Earlier this month, the San Francisco Public Library shared a list of the top fiction and nonfiction books read by library patrons this year.
“Dysfunctional family memoirs,” said Jaime Wong, deputy director of communications, was one of the themes. “That speaks to people wanting to read about the experience of someone who has trials and tribulations but also demonstrates a strength to overcome.”
Jump straight to:
- Top Print Fiction
- Top eBooks Fiction
- Top Print Nonfiction
- Top eBook Nonfiction
- Top Teen Fiction
- Top Vinyl
So, what were the top five most-read books across all formats, including fiction and nonfiction?
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow — Zevin, Gabrielle (14083)
- Lessons in Chemistry — Garmus, Bonnie (12314)
- Spare — Prince Harry (11936)
- I’m Glad My Mom Died — McCurdy, Jennette (10195)
- Demon Copperhead — Kingsolver, Barbara (9179)
All are bestsellers published in the last couple of years that received national recognition. The top books show that San Franciscans are “tapped into a bigger conversation about books and want to be a part of the cultural discourse,” Wong said.
While the books cover different topics, from the struggle with addiction and poverty in Appalachia to the dysfunction of the British royal family, Wong says they all have “a riveting storyline, and they allow readers to step into the shoes of someone else and experience, just for a moment, another life.”
In addition to books, the library also included the top vinyl albums of the year, according to library circulation. “The love of vinyl is absolutely in line with San Francisco’s legendary music history,” Wong said. The library saw a rise in vinyl checkouts during the pandemic, and in 2022, they increased the collection by more than 50%, adding thousands of albums, including both contemporary and classic music. In fiscal year 2019, Wong said they circulated 7,226 records, and in fiscal year 2023, the circulation increased to 17,076, up 136%.