The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,708 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away

Jack Barsky I this book because...

I operated as a KGB illegal agent in the US for ten years. This book is about George Koval, who served as a KGB illegal for 8 years. 

His background made him an ideal candidate for the KGB. He was born in the US to Russian parents. The family returned to the Soviet Union, where George studied economics and was recruited by the KGB. 

In 1940, he went back to the US and lived under his American birth name. He wound up working for the Manhattan Project, the huge team that developed the nuclear bomb.  He spent four years stealing secrets and sending them to Moscow. He returned to the USSR in 1948 and never got recognition for his work. 

This story is just as bizarre as mine.

By Ann Hagedorn,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Sleeper Agent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The dramatic and chilling story of an American-born Soviet spy in the atom bomb project in World War II, perfect for fans of The Americans.

George Koval was born in Iowa. In 1932, his parents, Russian Jews who had emigrated because of anti-Semitism, decided to return home to live out their socialist ideals. George, who was as committed to socialism as they were, went with them. It was there that he was recruited by the Soviet Army as a spy and returned to the US in 1940. A gifted science student, he enrolled at Columbia University, where he knew scientists…


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

My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Vitality Secret: Defy Disease, Combat Common Illnesses And Stay Young

Jack Barsky I this book because...

The author is a nutritionist who spent years collecting information about disease prevention and cure that is outside the realm of traditional medicine.

His focus is on prevention, whereas traditional medicine waits for the disease to occur and then tries to heal it. Mr. Cannon’s tips concerning nutrition and exercise not only prevent illnesses but can also heal. 

I have a friend who was diagnosed with stage four cancer at the beginning of this year. The doctors recommended chemo, but my friend followed Mr. Cannon’s advice. Today, my friend is cancer-free. 

By Neil Cannon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Vitality Secret as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Imagine for just one moment that your body is designed to heal and will heal any common illness or chronic disease, given the right environment within the body. Could it be that we are misinformed when we hear that something is "incurable?" What if your body's ability to heal is greater than anyone has allowed you to believe? The Science of Epigenetics has been around since 2005 and it is now known that we are in full control of 95% of all illness and disease available to us - and this depends on the environment we keep in our bodies.…


Want my future book recommendations?

My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of How to Win Friends and Influence People

Jack Barsky I this book because...

This book first appeared about 70 years ago. It is a play-by-play strategy for behaviors that will guarantee the reader a successful and fulfilled life. Carnegie’s wisdom is timeless and should be required reading for all high school seniors

If we all followed that advice in the book, the world would definitely be a better place.

By Dale Carnegie,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked How to Win Friends and Influence People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Millions of people around the world have - and continue to - improve their lives based on the teachings of Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie offers practical advice and techniques, in his exuberant and conversational style, for how to get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding.

His advice has stood the test of time and will teach you how to:
- make friends quickly and easily
- increase your popularity
- win people to your way of thinking
- enable you to win new clients and customers
- become a…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Book cover of Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America

What is my book about?

Millions watched the CBS 60 Minutes special on Jack Barsky in 2015. In this fascinating memoir, the Soviet KGB agent tells his story of gut-wrenching choices, appalling betrayals, his turbulent inner world, and the secret life he lived for years without getting caught. On October 8, 1978, a Canadian national named William Dyson stepped off a plane at O’Hare International Airport and proceeded toward Customs and Immigration.

Two days later, William Dyson ceased to exist. The identity was a KGB forgery, used to get one of their own―a young, ambitious East German agent―into the United States.

The plan succeeded, and the spy’s new identity was born: Jack Barsky. He would work undercover for the next decade, carrying out secret operations during the Cold War years.