Reading in 2020

Available for over a year

In a year many would rather forget, what are the books worth remembering? And what will we be reading in 2021? Sara Collins asks novelist Naomi Alderman and critic John Self. They discuss finding solace in books during an unusually eventful 2020, the big blockbuster titles (in a year that included new releases from Hilary Mantel to Martin Amis, and Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell), the breakthrough debuts (including Booker Prize-winning Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart), and the overlooked page-turners giving welcome distraction. John and Naomi also offer their picks for 2021 and the literary trends to look out for. And looking ahead to January, Frances Bickmore selects A Burning by Megha Majumdar for his Editors' Pick.