How to read the best books of the year with friends on Fable
Dec 28 2020

Readers around the globe are all sharing “best of” book lists right now. By exploring these recommendations, you can expand your literary horizons and discover new writers.We love these lists because we take curation very seriously at Fable. We help people find the perfect book to read and share with friends inside a Fable Reading Club (learn how to create your own Fable Reading Club here). Every month, we release a new collection of Fable Folios for our members — exceptional books handpicked by tastemakers, experts, acclaimed authors, world-class athletes, and industry titans. Each comes with a custom Discussion Guide to help you read the book with friends. You can check out all all our current Fable Folios here!
Fable’s favorite lists
The Fable team dug into former President Barack Obama’s favorite books list, as the Author-in-Chief recommended a whole slate of memorable titles.Obama’s picks ranged from “The Ministry for the Future,” a timely science fiction book by Kim Stanley Robinson about the looming threat of climate change to “Caste,” a nonfiction book by Isabel Wilkerson interrogating the inequality at the heart of our country.“I’ll start by sharing my favorite books this year, deliberately omitting what I think is a pretty good book – A Promised Land – by a certain 44th president. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did.”
Our team eagerly awaits Bill Gates’ recommendations every year, and 2020 was no exception with the tech leader’s list, Holiday Books for a Lousy Year.He highlighted some great titles, including “The Spy and the Traitor” by Ben Macintyre and “Breath from Salt” by Bijal P. Trivedi.“I read a wide range of books, and a lot of excellent ones. Here are five books on a variety of subjects that I’d recommend as we wrap up 2020. I hope you find something that helps you—or the book lover in your life—finish the year on a good note.”
We also appreciated the Noname Book Club’s 2020 picks. Founded by Chicago rapper and spoken word artist Noname, the club has built a huge community by sharing books by writers of color. Every month, the club spotlights two books and shares them with incarcerated readers through its Prison Program, including "1919" by Eve L. Ewing this month.“The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots that comprised the “Red Summer” of violence across the nation’s cities, is an event that has shaped the last century but is widely unknown. In 1919, award-winning poet Eve L. Ewing explores the story of this event—which lasted eight days and resulted in thirty-eight deaths and almost 500 injuries—through poems recounting the stories of everyday people trying to survive and thrive in the city.”
Finally, the great Roxane Gay announced her own book club that's coming in 2021. It'll be part of her forthcoming newsletter with a monthly book pick, online discussions, and Zoom conversations with the authors. Her first pick, starting on January 25th, is "Black Futures," edited by Jenna Wortham and Kimberly Drew. You can learn more about all the titles on this Gibson's Bookstore page. If you need more recommendations, we created a much longer list to make 2021 a great reading year.2020 Best Books: Fable’s List of Lists
- Oprah Winfrey: Book Club Picks for 2020
- Anthony Fauci: What's Anthony Fauci Reading?
- Stephen King's Favorite Reads of 2020
- Mariah Carey: Essential 2020 Reading
- Dolly Parton: Favorite Reads of 2020
- Reese Witherspoon: Hello Sunshine Book Club Picks
- Hoda Kotb: Favorite Reads of 2020
- Emma Roberts: Belletrist Book Club Picks
- Dav Pilkey: Favorite Reads of 2020
- Jenna Bush Hager: Book Club Picks
- Emmanuel Acho: Favorite Reads of 2020
- Rage Against the Machine: Radical Reading List
- Megan Rapinoe's Favorite Reads of 2020
- Chris Colfer: Favorite Books of 2020
- Al Roker: Favorites Books of 2020
Reading Communities Choose the Best Books of 2020
We also love exploring reading communities around the web, searching for new picks as well. Some of these amazing threads will help you keep your reading pile well-stocked for the coming year.If one of these books inspires you, start a Fable Reading Club and read with your friends!- What Are the Three Best Books You Read in 2020?
- What Are Your Top Ten Romance Reads for 2020?
- The Top Self-Published Fantasy Books of 2020
- Recommend Me a Nonfiction Book of 2020
- Sci-fi Must Reads for 2020