# Your Top Ten books of 2020 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [December 31, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387 "2020-12-31T22:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/21 "2021-01-05T21:29:53Z")
Gotcha - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/22 "2021-01-06T01:49:50Z")
> [@susan](#): > > > Stories from Ancient Canaan, edited by Michael D. Coogan and Mark S. Smith > > Added to my wishlist. And also _The History of Ancient Israel_. I read 166 books last year – a vast improvement over the 54 of the previous year. Most were dead-tree versions, but I did download a few (as PDFs) from the Gutenbeerg Project. The first three listed here are the ones I picked as the best three of the year. The others are in no particular order. 1. _A Study in Sable_, by Mercedes Lackey An excellent combination of her “Elemental Magic” series and Sherlock Holmes, set during the period when Holmes is in hiding after “The Final Problem”. Four sequels thus far; I hope she writes more. 2. _The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August_, by Claire North An interesting take on the “man dies, is reborn, dies, is reborn, &c” story. 3. _Ashley’s War_, by Gayle Tzamach Lemmon Non-fiction, about the first Cultural Support Team: Female soldiers trained to accompany US troops and interact with female civilians in Afghanistan. Interesting concept, interesting story, brought tears to my eyes near the end. 4. _The Old Man_, by Thomas Perry Good story about a former secret agent hiding from his former employers, who think he has turned traitor. 5. _Metzger’s Dog_, by Thomas Perry A comedy/thriller about a group of small-time crooks who take on the CIA. At least the fourth time I’ve read it. I read eight other books by Perry last year; he always has interesting characters and suitably tangled plots, and he throws in some interesting twists here and there. 6. _Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance_, by Lois McMaster Bujold Part of Bujold’s SF Vorkosigan Saga. Good plotting, with humour mixed in – “Ivan, You Idiot,” is the main character in this one. 7. _The Pursuit of the Pankera_, by Robert A Heinlein A revised version of _The Number of the Beast_, which was apparently written at the same time – I personally think the wrong one got published originally. 🙂 The first 150 pages of the two books are almost identical, but then this one goes off in a different direction. And Lazarus Long stays almost completely out of the way, which is A Good Thing. That’s only seven, but I’m going to stop here. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/23 "2021-01-06T02:32:11Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > _Study in Sable_ , by Mercedes Lackey On your recommendation just went to my library’s Libby app and downloaded it. Always glad for a good lead. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/24 "2021-06-03T17:31:44Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > _The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August_ , by Claire North > An interesting take on the “man dies, is reborn, dies, is reborn, &c” story. Really enjoyed that one! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/25 "2025-04-04T22:21:47Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > - [The Westing Game](https://www.amazon.com/Westing-Game-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/014240120X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+westing+game+ellen+raskin&qid=1609544105&s=books&sr=1-1) by Ellen Raskin - For kids? I guess, but it’s my favorite mystery book and I read it this Christmas break with my kids. It still holds up. A great book and a lot like Harper Lee, Raskin only had one great novel in her. > > I read quite a few other books, but none were all that amazing. Those wer I had many bumps to choose from, and I chose this one. Two unpublished Raskin books have been found, and one is a Westing Game sequel! [Sale of Ellen Raskin Estate Reveals Unpublished ‘Westing Game’ Sequel](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/97266-sale-of-ellen-raskin-estate-reveals-unpublished-westing-game-sequel.html) (also, The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) is also a great book) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387/26 "2025-04-05T00:49:42Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Two unpublished Raskin books have been found, and one is a Westing Game sequel! WOW. Thank you for sharing. I had no idea. I wonder if this will ever really be published. I’d buy it day 1. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-books-of-2020/929387.md?page=1)