The notion of a “Best Books” list annoys me. How is it possible to have read, reviewed, or be even aware of every book out there? On Goodreads, I reviewed forty-five books this year. That’s a lot of books! In addition, I’ve probably thumbed through a few dozen others for work, research, etc. Still, that number is woefully inadequate compared to the universe of books published in 2017. That said, there is value in saying, “These are books I really enjoyed or found useful.” because finding a great novel often requires following a largely grass roots route. I depend on friends, peers, co-workers, my nose, and the wonderful reviewers on Goodreads, blogs, etc. to help chart my course.
So, this is by no means a Best Books list for 2017. In fact, some of these books were not even published in 2017. They are though some of the books this year that made me laugh, think, cry, wonder, and helped stop the world for a moment.
These really are in no order.
