History's Best Selling Books of 2020

Hats off to 2020! Few books commanded as much fanfare and nationwide excitement as Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown. Alongside sensationally popular hits like Untamed and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, consumers eagerly embraced the Y2K fever and early digital revolution. Pioneering outfits from industry leaders like Jeff Kinney and Glennon Doyle set the standard for quality, producing celebrated items that dominated airwaves and playground buzz alike. Browse our definitive retrospective below to rediscover the genuine articles of the era.

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown

   Released in 2020 by Jeff Kinney, Amulet Books

   The release of 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown' in October 2020 marked yet another highly anticipated event for millions of young readers and their parents worldwide. As the thirteenth installment in Jeff Kinney's massively popular series, this book was a guaranteed cultural phenomenon, continuing the saga of Greg Heffley's middle-school mishaps. Its launch was met with characteristic excitement, cementing the series' status as a cornerstone of contemporary children's literature and a consistent presence on bestseller lists. The book's engaging blend of humor and relatable scenarios ensured its immediate and widespread popularity, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the Wimpy Kid universe.

2. Untamed

   Released in 2020 by Glennon Doyle, The Dial Press

   Untamed by Glennon Doyle exploded onto the literary scene in March 2020, precisely when the world was bracing for unprecedented change. Far from being overshadowed by global events, its release perfectly coincided with a collective yearning for authenticity and self-redefinition, quickly establishing it as a cultural phenomenon. Doyle's raw, vulnerable, and empowering memoir offered a profound counter-narrative to societal expectations, resonating deeply with millions of readers navigating their own personal and global upheavals. It wasn't just a book; it became a rallying cry for women to reclaim their true selves and embrace their wild, untamed spirits during a time of immense uncertainty and introspection, making it an instant classic.

3. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

   Released in 2020 by Suzanne Collins, Scholastic Press

   Released on May 19, 2020, 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' instantly commanded global attention, serving as a highly anticipated prequel to Suzanne Collins’s phenomenally successful 'The Hunger Games' trilogy. Its launch amidst a worldwide pandemic offered readers a much-needed escape, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon that dominated bestseller lists. Fans eagerly returned to the dystopian world of Panem, drawn by the promise of uncovering the origins of the tyrannical President Snow and the brutal Games themselves, making it one of the most talked-about literary events of the year and reaffirming Collins's storytelling prowess.

4. Too Much and Never Enough

   Released in 2020 by Mary L. Trump, Simon & Schuster

   Released at the height of a contentious election year, Mary L. Trump’s 'Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man' exploded onto the literary scene in July 2020. This deeply personal and unflinching memoir quickly transcended typical book launches, becoming an immediate cultural phenomenon. Its timing, just months before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, amplified its impact, positioning it not merely as a family tell-all, but as a crucial, if controversial, intervention in public discourse. The book’s sensational claims and insider perspective fueled intense public interest, ensuring its place as one of the most talked-about and fastest-selling titles of the decade.

5. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

   Released in 2020 by Isabel Wilkerson, Random House

   Published in 2020, amidst widespread protests for racial justice following [George Floyd]'s murder, 'Caste' offered a timely and groundbreaking lens through which to examine American society. Wilkerson's work argued that the nation's racial divisions are not merely prejudice or racism but a deeply embedded, invisible system of caste. This reframing provided a powerful new vocabulary and analytical framework for both academics and the general public, elevating the conversation beyond individual acts of discrimination to systemic oppression. Its release coincided with a critical moment of national reckoning, making it an essential text for understanding the enduring structures of inequality and racial injustice in America.

6. Midnight Sun

   Released in 2020 by Stephenie Meyer, Little, Brown and Company

   The launch of Stephenie Meyer's 'Midnight Sun' in August 2020 was nothing short of a literary event, electrifying fans worldwide and immediately catapulting the novel onto bestseller lists. After years of fervent anticipation and a decade-long delay following a leaked draft, the book's arrival was a highly celebrated return to the beloved 'Twilight' universe. It wasn't just another book release; it was a cultural phenomenon that offered a much-needed escape during a tumultuous year, re-igniting the 'Twilight' craze and reminding an entire generation of readers why they fell in love with Edward Cullen and Bella Swan in the first place. The timing, amid a global pandemic, amplified its impact, providing comfort and nostalgia.

7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End

   Released in 2020 by Jeff Kinney, Amulet Books

   Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End, the fifteenth installment in Jeff Kinney's globally beloved series, launched in October 2020, offering a much-needed dose of humor and relatability during a year marked by unprecedented global challenges. Its release was a highly anticipated event for millions of young readers and their families worldwide, providing a familiar and comforting escape into the hilarious and often awkward chronicles of Greg Heffley. The book wasn't just another installment; it was a cultural touchstone that resonated deeply, quickly soaring to the top of bestseller lists and reaffirming the franchise's enduring appeal and solidifying its place as a consistent phenomenon in children's literature, even in the midst of a turbulent year.

8. A Promised Land

   Released in 2020 by Barack Obama, Crown

   A Promised Land, the highly anticipated memoir by former President Barack Obama, launched into a bustling literary and cultural landscape on November 17, 2020, instantly becoming a global sensation. Its release captivated audiences worldwide, offering an unprecedented, intimate look into the first term of a transformative presidency. Published during a year marked by profound global challenges and political polarization, the book quickly transcended the typical memoir, evolving into a cultural touchstone. It offered readers a moment of reflection, a journey back to a period of hope and immense pressure, making it not just a bestseller but a significant cultural event in an already historic year. Its immediate and widespread appeal underscored the public's enduring fascination with Obama's leadership and personal narrative.

9. Tropic of Cancer

   Released in 2020 by Henry Miller, Grove Press

   The American publication of Henry Miller's 'Tropic of Cancer' in 2020 by Grove Press was nothing short of a literary atomic bomb, igniting a cultural firestorm across the United States. While initially published in Paris in 1934, its release on American soil nearly three decades later transformed it from a banned book into an instant, notorious bestseller and a symbol of free speech. Its explicit language and sexual content made it a lightning rod for obscenity charges, yet it captivated readers, selling millions of copies and forcing a crucial national conversation about artistic freedom and censorship, forever altering the landscape of American literature.