The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

Maddalena Bearzi Why did I love this book?

If you like well-written nonfiction and the natural world as much as I do, this book is for you.

Ed Young is an excellent science writer able to engage readers in a way not too many authors can. This book is mind-broadening, and not just for people fascinated by learning more about other non-human species and their antics, but also for anyone interested in better understanding how other animals see the world with their senses. 

He describes the behavior of a variety of beings, from dogs to cats, from flies to dolphins, and from bats to mice, showing how every single creature is truly extraordinary if we take the time to stop and observe it.

The author does a great job of explaining to us humans how to look outside our own “sensory bubble” so we can not only better grasp the lives of other creatures sharing the planet with us but also act to protect them. And he shares some humorous anecdotes too. I highly suggest this book!

By Ed Yong,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked An Immense World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Wonderful, mind-broadening... a journey to alternative realities as extraordinary as any you'll find in science fiction' The Times, Book of the Week

'Magnificent' Guardian

Enter a new dimension - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals.

The Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every animal is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving only a tiny sliver of an immense world. This book welcomes us into previously unfathomable dimensions - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals.

We encounter beetles that are…


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

My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Elements of Style (Illustrated)

Maddalena Bearzi Why did I love this book?

And here is something totally different for you…

I read The Elements of Style several times in my life but I recently bought the illustrated edition of this little “bible.” The Elements of Style (illustrated) by Strunk/White/Kalman is not only a classic but something every English language writer (and reader) should check out! The colorful illustrations by Maira Kalman make the reading even more entertaining.

It’s not a surprise to me that this “style manual” has also appeared on a bestseller list. It’s not just a great, quick, and useful reading; it also makes a great gift for anyone interested in writing and in better understanding the English language.

By William Strunk, E. B. White, Maira Kalman (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Elements of Style (Illustrated) as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"So friendly, so classic, so delightful . . . Kalman has taken 'the little book' and made it even more elegant and uplifting." —Los Angeles Times

The only style manual to ever appear on a bestseller list now refreshed by one of our most beloved illustrators

Every English writer knows Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. The book’s mantra, make every word tell, is still on point. This much-loved classic, now in its fourth edition, will forever be the go-to guide when in need of a hint to make a turn of phrase clearer or a reminder on how…


Want my future book recommendations?

My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Moby-Dick

Maddalena Bearzi Why did I love this book?

Moby-Dick is a true classic and an extraordinary book. I own a beautiful, old copy of it and I read this literary masterpiece more than once in my life, including last month. And not just because it’s one of the greatest books of all time, but also because I am a marine biologist who has studied whales and dolphins for many years!

The narration of this epic (and a bit intimidating) piece of literature - dated back to 1851, is poetic. I read mostly nonfiction books but, at times, I discover a fiction book that truly engages me. Moby dick has been such a book for me. Highly recommended.

By Herman Melville,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked Moby-Dick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Melville's tale of the whaling industry, and one captain's obsession with revenge against the Great White Whale that took his leg. Classics Illustrated tells this wonderful tale in colourful comic strip form, offering an excellent introduction for younger readers. This edition also includes a biography of Herman Melville and study questions, which can be used both in the classroom or at home to further engage the reader in the work at hand.


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Stranded: Finding Nature in Uncertain Times

By Maddalena Bearzi,

Book cover of Stranded: Finding Nature in Uncertain Times

What is my book about?

Conservationist and marine biologist Maddalena Bearzi made her career studying the wild creatures of the deep, but when COVID-19 made landfall on the California coast this seafaring scientist found herself shuttered up ashore, her wide blue world constricted by pandemic lockdown. Never good at sitting idle, she despaired at the confines of her Los Angeles flat—until she began to find wonder in the wilderness of her own backyard.

Stranded charts Bearzi’s discovery of both rapture and resilience in the unsung wildlife of urban LA. With a green thumb and a canine sidekick named Genghis, she finds as much to marvel at in her garden’s singing blackbirds, night-blooming cacti, and industrious wasps as in the whales, dolphins, and sea lions at the center of her maritime adventures.