I just put together a display highlighting the Best Books of 2010. I loved compiling books and seeing what books are being talked about, but I have a confession to make. There are some awards lists that automatically rule out a book for my reading. My story is typical: busy life, busy brain. I just want something fun to read. I was happy to find that there are also “Best Books Lists” for people like me!

The first place to go is Manhattan Public Library’s own Bookletters page. At the bottom you’ll find awards lists for your favorite genre fiction from the Nebula Award for you Science Fiction fans to the RITA awards for the romance lovers.

In my search I stumbled upon a fun little list from NPR. Susan Jane Gilman compiled the list Sex, Drugs And ‘Life’ – The Year’s Best Guilty Reads. You may be embarrassed to be caught reading these, but you’ll enjoy them anyway. This is also where I stumbled across Love, Lust, and Faking It by Jenny McCarthy, which I think deserves some sort of humorous cover award.

Another fun list is the Customer Favorites from Amazon. This reflects what people are actually buying, so the list is more reflective of reader’s tastes than of literary merit.

Whether you read to challenge yourself, improve yourself, or entertain yourself, we have something for you.