Books

Fiction

Literary Fiction

• Character driven stories focusing on internal character development and relationships. Often explores broad social issues.

Science Fiction

• Imaginative stories set in the future, on other worlds, or involving technology and science.

Fantasy

• Imaginative stories involving magic, supernatural beings, alternate worlds, etc. Subgenres include high fantasy, urban fantasy, dark fantasy.

Romance

• Stories focused on romantic relationships and love. Subgenres include contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance.

Mystery

• Stories focused on solving a puzzle, crime or mystery. Subgenres include cozy mysteries, police procedurals, detective stories.

Historical Fiction

• Stories set in the past, often with real historical events or figures included.

Young Adult

• Coming of age stories meant for teen readers. Usually with a teenage protagonist.

Nonfiction

Biography/Autobiography

• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X
• Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!
• American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
• Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

History

• Accounts of past events relating to particular places, groups or time periods.

Self-Help

Books intending to counsel readers on personal development and life skills.

• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• How to Talk to Anyone
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• The 4-Hour Workweek
• The 48 Laws of Power
• The 33 Strategies of War
• The Art of Seduction
• The Art of War
• The Prince

Travel

• Stories and information about places and the experience of traveling. Often in a journal or memoir format.

True Crime

• Stories of real crimes and investigations into them.

Science

• Books explaining scientific concepts and discoveries across fields like physics, biology, medicine.

Business/Finance

• Books imparting information about business practices, financial advice, economics, etc.

Cookbooks

• Books of recipes and cooking instructions, often with accompanying anecdotes and advice.

Memoir

• First person autobiographical stories focused on specific periods or events in an author’s life.

History

• Nonfictional accounts of past events relating to particular places, groups, or time periods.