It is almost the end of the year which means every bookseller and online retailer will be announcing their best books of 2016 lists. This is primarily done to draw attention to books you might have missed during the year, but also serve as a buying guide for the upcoming holidays. Today, Chapters/Indigo has just announced their list and it is spearheaded by by Canadian author Zoe Whittall earning the coveted number one spot.
“Indigo’s Best Books of 2016 list is made up of the most recommended and most relevant books by and for Canadians,” said Krishna Nikhil, EVP of Print and Strategy, Indigo. “Customers will find socially and culturally relevant books that are part of important conversations happening in Canada and around the world. These books will spark discussions, engender curiosity, produce laughter and tears, and inspire and delight every type of reader. We believe each one of these books should be on every Canadian’s must-read list.”
Indigo believes that the best book recommendations come from people you trust. As Canada’s largest bookstore and book authority, the Best of the Year list is curated by Indigo’s expert booksellers who are true booklovers. They’ve scoured the shelves and read thousands of titles to narrow the list down to the ten best books of the year. Customers can find these and other book recommendations on Reco, Indigo’s stand-alone book recommendation iOS app built by and for booklovers.
#1 THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE by Zoe Whittall – a Heather’s Pick
“How would you react if your loving, honourable husband was suddenly accused of sexually assaulting his teenaged students? The Best Kind of People by Canada’s own Zoe Whittall is a riveting and timely novel, which raises the most profound questions on family and trust.”
#2 SECRET PATH by Gord Downie, illustrated by Jeff Lemire by Joseph Boyden – a Heather’s Pick
“Short story, graphic novel or song – each one is short enough to experience in a night, all are deep enough to last a lifetime. These three sparse, poetic and heartbreaking retellings of the Chanie Wenjack story shine a light on the stain that residential schools have left on our country’s heritage.”
#3 HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi – a Heather’s Pick
“Do not be surprised if you see Homegoing on many Best of the Year lists in 2016. Equal parts moving and engaging, Yaa Gyasi has expertly woven together a story of one family’s history, a passage though time that is epic in scope and significance. A truly fantastic read.”
#4 WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi – a Heather’s Pick
“Devastating. Inspiring. Wise and true. A deeply felt memoir about what makes life worth living by a gifted young surgeon whose life ended far too soon.”
#5 GIRL WITH THE LOWER BACK TATTOO by Amy Schumer
“The stories I loved most in this book are the ones I hadn’t expected to find in it. Schumer writes with an open heart and, of course, makes you laugh but she also makes you cry. At times she is vulnerable, smart, inspiring, heartbreaking, and powerful. She also is vulgar, witty, hilarious, and just downright dirty (in a good way).”
#6 MORNING STAR by Pierce Brown
“What a jaw-dropping finale! The Red Rising trilogy is one of those rare instances where the story builds on its momentum, gets better and wilder, and explosively concludes with Morning Star.”
#7 A GREAT RECKONING by Louise Penny
“I used to describe Louise Penny as a modern Agatha Christie, but she has developed the characters and dealt with issues of morality so well that she has truly moved beyond the mystery genre.”
#8 SHOE DOG by Phil Knight – a Heather’s Pick
“Phil’s memoir is approachable yet aspirational, as if you were speaking with a close friend. You don’t need a stereotypical management book to learn about entrepreneurship or resilience, you need Shoe Dog.”
#9 THE NEST by Cynthia D’aprix Sweeney – a Heather’s Pick
“Pre-spent your inheritance – what could possibly go wrong? Find out as the endearingly dysfunctional Plumb family falls apart and pulls together when they discover a smaller than expected nest egg.”
#10 DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch
“Descend into the madness that is Dark Matter and experience a story that mixes all the craziness of Inception, and twists of Gone Girl, with the thought-provoking horror of Stephen King, into something truly unique, and terrifying.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.