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In a year that many would call one of the worst in recent memory, we were still rewarded with great books. The LJ Best Books of 2020 gathers 144 titles across 15 categories to help get libraries and readers through to better days. Comfort reads mix with fresh new perspectives in this selection of outstanding titles published in 2020.

Pan-banging cookies, baking simplified, science of cooking. The best cooking and food books published in 2020.

Supervillains, an ancient storyteller, gods and monsters. The best science fiction & fantasy novels published in 2020.

A girl with a louding voice, a bawdy observer, a woman making her own happy ending. The best pop fiction novels published in 2020.

Kent State, Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse, a loving look at a comics icon. The best graphic novels published in 2020.

Birds and whales and eels, oh my! The best science & technology books published in 2020.

Historical corrections, a fascination with science, burdens of the past. The best short stories published in 2020.

Translated novels first written in French, Farsi, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean comprise the best world literature published in 2020.

Ravishing verse, lyrical contemplations, limpid language. The best poetry books published in 2020.

Toni Morrison, Ravi Shankar, and Richard Avedon star in the best arts books published in 2020.

Malcolm X, Rose Pastor Stokes, Natasha Trethewey. The best biographies & memoirs published in 2020.

Caste and control, the power of protest, a portrait of boys. The best social science books of 2020.

A railway magnate, a brothel owner, and two gamers all find love in the best romance novels published in 2020.

Zombies, vampires, and assorted monsters stalk the pages of the best horror novels published in 2020.

Belonging and acceptance, ecological disaster, Shakespeare's child. The best literary fiction published in 2020.

A wheelman-turned-family man, four crafty retirees, a newly made vigilante. The best crime fiction published in 2020.

The best mysteries, thrillers, and suspense works published in 2019.

Read with the light on! The best horror published in 2019.

Radiant. Soaring. Extraordinarily original. The best literary fiction published in 2019.

Read on the plane, train, beach, and with your book club. The best pop fiction published in 2019.

Dukes, spies, and dating apps. The best romance published in 2019.

Aliens, magical gangsters, and demons welcome here. The best sf and fantasy published in 2019.

These shorts linger long. The best short story collections published in 2019.

Tales from Iceland, Spain, China, Syria, and around the globe. The best world literature translated into English and published in 2019.

Dig in for music history, trailblazing animators, and incisive critiques of film and TV. The best arts titles published in 2019.

Lives and times. The best biographies and memoirs published in 2019.

Mouth-wateringly good reads. The best cooking and food books published in 2019.

Pure artistry on the page. The best poetry published in 2019.

Explorations of faith, history, and culture. The best religion and spirituality books published in 2019.

Disappearing ice, air pollution, the wonders of algae. The best science and technology titles published in 2019.

Deep dives into contemporary issues of mass incarceration, gun violence, systemic injustice. The best social science books published in 2019.

Parenting, self-help, and self-care. The best wellness titles published in 2019.

Visual storytelling at the higest level. The best graphic novels published in 2019.

The ravages of the opioid crisis, an elusive serial killer, ghosts of past and present. Stories spanning Regency England to Depression-era Kentucky to 1980s Australia. Explorations of racism and privilege, a journey through music history, and searing indictments of systemic injustice. Achingly intimate memoirs and practical guides to living one’s best life. Readers will discover all of these themes and more in our selection of the most distinguished titles published in 2019.

LJ’s annual Top Ten Best Books of the year, selected by our editors, as well as Top Five lists for genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry and literature, graphic novels, and SELF-e titles.