Schatje's "Best Books Read in 2016" List

Today is the last day of 2016, so I’m presenting my list of the Best Books Read in 2016.  Please note that these were not necessarily published in the year – they made it off my “To Read” pile in the calendar year.

In total, I managed to read 75 books.  I’ve chosen my top 20 reads, organizing them into four categories:  Best Canadian Fiction, Best Fiction from the United Kingdom, Best American Fiction, and Best Novels Read in Translation.  Within each category, the books are not ranked.

Best Canadian Fiction

The Fortunate Brother by Donna Morrissey (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-fortunate-brother-by-donna.html)

The Parcel by Anosh Irani (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-parcel-by-anosh-irani.html)

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/10/review-of-do-not-say-we-have-nothing-by.html)

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-station-eleven-by-emily-st.html)

The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/05/review-of-translation-of-love-by-lynne.html)

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/03/review-of-medicine-walk-by-richard.html)

Martin John by Anakana Schofield (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/07/review-of-martin-john-by-anakana.html)

Best Fiction from the United Kingdom

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-god-in-ruins-by-kate-atkinson.html)

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/03/review-of-dictionary-of-mutual.html)

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/04/review-of-noise-of-time-by-julian-barnes.html)

Nutshell by Ian McEwan (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/11/review-of-nutshell-by-ian-mcewan.html)

His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/08/review-of-his-bloody-project-by-graeme.html)

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-brooklyn-by-colm-toibin.html)

Best American Fiction

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/todays-new-release-review-of-my-name-is.html)

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/05/review-of-sympathizer-by-viet-thanh.html)

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-underground-railroad-by.html)

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/07/review-of-did-you-ever-have-family-by.html)

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/12/review-of-another-brooklyn-by.html)

Best Novels Read in Translation

Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-dear-mr-m-by-herman-koch.html)

These are the Names by Tommy Wieringa (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/12/review-of-these-are-names-by-tommy.html)