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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,627 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Hans Offringa Why did I love this book?

With respect and without any finger pointing, the author describes in a very informative and captivating style where the world went wrong in confusing racism with caste. The book illuminated my thoughts about the topic in an enriching manner. A must read for humanity and a call to action in a non-violent way. 

By Isabel Wilkerson,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Caste as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE TIME NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR | #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Powerful and timely ... I cannot recommend it strongly enough" - Barack Obama

From one of America's most celebrated and insightful writers, the moving, eye-opening bestseller about what lies hidden under the surface of ordinary lives

In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Lincoln Highway

Hans Offringa Why did I love this book?

A road novel in the best tradition. The characters are believable, and at times, it is sad and hilarious at the same time. They are all little unsung heroes in their own right. I love his other two novels, and he has a beautiful command of the language and is a great narrator.

By Amor Towles,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Lincoln Highway as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

More than ONE MILLION copies sold

A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

A New York Times Notable Book, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Bill Gates and Barack Obama as a Best Book of the Year

“Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth.” —The New York Times Book Review
 
“A classic that we will read for years to come.” —Jenna Bush Hager, Read with Jenna book club
 
“Fantastic. Set in 1954, Towles uses the story of two brothers to show that our personal…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Utopia Avenue

Hans Offringa Why did I love this book?

Couldn’t put this book down. The story about a London-based unknown band rising to fame and collapsing afterwards in the 1960s when many musicians who would become famous in their own right, was well crafted and highly entertaining.

Music is the Best Frank Zappa once sang, but words like these are competing with it.

By David Mitchell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Utopia Avenue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A stand-out triumph' - Sunday Times

The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of CLOUD ATLAS and THE BONE CLOCKS, 'one of the most brilliantly inventive writers of this, or any country' (Independent).

Utopia Avenue might be the most curious British band you've never heard of.

Emerging from London's psychedelic scene in 1967, folksinger Elf Holloway, blues bassist Dean Moss, guitar virtuoso Jasper de Zoet and jazz drummer Griff Griffin together created a unique sound, with lyrics that captured their turbulent times. The band produced only two albums in two years, yet their musical legacy lives on.

This is…


Plus, check out my book…

A Field Guide to Whisky: An Expert Compendium to Take Your Passion and Knowledge to the Next Level

By Hans Offringa,

Book cover of A Field Guide to Whisky: An Expert Compendium to Take Your Passion and Knowledge to the Next Level

What is my book about?

A Field Guide to Whisky is a one-stop guide for all the information a whisky enthusiast needs.

With the whisky market booming worldwide, now is a perfect time for a comprehensive guide to this popular brown spirit. What are the basic ingredients in all whiskies? How does it get its flavor? Which big-name brands truly deserve their reputation? What are the current whisky trends around the world? And who was Jack Daniel, anyway? This abundance of information is distilled(!) into 324 short entries covering basic whisky literacy, production methods, consumption tips, trends, trivia, geographical maps, and lists of distilleries, whisky trails, bars, hotels, and festivals.

Boasting 230 color photographs and a beautiful package to boot, A Field Guide to Whisky will make a whisky expert out of anyone.