Are you a bookworm? Has the pandemic triggered your long-lost love for reading? Well, then it’s time you read on! Below we have handpicked some of the top selling books 2020 that are must-read!
Books have always remained a reliable companion to humans. But somehow, a lot of people lost touch with the growing workload in life. The year 2020 might be dark in the history of humankind, but among many bad things, it taught some significant lessons to humans.
It taught us to pause awhile and go back to our roots. During this ‘new normal, ‘people are returning to books and enjoying the time of their own, which previously became impossible to some extent. So, those of you who are looking for some top selling books 2020, you have stumbled upon the right place.
Yes! You read that correctly! We’ve listed some of the top selling books 2020, which you may not have read. Hang in there to know it all!
Table of Contents
12 Top Selling Books 2020
The genre of books is vast! However, there are two types of books- fiction and non-fiction. So, fiction help create an imaginary world where incidents trespass into the realm of reality. Whereas non-fiction helps a better understanding of society and systems, scanned through some particular incidents. Below we have listed 6 best selling fiction and 6 top selling books 2020 (non-fiction).
Best-selling Books 2020 Fiction
So, before we get into the non-fiction, let’s have a look at the 6 fictional top selling books 2020:
1. I Hold a Wolf By the Ears by Laura Van Den Berg
There are 11 short stories in this collection. You will find the author pointing out the horror and the hollowness in the existence of women. The grief and the grief-stricken women are at the center of this book.
The author, van den Berg, goes on talking about ghosts who are three-dimensional. Moreover, the ghosts represent the shadow aspect of life. In fact, the loneliness and brooding make the book one of the best illustrators of fiction and reality.
This short story collection beautifully binds the plot as each one has a realistic concern. The mysterious nature present in this book represents the rotten structure of society. Her language can give you a roller-coaster ride throughout.
The realism in the fiction makes the book so appealing to a lot of people. So, if you want to try a feminist theory tangled with societal knots, this collection can be one of the maestros.
2. Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
This book blurs the fine line between fiction and reality. The Pulitzer prize-winning author, in his semi-autobiographical book, tells the story of the struggle of his life, his Pakistani descendant. It starts with the protagonist’s father treating Donald Trump for a heart condition. The story narrates the fictional family’s struggle to fit into American society after the terrorist attack of 9/11.
The reality creeps into the fiction in its raw form, stripping the American Dream completely naked. Akhtar deliberately kept the book biographical in nature so that the reality in the fiction hit even harder. The immigrant struggle is profoundly expressed. So, if you are into the American Dream or the very idea of it, give it a shot.
3. A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet
On a summer vacation, a group of families visited a shared home. But the parents are indifferent towards their children. Hence, when a hurricane disrupts the vacation, all of a sudden, the parents leave the kids on their own. The story unfolds the teenagers’ struggle to survive.
The problematic dynamics of parents and children being the key point here, Millet tells through narrator Evie the problems of growing up too fast. Millet has subtly and wittily portrayed the climatic change along with the human aspect of people. So, if you’re pretty drawn by the story or the author herself, this fiction can leave you in awe for a long time.
This book deals with some serious issues like terrorism and Islamophobia associated with it. The realistic representation will put you in a trance.
4. The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel
The much-awaited conclusion of the Wolf Hall trilogy, The Mirror & The Light, depicts the downfall of Thomas Cromwell, chief minister of King Henry VIII. The novel is historical in nature, with political and religious turmoil as the central theme. It focuses on the rise and fall of none other than Cromwell, who was executed later by King Henry VIII. The Reformation Period is quite certainly depicted in the trilogy.
If you love historical novels, then this one is going to be a grab deal for you. The real events here can give a proper understanding of the situation during this Reformation Period in England. Hillary Mantel won her first Booker Prize for Wolf Hall in 2009 and the second one for the sequel Bring Up the Bodies in 2012. No wonder The Mirror & The Light became one of the most awaited novels all these years.
5. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
Shuggie Bain is an autobiographical novel with the backdrop of Glasgow. It focuses on the struggle of Shuggie with his alcoholic mother, Agnes.
But things got more complicated as he tried to cope with his sexual orientation. The debut writer Douglas Stuart drew huge critical acclaim on his debut novel and bagged the Booker Prize in 2020.
The setting of Glasgow during the 1980s is beautifully represented here. Moreover, the struggling classes and their miserable life may touch your heart. Though a little saddening at times, Shuggie Bain remains a realistic presentation of life beyond control.
6. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
With the backdrop of an imaginary city Mallard, Brit Bennett depicted racial discrimination and the preference of white skin over black skin. Here, the black community takes pride in their light skin. Stella and Desiree are two identical twins. In an event, they parted ways and how they deal with their lives being the focus of the novel.
