Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction

The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction (Yearly Award), 27 Books

The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction, which 'is one of the world's most prestigious awards for non-fiction writing'. It was called the Samuel Johnson Prize before 2016.

33 Essential Works of Fiction By Iranian Writers

Literary Hub (2020), 33 Books

This list, titled '100 Essential Books by Iranian Writers: An Introduction & Nonfiction,' was curated by Niloufar Talebi and published by the Asian American Writers' Workshop (AAWW). It aims to highlight significant works by Iranian writers that are available in English, both from within Iran and the diaspora, with a focus on overcoming the challenges of censorship, lack of governmental support, and geopolitical obstacles that limit the dissemination of Iranian literature internationally. The selection criteria emphasized works that resist stereotypes and offer diverse perspectives beyond historical events like the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The list includes books published between 2000 and 2020 and prioritizes a broad representation of authors, with only one title per writer, and excludes theatrical, journalistic, sociological, and scholarly works. This effort seeks to foster cultural exchange and elevate Iranian literature's status within world literature, encouraging a re-centering of Iranian cultural identity beyond Western validation.

A Science Canon (Ian McEwan)

The Guardian (2006), 15 Books

Thirty years ago, Richard Dawkins published his groundbreaking book The Selfish Gene. Ian McEwan argues that it is part of a long history of literary science writing, in which the pursuit of truth and the excitement of new ideas is conveyed in luminous prose

Mythopoeic Awards

The Mythopoeic Awards (Yearly Award), 98 Books

The Mythopoeic Awards for literature and literary studies are given annually for outstanding works in the fields of myth, fantasy, and the scholarly study of these areas.

An Updated Canon: 72 Books Every Man Should Read

InsideHook (2025), 72 Books

This list is a curated guide from InsideHook that presents an “updated canon” of 72 books intended to refresh the tired, traditional “books every man should read” bailiwick by spotlighting contemporary or newly framed works paired with older classics as thematic or spiritual complements; selections were made not as a definitive must-read syllabus but as an intensely edited bookshelf of staff recommendations, with each entry accompanied by a short staff note explaining why it was chosen and how it links to a classic predecessor. The Editors at InsideHook oversaw the project and the methodology is explicit: pick 72 new (broadly defined) titles, pair each with a classic that shares a theme or lineage, have members of the editorial team write the recommendation blurbs, and vet product links independently (affiliate links disclosed), with interactive UI features to expand each recommendation on the site.

Who Voted: 12 people voted -- Hanna Agro, Tobias Carroll, Amanda Gabriele, Tanner Garrity, Alex Lauer, Zoe de Leon, Logan Mahan, Kirk Miller, Lindsay Rogers, Paolo Sandoval, Joanna Sommer, Bonnie Stiernberg

17 Books That You’ll Cancel Plans to Finish

Oprah (2025), 17 Books

This list, titled '17 Books That You’ll Cancel Plans to Finish,' is curated by editors at Oprah Daily and aims to highlight books that are so compelling they will capture readers' full attention, potentially disrupting their daily routines. The selection criteria focus on narratives with gripping characters and plots that resonate long after reading. The list is curated by a team including Charley Burlock, Trish Bendix, Michelle Hart, Marion Winik, and Bethanne Patrick, indicating a professional editorial approach rather than a public vote. The curated list is intended to showcase books that offer more than just an escape, but stories that become an integral part of the reader's life. Each book is selected based on its ability to deeply engage and linger in the reader's mind, ensuring they are hard to put down.

The Best Of The Century

TIME (1999), 9 Books

This list is from Time Magazine from Dec. 31, 1999. This lists the best books of the 20th century. It only has Children's Books, Fiction, and non-fiction, and only lists 1 book as the winner, and the rest as runners up

The Top 10 Feminist Books

Guardian (2014), 10 Books

Gender-based inequality remains the greatest global injustice and the struggle against it spans millennia and continents. These books make us more impatient for change, but they may also be turned to in dark hours when it feels change might never come. Feminism is no impulse or outcome of modernity. As these books show, it has been around for centuries. We don't need to re-invent the wheel, or number what "wave" we are now riding; we need to harness an atomic rocket to it.

By Rachel Holmes, a cultural historian whose work combines meticulous biographical research with an ability to bring the lives and times of her 19th-century subjects vividly to life. Eleanor Marx: A Life (2014) and The Hottentot Venus: The life and death of Saartjie Baartman (2008) is some of her published works.

Women's Prize for Non-Fiction

Women's Prize (Yearly Award), 2 Books

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction is an annual book award run by the Women’s Prize Trust that celebrates exceptional narrative non-fiction written by women. It’s open to women writers worldwide whose books are published in the UK and written in English, and it rewards work chosen for excellence, originality, and accessibility—with the winner receiving £30,000 plus a limited-edition artwork called “the Charlotte.”

