The best books for summer 2019, according to data

Jul 17, 2019

This article is published in collaboration with Quartz.

A model reads a book prior to the Spring 2008 Duckie Brown collection during New York Fashion Week September 5, 2007. REUTERS/Eric Thayer (UNITED STATES) - GM1DWBZZALAA

A statistical look at the best books this summer. Image: REUTERS/Eric Thayer

Amanda Shendruk

Visual Journalist, The Things Team, Quartz

I haven’t read any of the 45 books I’m about to recommend to you.

Even so, my confidence in them is high. In search of the season’s most-endorsed reads, Quartz analyzed every 2019 summer book list we could find, from Bill Gates to Bloomberg, Bustle, and Buzzfeed.

Encompassing 67 lists and 1,428 individual recommendations, it’s arguably the most statistically sound summer reading list on the internet.

Image: Quartz

For the most part, lists varied significantly. Of the 920 books recommended, most appeared on only one list. But we were searching for the stand-out reads that popped up often across different lists. And we found them: here are the 45 titles that appear on five or more lists. Nearly all are fiction, and 89% are written by women.

Image: Quartz

* Books not yet released as of July 8.

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