The Best Books of 2024, as Chosen by Smithsonian Scholars

by Smithsonian Magazine

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11 books

Staff at the Institution pick their favorite reads of the year, including riveting memoirs, fascinating true histories and fun fiction.

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See the source list and commentary at www.smithsonianmag.com

Building the Worlds That Kill Us

Disease, Death, and Inequality in American History

David Rosner, Gerald Markowitz, 2024

Remember the First Ladies

The Legacies of America's History-Making Women

Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, Nancy Kegan Smith, 2023

Clouds in Space

Nebulae, Stardust, and Us

Teresa Robeson, 2024

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue

Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion

Julie Satow, 2024

The Manicurist's Daughter

Susan Lieu, 2024

Into the Great Wide Ocean

Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth

Sönke Johnsen, 2024

Insatiable City

Food and Race in New Orleans

Theresa McCulla, 2024

The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins, 2024

The Jewish Holiday Table

A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long

Naama Shefi, Devra Ferst, 2024

The African Decor Edit

Collecting and Decorating with Heritage Objects

Nasozi Kakembo, 2024

The Ministry of Time

Kaliane Bradley, 2024