The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, A Promised Land by Barack Obama, and The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah are three of the most popular books in NYC
Of the millions of print and digital books that New Yorkers borrowed from the city’s libraries in 2021, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, A Promised Land by Barack Obama, and The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah are among the most popular.
Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library have unveiled the most popular books of the year, sharing the top 10 checkouts of 2021 in each system for adults, teens, and children.
The top checkout for both Brooklyn Public Library–which marked its one billionth loan this year–and The New York Public Library systems was the powerful novel The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which focuses on two twin sisters and issues of racial identity and bigotry in the segregated south. The most borrowed book in Queens Public Library system was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, a piece of historical fiction set during the Great Depression. Popular selections that appear on all three lists also include A Promised Land by Barack Obama, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson and The Guest List: A Novel by Lucy Foley.
Several of the most popular books—including The Vanishing Half—were featured as part of the WNYC “Get Lit!” virtual bookclub, a partnership with The New York Public Library started at the height of the pandemic that has led to thousands of checkouts.
The top titles include all formats: e-books, audio books, and physical books. While print circulation was impacted by the pandemic—near full service was only restored to the branches in July of 2021 following temporary closures and limited service—the systems saw increases late in the year, especially following the October announcement of the elimination of late fines. The New York Public Library system, for example, saw a 10 percent increase in circulation in the weeks following that announcement.
“It’s interesting that so many of the top titles were featured as part of book clubs—the WNYC book club and others—showing that New Yorkers are certainly craving a sense of togetherness through reading following a period of unprecedented isolation,” said Lynn Lobash, NYPL’s Assistant Director of Readers Services.“Other popular books received praise and accolades over the past year and readers want to join the conversation. But, at their very core, the top checkouts were a universal joy to read, demonstrating that while New York's bibliophiles are a diverse group, they share a deep love and appreciation of reading.”
“As we close yet another unprecedented and difficult year, NYC Libraries share a deep pride that as always, readers turn to us for unparalleled access to books, knowledge, and entertainment to feed their souls and brighten their spirits,” said Amy Mikel, BPL’s Director of Customer Experience. “These top titles show that our communities crave the kinds of stories that uplift and connect us. NYC Libraries will always be here for our readers.”
The full lists of 2021 top checkouts can be found at
www.nypl.org/topcheckouts2021,
https://bklynlib.org/topcheckouts21; or
Adult titles are below:
Brooklyn Public Library
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Caste: the Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
The New York Public Library (which includes the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island)
Systemwide:
The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Klara and the Sun: A Novel by Kazuo Ishiguro
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Guest List: A Novel by Lucy Foley
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
The Other Black Girl: A Novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Malibu Rising: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Bronx:
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
21st Birthday by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
Caste: the Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Russian by James Patterson and James O. Born
The Affair: A Novel by Danielle Steel
The Red Book by James Patterson and David Ellis
Win by Harlan Coben
Neighbors: A Novel by Danielle Steel
Manhattan:
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Caste: the Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
The Guest List: A Novel by Lucy Foley
Such A Fun Age: A Novel by Kiley Reid
Anxious People: A Novel by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Staten Island:
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
21st Birthday by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Neighbors: A Novel by Danielle Steel
Legacy by Nora Roberts
A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
Deadly Cross by James Patterson
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
The Red Book by James Patterson and David Ellis
The Russian by James Patterson and James O. Born
The Affair: A Novel by Danielle Steel
Queens Public Library
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Guest List: A Novel by Lucy Foley
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Caste: the Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Anxious People: A Novel by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
“This year’s top checkouts document what NYPL patrons were reading as they began turning the page on a difficult, historic chapter, ” said Anthony W. Marx, president of The New York Public Library. “These are the books that they chose when they returned to their local libraries, to read on their first trip in months, to keep them company as they got back to commuting. 2021 was a significant year, and the books that New Yorkers chose to read to accompany them on their journey through that year are equally significant.”
