"Today, we launch our 2025 books list: a selection of twenty-four essential works (twelve in fiction and twelve in nonfiction) published this year. Our staff reads, we estimate, thousands of books each year, and our books team draws from around the office to shape the list. Wrangling this giant project is our deputy books editor, Lauren Harris. I called Lauren to ask her how the process works-and to discuss some of this year's picks."
"We start working on the essential reads early in the year. We have this book hub, where, on a weekly basis, we share the books that we think are worth our readers' attention. So that helps us keep tabs on what's out there. So you're working on it every week, basically. Exactly. Then, about halfway through the year, I start reaching out to staff. I reach out to every staff writer and to members of the editorial staff."
"Some writers will send me a list of their Top Ten favorites of the year, no explanation. And some will send me a beautifully reasoned term paper of an e-mail as to why they think certain titles should be considered more highly. Meanwhile, our fiction department is constantly surveying the landscape, scouting for voices they believe in, and doing their best to bring into the magazine work that excites them."
A curated list of twenty-four essential books for 2025 comprises twelve fiction and twelve nonfiction titles drawn from extensive staff reading. Staff members estimate reading thousands of books annually and share promising titles in a weekly book hub to keep continuous track of releases. Midyear outreach to every staff writer and editorial member yields varied nominations ranging from brief Top Ten lists to detailed recommendations. The fiction department actively scouts emerging voices, while critics and editors monitor titles to bring compelling work into the magazine. The process combines broad recommendations and concentrated editorial curation to identify essential reads.
Read at The New Yorker
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