Newsweek Staffers’ Favorite Books of 2023 for Everyone on Your Gift List

Losing yourself in a good book can be almost as restorative as a relaxing vacation—with no packing required! Books can whisk you away, far from mundane daily responsibilities as well as heavier concerns, something we can all use. Whether you’re looking for an escape for yourself, or you want to gift one to someone you care about, the Newsweek staff has compiled the perfect list to choose from. Here are some of our favorite books of the year, which run the gamut from fantasy and psychological thrillers to personal finance advice and politics. We hope you enjoy them just as much as we did!

Fiction

For the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fan:
Fourth Wing By Rebecca Yarros
Red Tower Books | $14.99

Fourth Wing took the book blogger community by storm with its richly imagined setting, high stakes, political intrigue and spicy romance. The first installment in the Empyrean series is an excellent introduction to fantasy and is ripe with dragons and magic while also being relatable. It is sure to get your heart pounding while simultaneously making you blush.
▸ Anna Skinner, Senior Reporter
Also recommended by William Arkin, Senior Editor and Batya Ungar-Sargon, Deputy Opinion Editor

For the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fan:
Babel By R.F. Kuang
Harper Voyager | $20

This historical fantasy novel is a fascinating parallel reality look at the impact of colonization and the immense struggle for communities from those nations to overcome its lasting influence. It’s a brutal critique of empire, with a revolutionary message that truly makes a reader reexamine their views of Western society.
▸ Jason Lemon, Weekend Editor

For the Thriller Aficionado:
The Bastard Factory By Chris Kraus
Picador | $16

Both spy thriller and family drama, this epic novel navigates the horrors of the 20th century, from Berlin to Tel Aviv, Nazi Germany to the Iron Curtain, the CIA to the KGB. The Baltic-German narrator, Konstantin Solm, follows his brother up the ranks of the SS and later into the treacherous duplicity of the Secret Service, all the while entangled in an incestuous love triangle. This page turner also serves as a reminder that many of the bastards never did get their post-war comeuppance.
▸ Yannick Demoustier, Publishing Editor

For the Thriller Aficionado:
The Guest By Emma Cline
Random House | $28

A jaded female heroine escaping the city for a Hamptons summer might seem cliché—but in this suspense-filled psychological thriller, nothing’s as it seems. Funny, smart and deftly written, The Guest has a literary sensibility in the mode of Eve Babitz with all the tension of an A24 film.
▸ Meghan Gunn, Staff Writer

For the Thriller Aficionado:
The Housemaid’s Secret By Freida McFadden
Mobius | $12.99

After devouring The Housemaid, I was hungry for more—more insight, more thrill of following the she-is-all-of-us heroine as she pulls at the threads of her employers’ designer lifestyles, revealing the monster underneath that no one saw coming. Bonus: There’s a third coming June 2024.
▸ Gray R. Thomas, Publishing Editor

For the Dystopian Devotee:
Liberation Day By George Saunders
Random House Trade | $17

This short story collection mostly depicts a future dystopian America that is never fully fleshed out, but is ominously familiar. Saunders is excellent at depicting the human condition and our relationships with each other and is rightly lauded as one of the greatest living writers.
▸ Ben Kelly, Audience Editor

For the Wordsmith:
No Two Persons By Erica Bauermeister
St. Martin’s Press | $28

A breathtaking novel about the power a book can have. It takes you inside the hearts of a complex web of broken personalities, empowered and made whole by the words on the pages of the same book. The characters brought to life are delicately interwoven throughout, forming a seamless, beautiful fabric of a story.
▸ Meredith Wolf Schizer, Senior Editor

For the Crime Junkie:
None of This Is True By Lisa Jewell
Atria Books | $28

I was in the mood for a murderous distraction and this book gave it to me and then some. Basically, a crazy lady convinces a famous podcast host to feature her, but over the course of the recording she takes over the podcast host’s life. One thing leads to another, husbands get murdered and more.
▸ H. Alan Scott, Senior Editor

For the Dystopian Devotee:
A Stranger in the Citadel By Tobias S. Buckell
Tachyon Publications | $17.95

