The most 2020 books of 2020
“THAT’S so 2020,” people collectively heaved, again and again, during a year ravaged by a global pandemic, climate crises and political and social dissent.
As our worlds careened off the cliffs of normalcy, some books were so prescient – so very well timed – that you had to wonder: What did these authors know that we didn’t?
Presenting, the most 2020 books of 2020.
American Dirt By Jeanine Cummins The first literary scandal of 2020 arrived early in this year. Cummins’s novel, about an undocumented Mexican woman who flees to the US to escape a drug cartel, generated early buzz and was an Oprah’s Book Club pick. But critics were quick to point out that Cummins is white and not an immigrant, which led to claims of cultural appropriation. Despite its divisiveness, American Dirt became a bestseller while sparking conversations about who gets to tell which stories.
The Shapeless Unease: A Year of Not Sleeping By Samantha Harvey Long before the pandemic destroyed once-stable sleep routines, Harvey lay awake through the wee hours – 2 am to 3am. It inspired her memoir of insomnia – and its friends, anxiety and existential despair. This introspective and observant book is something to reach for in the middle of another long, sleepless night.
Me and White Supremacy By Layla Saad Saad’s book was relevant when it was published, and became even more urgent as a social justice movement erupted. The anti-racism guide helps white readers understand their privilege and their role in white supremacy.
Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis By Greta Thunberg, Svante Thunberg, Malena Ernman and Beata Ernman This is a galvanising account of how Greta Thunberg became the face of the youth climate movement, and the crises she faced at home. It’s intimate, gutsy and tinted with hope.
The City We Became By NK Jemisin This urban fantasy – the first of a trilogy – transports readers to a New York City, personified in a human avatar. As the city is attacked by nefarious forces, five other avatars band together to save it and its people. The novel is a love letter to New York – and a celebration of resilience and overcoming evil.
By Lawrence Wright A virus emerges in Asia and then goes global, devastating an ill-prepared world. This is the plot of Wright’s thriller, an eerily-timed story about a is packed with action – and lots of parallels to our current situation.
