The best books of 2014
On The Daily Circuit, we looked back at the best books of 2014. Listeners — plus guests Ron Charles and Rebecca Joines Schinsky — shared their favorites
Novels
• "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
• "Book of Strange New Things" by Michel Faber
• "The Commandant of Lubizec" by Patrick Hicks
• "Fourth of July Creek" by Smith Henderson
• "The Free" by Willy Vlautin
• "Greenmantle" by John Buchan
• "Land of Love and Drowning" by Tiphanie Yanique
• "Lila" by Marilynne Robinson
• "Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932" by Francine Prose (Listen to Prose on The Daily Circuit, May 5, 2014)
• "The Narrow Road to the Deep North" by Richard Flanagan
• "The Orenda" Joseph Boyden (Listen to Boyden on The Daily Circuit, May 21, 2014)
• "The Paying Guests" by Sarah Waters
• "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel
• "Sleep Donation" by Karen Russell
• "To Rise Again at a Decent Hour" by Joshua Ferris
• "Wolf in White Van" by John Darnielle
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Short Story Collections
• "Christmas Beyond the Box" by Joshua Langston
• "Prison Noir" edited by Joyce Carol Oates
• "Redeployment" by Phil Klay
• "Something Rich and Strange" by Ron Rash (Listen to Rash on The Daily Circuit, Nov. 6, 2014)
• "Tehran Noir" edited by Salar Abdoh
Nonfiction
• "The Empathy Exams" by Leslie Jamison
• "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy" by Karen Abbott (Listen to Abbott on The Daily Circuit, Nov. 10, 2014)
• "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler
Local connections
• "A Brief History of Seven Killings" by Marlon James
James is a professor at Macalester College in St. Paul. His novel "Seven Killings" was called "epic in every sense of that word," by The New York Times. (Listen to James on The Daily Circuit, Sept. 29, 2014)
• "Fly a Little Higher" by Laura Sobiech
The story of Minnesota teen Zach Sobiech and his battle with cancer reached millions when his song "Clouds" hit number one on iTunes. In "Higher," Zach's mother reflects on how her son touched millions with his music. (Listen to Laura Sobiech on The Daily Circuit, Nov. 14, 2014)
• "Sacred Wilderness" by Susan Power
Power lives in St. Paul and is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Her first novel, "Grass Dancer," won the PEN/Hemingway award for best new fiction.
Find more picks from our listeners in the comments below.
Find more picks from our listeners in the comments below.
Other lists:
• NPR's Book Concierge
• 100 Notable Books of 2014 (New York Times)
• The ten best books of 2014 (Washington Post)
• Writers pick the best books of 2014 (The Guardian)
• Slate Staff Picks
• The Best Books of 2014 (Book Riot)
• Best Books For Fall 2014 (Huffington Post)
What was your favorite book of 2014? Leave titles in the comments below.