After winning the bestseller for her first novel, Brit Bennet is back again with her second one. As an emerging writer, she is a bright name in modern times. So, if you liked her previous bestseller, you might like this one too.
6 Top Selling Books 2020 – Non Fictions
So, now let’s check out what the list of top 6 best-selling non-fiction of 2020 has in it:
1. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
Are you a nature lover? Well then, this book may be the right one for you. It has an excellent documentary of observing nature and having a balance. 2020 was a year to turn back to nature and retrospect. This book has beautifully captured the essence.
During the outbreak of Covid-19, people realized the value of nature. When everyone was forced to stay home as nature was healing in her own way. And that led to people appreciating nature in her finest form. So, let’s put it like this that this book maintains that healing and soothing effect of character throughout.
Nature and her beauty were always one of the nurtured topics in literature. So, if you like this genre or want to give it a try, you may start with this bestseller.
2. The Dead Are Arising by Les Payne and Amara Payne
The biography of a revolutionary of America, Malcolm X, gives a vivid account of Les Payne’s research on the subject. It brilliantly narrates his childhood, his struggling life, his rise to political power, and his assassination. He was one of the most appreciated revolutionaries of the human rights of African-Americans.
Sadly, Les Payne couldn’t finish the book. After his death, his daughter Tamara Payne finished it. Surprisingly, she was a part of the research as well.
The book reincarnates the charismatic Malcolm X. Hence, the title “The Dead Are Arising.” With the strong commentary of a real-life hero’s life story, the book rocks the chart of top selling books 2020.
3. Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
In the novel, the daughter shares a memoir of her mother. A teenage daughter is talking about her mother’s assault and murder by her former step-father.
It starts with the difficult journey of the mother in an inter-racial marriage. And finally, it ends with the murder of the mother in her 40s.
In weaving the plot, the writer has raised serious issues like racial discrimination, oppression of females, the failed judiciary to sustain peace. This novel is a heart-wrenching description of a mother through the daughter’s eyes.
Natasha Trethewey precisely illustrated the power game prevailing in society. The poet who won the Pulitzer Prize gives a powerful yet sensitive narration of American culture through her novel this time.
4. The Dragons, The Giant, The Women: A Memoir by Wayétu Moore
The memoir is set on the backdrop of Liberia. Little Moore is an inhabitant there, and her mother is far away in New York to study. Little Moore is looking forward to a reunion with the mother, but suddenly a war broke out in Liberia. The story unfolds how the family escapes the war-torn country and dodges the dangers during wartime.
The Civil War of Liberia and its consequences and the immigrant problem are powerfully present here. The inhumane struggle to live in wartime is an emotional issue even today. So, a live commentary of war is what makes the book so relevant, making it land on the 5 top selling books 2020 – non-fiction.
5. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
In this series of 7 essays, the Korean descendant poet Cathy Park Hong discusses the issue of minorities in America, especially in American literature. She places a strong argument against discrimination towards Asian-Americans. The term ‘minor’ is treated here as a representation of immigrant Asians or Asian-Americans in general. She also stated how she chose the language English for her writing despite being stereotyped and discriminated against.
Cathy Park Hong uplifted a less touched topic of Asian representation in American literature and the dominant white supremacy. Essential questions like prevailing contempt among the community, their constant effort to prove themselves “white,” problematic dynamics in the society are raised here. So, this book might give you a new perspective about the minorities in America.
6. Caste: The Origin of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste is a thesis aimed at rendering violence against African-Americans. This book points out how the black community is considered backward and weak in America. This is like a caste system, bondage in the hands of the “white.” The injustice and lack of sensitivity towards her community are the focus of the book.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist is back with her second book after The Warmth of Other Suns. In her second book, she mainly focused on how American society functions, such as the caste system. She also tried to highlight the inequality in society by doing so. So, if you are stirred by the recent “Black Lives Matter” movement, you may want to read the book.
Final Thoughts
Today we talked about our top picks of top selling books 2020. On an ending note, we’re sure these books may have drawn your attention even if you’re not a book-lover. If you want to start with a bestseller but are unsure where to start, we suggest going with the one that draws your attention the most. It may open up a new window to your point of view.
The age of globalization needs a proper understanding of society. It is crucial to rely on books to know how society works and how it imposes order and control. And if you want to explore it through a literary lens, these books will provide you a better understanding. You may relate to the books on a different level.
So go ahead and give it a try. As it says, reading a book can never waste your time. You will indeed spend some quality time with these quality books.
Are you concerned about the local book-selling shops being closed? Well, there is nothing you need to worry about! Go ahead, order them and let us know which one you liked the most!