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing

The Orwell Foundation (Yearly Award), 36 Books

The Orwell Prize is the pre-eminent British prize for political writing. Prizes are awarded each year: one each for non-fiction and fiction (fiction first awarded in 2019).

Nightmare Magazine's Top 100 Horror Books

Nightmare Magazine (2013), 100 Books

Worlds Without End consulted with the experts at Nightmare Magazine to curate a list of the best horror books.

who voted?
The main article implies that Nightmare Magazine has 2 editors

The 25 Best Science-Fiction Books of All Time

Spy.com (2020), 25 Books

Timothy Beck Werth, an avid Science Fiction book reader and collector, made a list of The 25 Best Science-Fiction Books of All Time, for Spy.com

Anasoft Litera Laureates

Anasoft Litera (Yearly Award), 19 Books

Anasoft Litera is a Slovak literary prize, awarded annually for the best Slovak prosaic literary work.

The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the 2010s

Time (2020), 10 Books

This list features TIME's selection of the ten best nonfiction books of the 2010s, curated by the TIME Staff. The list highlights works that capture universal human experiences through the intimate stories of individuals, reflecting on themes such as grief, recovery, and societal challenges. The selection criteria focus on narrative quality, the ability to provide deep insights, and the impact of uncovering truths that resonate broadly. The books are presented in order of their publication year, showcasing a decade's achievements in nonfiction writing. The methodology emphasizes narrative impact and thematic depth, as selected by TIME's editorial team.

Tomes for the Home

The Daily Spectrum (2000), 46 Books

Four prominent people in Utah (an English professor, a bookstore owner, a historian, and a librarian) list their personal essential reads that everyone should own.

The 101 GREATEST PLAYS of the Past 100 Years (1920-2020)

Broadway World (2020), 102 Books

The 101 GREATEST PLAYS of the Past 100 Years (1920-2020) as determined by Peter Nason

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

PEN/Faulkner (Yearly Award), 45 Books

The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the author of the best American work of fiction that year. The winner receives US $15,000 and each of four runners-up receives US $5000. The foundation brings the winner and runners-up to Washington, D.C. to read from their works at the Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library.

The PEN/Faulkner Foundation is an outgrowth of William Faulkner's generosity in donating his 1949 Nobel Prize winnings, "to establish a fund to support and encourage new fiction writers." Mary Lee Settle was also one of the founders after controversy at the 1979 National Book Award.[1] It is affiliated with the writers' organization International PEN.
The award was first given in 1980.

Must-read Sci-Fi Classics

Penguin Books (2023), 12 Books

Must-read Sci-Fi Classics from John Self at Penguin Books

12 Polish Books You Have to Read

In Your Pocket (2024), 13 Books

This list is a curated collection of Polish literature that showcases the rich tapestry of the nation's literary heritage. It includes accessible English translations of works spanning various periods, genres, and writing styles. The selection highlights significant moments in Poland's history, such as the surge in cultural works during the 123 years of partition (1795-1918) when authors like Adam Mickiewicz penned classics like "Pan Tadeusz" to preserve national identity. It also features avant-garde writers from the early 20th century, including Witold Gombrowicz and Czesław Miłosz, who brought new perspectives following Poland's regained independence in 1918. The list reflects the profound impact of World War II and Communist rule on Polish literature, showcasing the diverse responses—from Stanisław Lem's science fiction to Wisława Szymborska's contemplative poetry—that contrast with earlier romantic works. By focusing on books that are both significant and reader-friendly, this list aims to introduce you to the beauty and dynamic nature of Polish literature, reflecting its complex history and cultural richness.

Third World Novels… The Top 10

New Internationalist (1989), 10 Books

There are many gifted Third World writers who can
help you transcend barriers of language and tradition
but you might find it difficult to know where to start. As a guide,
the NI has chosen its ten best novels - the ones which are both
enjoyable to read and give a vivid impression of life in developing
countries. They are not listed in any significant order.

who voted?
I researched this list and could only find information on 1 single person working on this list

Potter, Pi, and Pilgrim: What any library of the aughts ought to contain (Best from Canada Honorable Mentions)

The National Post (newspaper) (2010), 8 Books

The National Post, a famous and popular Canadian newspaper published an article in January of 2010 about the best books of the 2000s. They did both Canadian specific, International specific, as well as honorable mentions for both lists. This list is the Honorable Mention Canadian novels of the 2000s.

They asked a broad selection of Canadian writers, critics, editors, agents, bloggers, and others who work in the publishing industry.

The Graphic Canon

Book (2012), 171 Books

The classic canon of Western civilization meets the artists and illustrators who have remade reading in the last years of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century in Russ Kick's magisterial, three-volume, full-color The Graphic Canon, volumes 1, 2, and 3. - Amazon