“The people of Queens were so hard hit by the pandemic and Hurricane Ida, and much like the protagonists and figures featured in many of the books on our list, they persevered,” said Dennis M. Walcott, president and CEO of Queens Public Library. “These books provided hope, humor, and joy at a time of tremendous uncertainty and challenge, and show how much people love great writing, and love a great story.”
“Brooklyn’s most-read books of 2021 reflect a city seeking to better understand its past and write a different future,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. “From Brit Bennet and Isabel Wilkerson to Cathy Park Hong and Kiley Reid, readers across the borough are still reckoning with racism’s long legacy. Along with Matt Haig, Barack Obama, and V. E. Schwab, they’re also reflecting on how we want to be remembered. Thankfully, literature continues to ask complex questions and evade simple answers.”
The top checkouts for books for children and young adults are below.
TOP 10 LISTS FOR CHILDREN
Brooklyn Public Library
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Guts: Smile Series, Book 3 by Raina Telgemeier
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
Fetch-22: Dog Man Series, Book 8 by Dav Pilkey
Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5) by Jeff Kinney
Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
The Getaway (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 12) by Jeff Kinney
Hard Luck (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #8) by Jeff Kinney
NYPL
Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
Guts: Smile Series, Book 3 by Raina Telgemeier
For Whom the Ball Rolls: Dog Man Series, Book 7 by Dav Pilkey
The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 15) by Jeff Kinney
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Fetch-22: Dog Man Series, Book 8 by Dav Pilkey
Sisters: Smile Series, Book 2 by Raina Telgemeier
The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, Book 5) by Jeff Kinney
Brawl of the Wild: Dog Man Series, Book 6 by Dav Pilkey
Queens Public Library
Grime and Punishment, Dog Man Series, Book 9 by Dav Pilkey
Fetch-22: Dog Man Series, Book 8 by Dav Pilkey
Mothering Heights, Dog Man Series, Book 10 by Dav Pilkey
For Whom the Ball Rolls, Dog Man Series, Book 7 by Dav Pilkey
Guts: Smile Series, Book 3 by Raina Telgemeier
The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 15) by Jeff Kinney
Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
Lord of the Fleas, Dog Man Series, Book 5 by Dav Pilkey
Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
TOP 10 LISTS FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Brooklyn Public Library
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M McManus
Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
A Court of Thorns and Roses: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series, Book 1 by Sarah J Maas
Shadow and Bone: The Grisha Trilogy, Book 1 by Leigh Bardugo
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Hunger Games Series, Book 0 by Suzanne Collins
Midnight Sun: Twilight Series, Book 5by Stephanie Meyer
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
Bleach by Tite Kubo
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
NYPL
Shadow and Bone: The Grisha Trilogy, Book 1 by Leigh Bardugo
Midnight Sun: Twilight Series, Book 5 by Stephanie Meyer
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
One of Us Is Lying: One of Us Is Lying Series, Book 1 by Karen M. McManus
Siege and Storm: The Grisha Trilogy, Book 2 by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom: Dregs Series, Book 2 by Leigh Bardugo
The Cruel Prince: Folk of the Air Series, Book 1 by Holly Black
Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Hunger Games Series, Book 0 by by Suzanne Collins
One of Us Is Next: The Sequel to One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Queens Public Library
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Hunger Games Series, Book 0 by by Suzanne Collins
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Cruel Prince: Folk of the Air Series, Book 1 by Holly Black
Shadow and Bone: The Grisha Trilogy, Book 1 by Leigh Bardugo
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Midnight Sun: Twilight Series, Book 5 by Stephanie Meyer
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
A Court of Thorns and Roses: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series, Book 1 by Sarah J Maas
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.
About The New York Public Library
For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in multiple languages, technology and digital resources, and more than 80,000 educational, cultural, and civic programs annually. QPL consists of 66 locations across the borough, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology center, one universal pre-kindergarten, and two teen centers that attracted more than 11 million visitors in 2019.