The best books of August 2020, according to Amazon's editors

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Emily HeinAug 4, 2020, 02:37 IST
The best books of August 2020, according to Amazon's editors

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Amazon; Alyssa Powell/Business Insider

August: The title of a release off of Taylor Swift's surprise new album, a month that feels notoriously long (especially so in 2020), and an ideal month to pick up a summer read.

Usually the season of packed rooftop bars, backyard barbecues, and beach getaways, this August feels somewhat eerie as social distancing measures persist. While reading can't necessarily eradicate the unsettling nature of the current times, enjoying a deep read remains both a healthy coping mechanism and an effective way to pass the extra time many of us are spending at home.

If you're looking to round out your summer with a new reading list, Amazon's book editors have you covered. These August reads are so highly anticipated that this month's list includes 12 picks, compared to the usual monthly top 10.

Amazon's latest curated list spans a wide range of topics from coming of age novels to anticipatory thrillers, and the selected titles include something for virtually every type of reader. Stephanie Meyer's infamous young adult "Twilight" saga gets a resurgence with "Midnight Sun," which tells the original story from the perspective of Edward. Meanwhile, astrophysicist Sara Seager's profound and heart-wrenching memoir, "The Smallest Lights in the Universe," explores the idea of connection within and beyond Earth in the wake of a major tragedy.

Here are the top 12 books of August 2020, according to Amazon's editors:

Captions have been provided by Erin Kodicek, editor of books, and Kindle at Amazon.com.

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"Migrations" by Charlotte McConaghy

"Migrations" by Charlotte McConaghy
Amazon

Part adventure story, part love story, "Migrations" follows a woman who goes to the ends of the earth in search of herself, and what just might be the last migration of a particular bird species.

"Luster" by Raven Leilani

"Luster" by Raven Leilani
Amazon

Touching on race relations, sexual expression, and economic disparity, Raven Leilani's haunting and provocative debut is about a struggling artist who becomes part of a white suburban couple's open marriage experiment.

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"Memorial Drive" by Nathasha Trethewey

"Memorial Drive" by Nathasha Trethewey
Amazon

In this heart-wrenching memoir, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Nathasha Trethewey recounts how childhood trauma and the fierce love of her mother shaped her heart, mind, and art.

"Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson

"Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson
Amazon

In journalist Isabel Wilkerson's eye-opening "Caste," she argues that we aren't just a racially-divided country, we're separated by castes—those unofficial but real divisions that have existed for hundreds of years and need to be acknowledged in order for things to change.

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"Sweet Sorrow" by David Nicholls

"Sweet Sorrow" by David Nicholls
Amazon

The author of the breakout hit "One Day" returns with another endearing yarn about 16-year-old Charlie Lewis who tries to turn his frown upside down by joining a theater troupe, for this Romeo is smitten with a certain Juliet.

"The Eighth Detective" by Alex Pavesi

"The Eighth Detective" by Alex Pavesi
Amazon

In this page-turning thriller, a woman re-editing a mystery becomes suspicious of typos the book's meticulous author wouldn't be careless enough to make. She soon realizes these typos may, in fact, be clues to a real life murder. And she might be the next victim.

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"A Mind Spread Out on the Ground" by Alicia Elliot

"A Mind Spread Out on the Ground" by Alicia Elliot
Amazon

Alicia Elliott's insightful memoir argues that Native people are often seen as disposable by the primarily white culture of the US and Canada, and examines the ways in which that prejudice affects how they see themselves.

"Wandering in Strange Lands" by Morgan Jerkins

"Wandering in Strange Lands" by Morgan Jerkins
Amazon

Eschewing her family's credo of only looking forward and never looking back, cultural critic Morgan Jerkins explores the displacement of Black people across America through a very personal lens.

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"Midnight Sun" by Stephenie Meyer

"Midnight Sun" by Stephenie Meyer
Amazon

Fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series will want to sink their teeth into "Midnight Sun," a recounting of Bella and Edward's epic love story from the vampire's point of view.

"Winter Counts" by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

"Winter Counts" by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
Amazon

Virgil Wounded Horse is a local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, whose jurisdiction does not extend to felonies. This provides encouragement to criminals, something Virgil can't abide.

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"Vesper Flights" by Helen Macdonald

"Vesper Flights" by Helen Macdonald
Amazon

In the vein of her much-lauded memoir, "H Is for Hawk," Helen Macdonald returns with a magical collection of essays that uncovers the poetry and power of the natural world.

"The Smallest Lights in the Universe" by Sara Seager

"The Smallest Lights in the Universe" by Sara Seager
Amazon

From "an astronomical Indiana Jones" (NASA) comes a compelling memoir combining Sara Seager's deeply painful story of trying to navigate becoming a widow, and her endless curiosity for discovering life beyond earth.

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