List

National Books Worth Reading

A tight national books worth reading shortlist - built for quick decisions, not endless scrolling.

Last refreshed 2026-02-27. We keep tuning this list as new titles land and reader interest shifts.

1. LaRose
Louise Erdrich
LaRose: A Novel
2. 127 Hours
Aron Ralston
127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
3. The Noonday Demon
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression
4. On the Rooftop
Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
On the Rooftop: A Novel
5. We Did OK, Kid
Sir Anthony Hopkins, Anthony Hopkins
We Did OK, Kid: A Memoir
6. Thomas Jefferson
Christopher Hitchens
Thomas Jefferson: Author of America
7. The Final Frontiersman
James Campbell
The Final Frontiersman: Heimo Korth and His Family, Alone in Alaska's Arctic Wilderness
8. Solo
Hope Solo, Ann Killion
Solo: A Memoir of Hope
9. Himalaya
Michael Palin
Himalaya: Kindle Edition
10. The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo
A Poetry pick for readers exploring The Poet X.
11. Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Malinda Lo
A Historical Fiction pick for readers exploring Last Night at the Telegraph Club.
12. A Wizard of Earthsea
Ursula K. Le Guin
A Fantasy pick for readers exploring A Wizard of Earthsea.
13. The Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking: National Book Award Winner
14. The Choice
Edith Eger
The Choice: Embrace the Possible
15. Hotel Almighty
Sarah J. Sloat
Hotel Almighty: Paperback – September 15, 2020
16. Drawing: Landscapes with William F. Powell
Mr. William F. Powell, William F. Powell
Drawing: Landscapes with William F. Powell: Learn to draw outdoor scenes step by step
17. Catch and Kill
Ronan Farrow
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
18. Prisoners of Geography
Tim Marshall
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World
19. Christine
Stephen King
A Horror pick for readers exploring Christine.
20. Unsheltered
Barbara Kingsolver
Unsheltered: A Novel
21. The Wright Brothers
David McCullough
A History pick for readers exploring The Wright Brothers.
22. Burdened
Ryann Liebenthal
Burdened: Student Debt and the Making of an American Crisis
23. Why Fish Don't Exist
Lulu Miller
Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life
24. Feed
M.T. Anderson
Feed: (A Dystopian Novel About Mind Control, Rebellion, and Technology - Perfect for Young Adults)

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