I love lists. When I find a list of great books, I am eager to see what others count as and think about them, especially those from the staff of The Guardian and The New York Times Book Review. The main difference between the “New York Times Best Books of the 21st Century” and “The Guardian Best Books of the 21st Century” is that they represent different editorial perspectives and criteria used to select “best” books, potentially leading to different lists with varying titles, even though they cover the same time period; while the books on both lists were likely written during the 21st century, the lists themselves were compiled at different times by each publication, with their own curators and selection methods.
Key points to consider: The New York Times might prioritize commercially successful or widely acclaimed American literature, while The Guardian may place more emphasis on international voices and diverse genres; each publication likely used a panel of reviewers and editors to curate their lists, which could lead to different opinions on which books stand out as the “best;” and, while the lists focus on 21st century books, the actual publication dates of the “best of” lists differ (The Guardian published in 2019, The New York Times published in 2024) and one list could include more recent titles than the other.
