Barnes & Noble Booksellers Nominate 11 Books to Compete for Their 2022 Book of the Year

 Barnes & Noble announces the finalists for their 2022 Book of the Year.  The program, now in its fourth year, asks B&N booksellers across the country to nominate a title they find truly outstanding and in which they have felt the most pride in recommending to readers over the previous year.  This year, the list features five works of fiction, four non-fiction books, one middle-grade title and one picture book.

“Booksellers have a unique perspective on the books that are published over the course of the year and an unrivalled ability to spot the extraordinary.  In this wonderful year for publishing, they have again voted for an inspiring shortlist for the 2022 Barnes & Noble Book of the Year,” said James Daunt, CEO, Barnes & Noble.  “It is an exciting time to be a bookseller, with bookstore sales never stronger, buoyed by a reading renaissance.  Our annual Book of the Year is a particularly happy celebration of this wonderful year of publishing.”

The Barnes & Noble Book of the Year will be voted on by all booksellers and announced on November 14^th.

The first Barnes & Noble Book of the Year was awarded to Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, where bookseller enthusiasm propelled it onto bestseller lists.  In 2020, booksellers were in awe of the axolotls featured in World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments and shone a much-deserved literary spotlight onto Aimee Nezhukumatathil, while last year’s winner, The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present  by Paul McCartney, went on to be a holiday bestseller after being announced as the 2021 Barnes & Noble Book of the Year.

“Year after year we continue to be blown away by the thoughtful, exciting and eclectic mix of books that our booksellers from across the country nominate to make up our shortlist,” said Shannon DeVito, Director of Books, Barnes & Noble.  “The final 11 that comprise this year’s list are a true reflection of the percolating trends that we have seen in bookselling this year…from re-tellings and nostalgia to award-winning and debut authors.  These stories are a wonderfully varied mix deserving of the enthusiasm of our booksellers across the country.”

The 2022 Book of the Year Finalists, as selected by Barnes & Noble booksellers are:

• The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (Illustrator) – “With Mac’s classic wit and storytelling and Jon’s iconic art style, this one just feels so right for the bookshelf. Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe would be proud — and you would be foolish to think a bigger, more delicious book will come along.” –Scott B, Denver, CO 
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – “The writing is witty and brilliant … There are moments that had me laughing out loud, and others where I was fuming … Elizabeth Zott is so quirky and lovable.” –Emily B, Nashua, NH
• Turkey and the Wolf by Mason Hereford – “Experience the delectable down-home southern food from the award-winning Turkey and the Wolf restaurant from your kitchen! Mason’s style is irreverent, fun and joyful, filled with total delight for high-end ingredients as well as things like Duke’s mayonnaise and Ritz Crackers.” –Kathleen C, Brooklyn, NY 
• What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher – “This book is the perfect piece for all Edgar Allan Poe fans and fungi enthusiasts alike. Just the right sort of creepy, short and sweet.” –Erin L, Chesterfield, MO
• Babel by R.F. Kuang – “A moving and powerful story that feels so real. Kuang uses her worldview to inspire her writing in such a meaningful and unique way, not shying away from the darkness, but exploring it with blazing fires.” –Joshua M, Greeley, CO
• The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell – “Maggie O’Farrell has truly created a masterpiece—each word a flourish, each sentence a brushstroke upon a beautiful canvas—to be remembered, appreciated and adored.” –Colton M, Idaho Falls, ID
• Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders (on sale 10/25) – “A jaw-dropping wonder of a book in which art, history, production and design come together seamlessly. Andy Saunders hits every high note, highlights the human side to the missions, and takes us as close as we will likely get to stepping on the moon.” –Sallye L, New York, NY
• Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman – “This story is such a beautifully woven tapestry of highs and lows, hatred and love, friends and foes. Skandar is the epic adventure of the decade, and I cannot wait for more!” –Sarah A, Boca Raton, FL 
• Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History by Vikki Tobak(on sale 10/29) – “This stunning photographic catalogue chronicles four decades of Hip-hop icons and their customized jewelry, from the 80s through today, and includes extraordinary images and memorable contributions from world-renowned artists in a book that is the first of its kind.” –Allie, L, Aliso Viejo, CA
• An Immense World by Ed Yong – “Gorgeous writing that lets you sink into new ways of thinking about the world around us. Written for the layperson, but based in a deep knowledge of biology, the environment and zoology.” –Leslie W, Lincoln, NE 
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – “A beautifully crafted, nostalgia-fueled story of friendship, identity and creativity. It is truly a novel of world-building, but more than gameplay; the characters are as flawed and as spectacular as any in fiction.” –Donald K, Troy, MI

The Book of the Year is the cherry on top of the sundae of an incredible roster of programs that discover and elevate the best of the best.  This annual celebration joins the bookseller’s Book Clubs, Discover Prize, Children’s & YA Book Awards, Monthly Picks, and Game of the Season which booksellers across the country rally behind with gusto.

Customers can find the Book of the Year Finalists at their local Barnes & Noble and on bn.com/bookoftheyear.  They can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, using the hashtag #BNBoTY.

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About Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest retail bookseller in the United States. The Company has approximately 600 bookstores across the United States, as well as its online bookstore at BN.com, the Nook Digital business which offers both e-books and an audio book subscriptions service, the SparkNotes educational service, and the publisher Union Square & Co. General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be found on the Company’s website at www.bn.com.