Set in a dystopian future where books are not just banned but burned on sight, this thrilling tale feels of-the-moment. An outlaw librarian lands at the gates of a far-flung city, kicking into motion a journey of discovery for young royal Lilith as she discovers the truth of her world, literacy and herself—while evading a killer mechanical angel and her former guards. It’s the perfect mix of world building, action, layered reveals and suspenseful secrets.
▸ Josh Smith, Director of Rankings

For Rooters for the Anti-Hero:
The Witch of Maracoor
By Gregory Maguire | William Morrow | $30

For those unfortunate readers who don’t know Maguire, he’s responsible for the creation of Wicked. His books, written from the perspective of the villain in beloved fairy tales, are captivating, full of life lessons and teach us to look at the misunderstood in a different light. And The Witch of Maracoor is no different. Chronicling the life of Elphaba’s daughter, Rain, every page takes the reader on an adventure, starting with the fallout from a confrontation with her grandfather, the Wizard of Oz. Maguire’s book is filled with lost love, self-acceptance and the power of magic.
▸ Jenni Fink, Senior Editor, National News

Nonfiction

For the Music Lover:
All Tomorrow’s Parties: The Velvet Underground Story By Koren Shadmi
Life Drawn | $29.99

Shadmi’s incredible graphic memoir tells the story of the Velvet Underground’s tumultuous rise and fall, with character portraits of historical figures like Andy Warhol. With absolutely gorgeous illustrations and deft pacing and plotting, every page is a masterpiece of detail and momentum. You can almost hear the music coming off the page. Of course, this book is perfect for a fan of the Velvet Underground’s music, but even if you’re not, you’ll get a sense of their contribution to the cultural moment.
▸ Batya Ungar-Sargon, Deputy Opinion Editor

For Lovers of Stranger-Than-Fiction:
Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World By Yepoka Yeebo
Bloomsbury Publishing | $29.99

This absorbing read with modern parallels is a colorful, eye-opening account of John Ackah Blay-Miezah, a charming, covetous Ghanaian con artist who filched folks out of billions, claiming to have been awarded access to Ghana’s secret stash of colonial gold and diamonds and a trust fund worth $27 billion by former president Kwame Nkrumah on his deathbed. Blay-Miezah’s high taste and fantastic assertions won him a tenacious following who grew more devoted the less unlikely they became.
▸ Marlaine Glicksman, Senior Editor

For the Economist:
The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Global Free Market Will Save the World By Johan Norberg
Atlantic Books | $29.99

Swedish historian Norberg writes a passionate defense of free-market capitalism, which has lifted millions out of poverty over the past 150 years but has recently come under attack by the far left and populist right for causing inequality. Norberg warns that moving away from global capitalism would not only make us all poorer but deal a crushing blow to the most vulnerable. Brilliantly written and compellingly told, this book is an important reminder about the power of open trade and the important political, social and economic ties it creates.
▸ Paul Rhodes, Deputy Publishing Editor

For the Economist:
Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud By Ben McKenzie with Jacob Silverman
Abrams | $28

A welcome antidote to cryptocurrency frenzy and an essential document of a shady industry in decline. If you’ve spent any amount of time in recent years perusing Gotham star Ben McKenzie’s social media presence, this is exactly the sort of book you’d want from him.
▸ Thomas Kika, Weekend Staff Writer

For Enterprising Minds:
A Healthy State of Pan!c: Follow Your Fears to Build Wealth, Crush Your Career, and Win at Life By Farnoosh Torabi
Atria Books | $27.99

As the former editor of Money magazine, I’ve read hundreds of personal finance books and there’s often a sameness to them. Not true of the latest from So Money podcast host Torabi. Providing a fresh take on the fears that hold us back in our finances and our lives, the book is part advice tome, part memoir and wholly engaging and informative. Come for the guidance; stay for the moving, often funny anecdotes about the role fears have played in Torabi’s life and how she—and you—can change the narrative.
▸ Diane Harris, Deputy Editor

