sheds light on the realities of Congolese cobalt miners (including children), who suffer under brutal conditions and poverty so that we can scroll, stream, and stay connected.
Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
Ben GoldfarbRoads are such an integral part of life that we rarely stop to think about how unnatural they truly are. Environmental journalist Goldfarb follows his award-winning book “Eager” with this riveting look at the detrimental effects of roadways on wildlife. Roadkill is just the tip of the iceberg — there’s also habitat destruction, migration disruption, and harmful human implications due to division along racial lines.
The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins and the Fight for Women in Science
Kate ZernikeRead the inspiring true story of Nancy Hopkins and 15 other women scientists who revealed institutionalized sexism at MIT — a groundbreaking move that sparked national conversations and led to major changes in STEM. Zernike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who originally broke the story, gives an in-depth report on this defining historical moment without losing sight of the individual women who led the charge. “The Exceptions” pairs well with “The Secret of Life” and “Hidden Figures.”
How to Say Babylon: A Memoir
Safiya SinclairAward-winning poet Sinclair (“Cannibal”) came of age in Jamaica under an authoritarian and often violent father, who expected his children — particularly his daughters — to adhere to the strict values of the Rastafari movement. Poetry (given to Sinclair by her mother) became her solace and, ultimately, her escape. Beautifully rendered, this memoir reckons with how a painful past can shape a bright future.
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism
Tim AlbertaAward-winning journalist Alberta grabbed readers’ attention with his 2019 book, “American Carnage,” which chronicles divisions within the Republican party that contributed to President Trump’s victory. Now, The New York Times includes his latest book as one of its 100 Notable Books of 2023, saying “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory” investigates “another institution that has become split in two as a result of the former president: the American evangelical movement.”
Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages
Carmela CiuraruThe inner workings of five unhappy marriages unfold in this eye-opening trek through 20th-century literary history by Ciuraru (“Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms”). Each couple includes a famous author husband (including Roald Dahl and Kingsley Amis), who often only rose to fame thanks to their wives’ sacrifices and subservience. An incisive and fascinating look at how male privilege prevents women from pursuing their ambitions and achieving their dreams.
A Living Remedy: A Memoir
Nicole ChungIn her second affecting memoir (following “All You Can Ever Know”), Chung mourns the loss of her mother and father while skewering the systems that failed them. A Korean American adopted by white parents, the author reflects on race, class, and how family members often hide their grief from one another. Chung’s pain is visceral, and the helplessness she portrays is something we can all relate to after the pandemic.
The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence
The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence
David WaldstreicherThe New York Times raves, this “beautiful and cogently argued biography offers a radical new vision of the life and work of colonial America’s brilliant Black female poet.” Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped at a young age and enslaved in New England. Waldstreicher chronicles how, as a young girl, Wheatley mastered Latin, Greek, and more, achieving remarkable success around the world with her extraordinary poetry.
Ordinary Notes
Christina SharpeIn a kaleidoscopic blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and analysis, Sharpe (“In the Wake”) paints a vivid picture of Blackness in America. Her notes reflect on personal and historical moments alike, allowing readers to see how collective experiences inform individual lives. “Ordinary Notes” is as vulnerable as it is incisive.
Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino”
Héctor TobarDrawing on personal and collective experiences, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tobar (“The Last Great Road Bum”) examines commonly held beliefs about the “Latino” identity in America. Moving between his native L.A. and other Latino enclaves across the country, Tobar’s lyrical essays cover the many missing pieces in Latino and Hispanic stereotypes, and how the popular yet reductive “non-white” identity fails to represent and respect one of the largest people groups in the nation.
Pageboy: A Memoir
Elliot PageIn one of the most anticipated celebrity memoirs of the year, Page reveals the complex process of shaking off outside expectations and embracing one’s true self. The Oscar-nominated actor (“Juno,” “The Umbrella Academy”) came out as transgender in 2020, but his memoir begins much earlier, allowing readers to follow along with Page’s vulnerable and powerful journey.
The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever
Prudence PeifferPeiffer provides a history of the Coenties Slip, a former shipyard in Manhattan that became a hub of eclectic creativity in the 1950s and ’60s, housing Agnes Martin, Robert Indiana, and more artists in the early stages of their careers. “The Slip” acknowledges their individual contributions to America’s art scene, but the highlight is how Peiffer connects their work to Coenties Slip and the artists’ collective sense of belonging. The New York Times writes, “This group biography reflects the excitement of those years — and our debt to them.”
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America
Paul KixKix’s book, which reads more like a thriller than a true historical account, explores how Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference leveraged the violent police presence in Birmingham, Alabama, to gain national attention during the fight for civil rights in America. Kix makes several comparisons to today’s continued battle for racial justice and equality, illustrating that, no matter how far we’ve come, we still have a long road ahead of us.