# Barnes & Noble 2026 Book of the Year Finalists > Barnes & Noble names 16 books for 2026 Book of the Year award. - Title: Barnes & Noble 2026 Book of the Year Finalists · Woman's World - Summary: Barnes & Noble names 16 books for 2026 Book of the Year award. Barnes & Noble selects 16 books as finalists for its 2026 Book of the Year award, including… - Keywords: barnes & noble, 2026 book of the year, kathryn stockett, mary beth keane, colson whitehead, barbara kingsolver, yesteryear, strangers a memoir of marriage, patrick radden keefe, Woman's World - Source: Woman's World — https://womansworld.com/entertainment/books/barnes-noble-2026-book-of-the-year-finalists-7-must-reads - Author: Carissa Mosness - Published: 2026-11-07T20:30:24+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: barnes & noble, 2026 book of the year, kathryn stockett, mary beth keane, colson whitehead, barbara kingsolver, yesteryear, strangers a memoir of marriage, patrick radden keefe ## Barnes & Noble 2026 Book of the Year Finalists Barnes & Noble has announced 16 finalists for its 2026 Book of the Year award. ## Finalists Include Colson Whitehead, Barbara Kingsolver, Kathryn Stockett The finalists include novels by Colson Whitehead, Barbara Kingsolver and Kathryn Stockett. ## Seven Favorite Picks Span Multiple Genres Our seven favorite picks span historical fiction, family sagas, memoirs and true crime. ## 2026 Finalists Based on Bookshelf Love Barnes & Noble chose 16 books as finalists based on what books their bookshelves loved. ## Last Year's Winner: Mona's Eyes Last year’s pick was Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlessler, a novel about a 10-year-old girl and her grandfather on their quest to visit art museums across Europe. ## The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett is set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, and follows Birdie, an unmarried woman in her 20s, and Meg, an 11-year-old orphan. > The Calamity Club made me laugh, cry and even reconsider my own life. A great book to share with a mother or sister. Kathryn Stockett’s eclectic cast of characters really stick with you. ## Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane is set in 1960s Ireland and follows Mac, who moves to America after a tragedy tears his family of 11 brothers apart. > What a beautiful book! Mary Beth Keane has crafted a family saga that somehow feels both vast and intimate. The story follows 11 brothers from Ireland scattered to the wind across decades, and the choices and factors of their lives that bring them together or separate them. What Keane excels at is showing how family ties span these divides and generations, bringing relatives together even if they’ve never met. ## Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead is the third novel in his bestselling Harlem Trilogy, set in 1980s New York City. > Cool Machine is the third book in the Harlem Trilogy and it is a gem. Not a traditional novel, but three separate stories separated by 2-3 years and populated with the same group of characters. I blew through this in a couple of days. You don’t have to read the first two books in the trilogy but I strongly recommend them. A rich, satisfying read. ## Partita by Barbara Kingsolver Partita by Barbara Kingsolver follows Livia Bohuszn, who finds peace in piano after her brother’s death and later becomes a happily married mother and farmer. > This is a beautifully written story with an interesting perspective on music and ambition through the eyes of a former piano prodigy. Music lovers will appreciate the references, while the story itself is captivating. I loved it! ## Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke follows Natalie Heller Mills, a "trad-wife" influencer who wakes up in an old-fashioned house with no electricity. > Yesteryear is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you finish the last page. The storytelling is beautifully crafted, the characters feel authentic and the emotional depth is unforgettable. Every chapter drew me in, balancing nostalgia, hope and heartfelt moments perfectly. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with meaningful themes. ## Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden, granddaughter of Babe Paley, one of Truman Capote’s best friends, details her divorce during the pandemic. > I knew what to expect when going into this book but wow I was so pleasantly shocked. This story really takes the reader on the insane and true story of this marriage. I’m usually not a big nonfiction reader but the summary for this one stuck with me. Womanhood, trust, friendship, betrayal and family. WOW what a memoir! ## London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe reveals a young man’s suicide and his family’s search for truth after MI5 captured footage of him jumping into the River Thames. > London Falling is a deeply fascinating and troubling examination of our times. It begins as an investigation into the death of a young man, a suicide or possibly a murder, and then widens into something far larger and more unsettling. The result is a portrait of a world that exists behind the world we believe we live in, populated by a vast cast of characters. Patrick Radden Keefe handles all of it with a patient investigator’s eye, and the story never loses its human center. Gripping, disturbing and illuminating, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how power and money really operate. ## 2026 Winner Announced November 12 Barnes & Noble will announce the winning book on Thursday, November 12. ## Key takeaway Barnes & Noble selects 16 books as finalists for its 2026 Book of the Year award, including novels by Colson Whitehead, Barbara Kingsolver, and Kathryn Stockett.