In 2024, Boston Athenaeum readers favored new and notable books, including prize-winners, buzzy bestsellers, and a few authors who visited the Athenaeum in 2024.

Top 5 Fiction Books

  • James: A Novel by Percival Everett (2024)
  • The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (2023)
  • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022)
  • Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (2023)
  • North Woods: A Novel by Daniel Mason (2023)

Top 5 Nonfiction Books

  • Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra (2024)
  • Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury by Drew Gilpin Faust (2023)
  • The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (2023)
  • Master Slave, Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo (2023)
  • The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin, with Neil Strauss (2023)

Top 5 eBooks

  • James: A Novel by Percival Everett (2024)
  • The Hunter by Tana French (2024)
  • North Woods: A Novel by Daniel Mason (2023)
  • Long Island Compromise: A Novel by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (2024)
  • All Fours by Miranda July (2024)

Top 5 Audiobooks

  • Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten (2024)
  • Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra (2024)
  • 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir by Ai Weiwei (2021)
  • Camille Pissarro: The Audacity of Impressionism by Anka Muhlstein (2023)
  • The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (2023)

Top 5 Children’s Fiction Books

  • The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé (2015)
  • Lumberjanes by Noel Stevenson (2015)
  • Yasmin the Librarian by Saadia Faruqi (2021)
  • Dog Man by Dav Pilkey (2019)
  • Twins by Varian Johnson (2020)

Top 5 Children’s Picture Books

  • Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer (2016)
  • Gustavo, The Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago (2020)
  • Hot Dog by Doug Salati (2022)
  • 5 Minute Princess Stories (2019)
  • Ducks Away! by Mem Fox (2018)

Check out our catalog to grab these books for yourself, or read more about eBooks and audiobooks at the Boston Athenaeum.