45 Highlights from 2019

This year’s subjective list of books we thought worthy of particular mention over the past 12 months. Fiction (in translation and not), poetry, short stories, essays, history, biography, literature, culture, politics, society, journalism, children’s books covering Asia from the Pacific to the Mediterranean, from Siberia to India.

The year refers to the date of review, not of publication. Click on the title or book cover for the review.

 

History

 

 

 

Society and culture

 

 

 

Biography

 

 

 

Novels in translation

 

 

 

Novels in English

 

Short stories

 

Poetry

 

Children’s books