For the Travel Bug:
Hello, South Korea: Meet the Country Behind Hallyu By DK Eyewitness
DK Eyewitness Travel | $25

This deep dive into the underbelly of South Korea unpicks the fascinating nuances of the country’s DNA beyond K-pop, K-dramas and K-beauty. It feeds you insightful little nuggets of knowledge with plenty of intriguing factoids to chew on—from the intricacies of Korean dining etiquette to Korea’s unique clan of female free divers—without shying away from controversial subjects like gender equality and sexuality.
▸ Soo Kim, Reporter

For the Film Buff:
The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood’s Kings of Carnage By Nick de Semlyen
Crown | $28.99

Fans of de Semlyen’s Wild and Crazy Guys had high expectations for his newest book, The Last Action Heroes. It does not disappoint. A warts-and-all look at the golden age of action movies when pumped up stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone duked it out for world domination, it’s a blast from start to finish.
▸ Jack Beresford, Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter

For the Cooking Enthusiast:
Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook By Poppy O’Toole Appetite by Random House | $29.95

Internet sensation O’Toole brings her practical kitchen know-how to the masses—serving up delicious recipes for your air fryer, from starters to mains to desserts and (of course) potatoes. The book appeals to all kitchen skill levels and serves up a healthy helping of knowledge alongside recipes.
▸ Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, Senior Autos Editor

For the Eco-Warrior:
Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth’s Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis By Michael E. Mann
PublicAffairs | $30

Climate scientist and gifted science communicator Mann draws on deep planetary history to show the special and precarious conditions that allowed humans to thrive, and how we are altering those conditions to thrive in ways that threaten our species. But this is no doomsday tome; Mann shows how we can use our knowledge to secure humankind’s future.
▸ Jeff Young, Environment & Sustainability Editor

For the Foreign Affairs Pundit:
Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin’s War Against Ukraine By Owen Matthews
Mudlark | $21.99

Updated and released in paperback this year, Overreach tells the story of Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine. It outlines the background to the invasion and describes how it unfolded, interweaving personal stories of individuals caught up in events. It’s probably the first book to describe in detail what occurred, and why.
▸ Tony Phillips, Sub-editor

For the Foreign Affairs Pundit:
The Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan After the Americans Left By Hassan Abbas
Yale University Press | $26

Drawing upon his long history with and deep understanding of the Taliban, Abbas goes back to his time as a police official on Pakistan’s lawless northwest frontier with Afghanistan. Eschewing finger-pointing about the U.S. failure there, he instead provides a fluid, readable and unique account of how their return to power has shaped the Taliban, and the possibilities that might offer for U.S. and allied policy to engage for the benefit of the Afghan people.
▸ Shaun Waterman, Cybersecurity Correspondent

For Curious Minds:
Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us By Rachel Aviv Picador | $18

When I started my master’s program at Columbia Journalism School earlier this year, I was assigned to read Strangers to Ourselves, and it’s now my favorite nonfiction piece. Aviv inspired me to challenge my beliefs about how we tell stories about ourselves in periods of crisis and distress, helping me be more empathetic in the stories I write about others.
▸ Kylie McCoy, Director of Brand Partnerships

For the Politico:
Tyranny of the Minority By Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblett
Crown | $28.99

It won’t be news to many that there are undemocratic parts of the U.S. Constitution—the Electoral College and the makeup of the Senate are well-known, for instance. But the authors’ account of how much these things and other features of the nation’s political system have distorted American life in the past few decades—against the will of a majority of citizens—is eye-opening.
▸ Fred Guterl, Special Projects Editor

For the Feminista:
Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You to Hate By Anna Bogutskaya
Sourcebooks | $16.99

From b***** and trainwrecks to sluts—all terms which feminism has torn apart and widely reclaimed—Bogutskaya examines why exactly we love these characters so much even when we’re told to hate them. The book is a fresh look at pop culture and feminism that’s empowering and a fantastic conversation starter. Bring it up if you want to rile up that one uncle who complains about not being able to say anything anymore after #MeToo.
▸ Giulia Carbonaro, U.S. News Reporter