How Did The New York Times Select Its Best Books Of 2017?

As a big reader following literary prizes, I'm puzzled by The New York Times Best Books 2017 process—is it one editor's call or a team vote? The selection criteria feel vague compared to other annual book lists.
2026-08-05 19:17:47
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16 الإجابات

EmilyBlue
EmilyBlue
Story Interpreter Driver
I bet the practicalities are mundane. Spreadsheets, email threads, meetings that run too long, someone bringing bagels. The romantic ideal of literary debate is probably half the story; the other half is scheduling conflicts and editorial fatigue. They have a deadline to hit for the holiday season issue, so eventually, a list gets locked in, whether it's perfect or not.

This isn't to diminish the work, but to humanize it. Even at the Times, making a 'best of' list is a job with constraints. The final product is a blend of high-minded criticism and everyday office logistics.
2026-08-06 19:35:58
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AlinaRay
AlinaRay
Clear Answerer Worker
I wonder how much the personal reading habits of the editors influence the genres represented. If the team has several mystery fans, does that increase the odds of a thriller making the cut? If no one reads sci-fi, does that genre get overlooked even if a masterpiece was published? The methodology is only as diverse as the selectors' own tastes and reading backgrounds, which is a built-in limitation of any such list.
2026-08-06 23:20:29
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LeoAsh
LeoAsh
Book Guide Veterinarian
It's interesting to think about what doesn't make the list. For every 'Sing, Unburied, Sing,' there are dozens of equally acclaimed novels that fell just short. The methodology creates a shadow list of near-misses that could have easily been the official picks on a different day with a slightly different group dynamic. The official list is somewhat arbitrary in that sense—a snapshot of one consensus at one moment in time.
2026-08-07 04:23:48
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JaceOwens
JaceOwens
Expert Translator
The short answer is: we don't know, and they don't tell us. Any description is speculation based on interviews with past editors. It's a curated list, not a data-driven one. They probably have a set of internal guidelines, like all books must have been published in that calendar year and received a review in the Times. After that, it's debate, persuasion, and ultimately, an editor-in-chief's final say.

The value isn't in the replicable process; it's in the curation itself. It's one filter applied to the thousands of books published. You can choose to trust that filter or seek out others that align more with your personal tastes.
2026-08-07 12:42:32
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TaliaRay
TaliaRay
Careful Explainer Cashier
I read an old Nieman Lab article that interviewed a former editor. Apparently, it starts in summer with assistants compiling a master spreadsheet of every book the paper has reviewed. Editors then highlight contenders. Come fall, they meet repeatedly, with each person making a case for their top picks. It's described as both collegial and fiercely competitive.

The list isn't ranked, which avoids some arguments. They're just looking for the ten or so books that, together, represent a year in reading. Sometimes a book gets on because it was a 'sleeper' that an editor fought hard for. Other times, a big, buzzy book is included almost by default because ignoring it would seem out of touch.
2026-08-08 06:52:23
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How does a book get selected as a New York Times best book?

14 الإجابات2026-08-05 14:20:11
The regional reporting is key. A book about a local issue that sells incredibly well in the Pacific Northwest might not make the national list if its sales are too geographically concentrated. The Times' panel of stores is designed to be nationally representative. So a book can be a bona fide regional bestseller and still be invisible to the list. 'National' bestseller is a specific, and limiting, designation.

How does the New York Times select best books of the year?

12 الإجابات2026-08-05 19:30:05
It's not just one list, either. They have '100 Notable Books' first, then whittle it down to the top 10. The notable list is itself a curated selection from thousands. So the process is two-tiered: first, inclusion in the notable list (a huge honor), then the fierce competition for the final cut. Being on the longlist means you've been seriously considered by their entire books team. The final ten are the ones that survived the brutal comparative debates.

How did the New York Times select its best books of 2016 list?

8 الإجابات2026-08-05 04:13:08
Imagine the relief when it's over. The list is published, the tweets go out, the articles are written. The editors probably take a day off, exhausted. Then the cycle starts again in January with the first advance readers copies of the next year. The 'how' is a marathon, not a sprint. It's a year-long process of reading, discussing, and filtering that culminates in a few intense weeks of decision-making. The published list is the tip of a massive iceberg of labor, passion, and inevitable disagreement. It's a testament to the messy, wonderful, subjective human love of stories.

How did the New York Times select its best books of 2015 list?

9 الإجابات2026-08-05 09:28:18
The secret ingredient is time. The editors have read these books months apart. Part of the process, I suspect, involves re-reading key passages or at least refreshing their memory to see which ones still resonate after the initial hype has faded. A book that felt urgent in March might feel slight in November. That re-evaluation period is crucial. It's why the list comes out in late November or December—they're giving themselves time for second thoughts and to see which books have staying power within their own minds. The 'best' book is often the one they can't stop thinking about, even after reading fifty others.

How did the New York Times choose its best books of 2017?

11 الإجابات2026-08-05 22:28:28
The process likely involves a ton of reading outside one's comfort zone. A critic who specializes in poetry has to fairly evaluate a massive work of history. That's tough. They must rely heavily on each other's expertise. 'Hey, you're the biography person, is this one as good as they say?' That collaborative checking is part of the quality control. It's not just one person's taste; it's a network of trusted tastes, which theoretically leads to a more robust final product. Unless they all have the same blind spots, which is always the risk.

How does the New York Times select its best fiction books?

12 الإجابات2026-08-05 13:44:46
As an aspiring writer, the list is a goalpost. It represents a certain pinnacle of recognition from the literary establishment. You study the books that make it, trying to understand the alchemy of style, theme, and timing. It's maddening because there's no formula, but it sets a standard of ambition to strive for, even if your own voice is completely different.

How does the New York Times choose its 10 best books each year?

14 الإجابات2026-08-05 12:32:05
Remember when they used to split it into fiction and nonfiction? I kind of miss that. Having a top five for each category gave more room for variety. The combined top ten feels more competitive and harsh, like a nonfiction book is directly ‘beating’ a novel for a scarce slot.

How does the New York Times choose the best books of all time?

9 الإجابات2026-08-05 09:53:28
Word of mouth among the cultural elite. Certain books attain a status where it becomes unthinkable to not include them. It's a self-perpetuating cycle: the Times includes a book, which solidifies its classic status, which ensures the next generation of editors includes it too. The 'how' is often tradition. Breaking that cycle to include new voices is the hard part.

How does NYT decide the best book of the year?

5 الإجابات2025-06-06 06:39:36
I’ve always been fascinated by how 'The New York Times' curates its annual best books list. The process isn’t just about popularity or sales—it’s a meticulous blend of editorial judgment, cultural relevance, and literary merit. The editors consider a book’s impact, originality, and storytelling prowess, often debating passionately behind the scenes. They also weigh reader feedback and critical reception, but the final decision rests on which books resonate most profoundly with the current zeitgeist. What’s intriguing is how they balance genres, ensuring fiction, nonfiction, and even niche works like graphic novels get their due. For instance, last year’s pick, 'The Candy House' by Jennifer Egan, stood out for its inventive narrative structure, while 'Stay True' by Hua Hsu won hearts with its raw, autobiographical depth. The list isn’t just a ranking—it’s a snapshot of the year’s most transformative stories.

How does the New York Times pick best books of all time?

12 الإجابات2026-08-05 06:38:51
The role of the individual critic's passion is key. One editor's lifelong advocacy for a particular author can sometimes tip the scales. The process isn't purely democratic; it's swayed by charisma, persistence, and the ability to make a compelling case in a room. So in a way, the list is a record of who argued most persuasively on a given day, filtered through layers of institutional history.
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