The New York Public Library Announces Its Top Checkouts of 2018, and Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan Tops the List

Media Contact: Angela Montefinise, angelamontefinise@nypl.org

DECEMBER 17, 2018 – The New York Public Library’s top checkout of 2018 is Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.

Egan’s historical novel—written with research she conducted at The New York Public Library—topped the Library’s annual top checkouts list, which includes books and e-books from the Library’s collections. The New York Public Library—which includes 92 locations in The Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island—has about 20 million checkouts per year.

Dan Brown’s thriller Origin debuted at number two on the list this year, while several top titles from 2017 continued to engage readers: Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale rose six spots to number three; J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy and Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad also held strong on the list.

The full list of top system-wide check outs is:

1. ​Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
2. Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
4. Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
5. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
6. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
7. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
8. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by​ ​J. D. Vance
9. The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
10. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid 

“The list of our top checkouts is always a fascinating look at the diversity of the city, and at what books resonate with the most people,” said Lynn Lobash, the Library’s Assistant Director of Readers Services. “To make the top 10 list systemwide, a book needs to speak to a wide variety of personalities; it’s those books, the books with wide appeal that get a lot of attention, that often spark a lifelong love of reading in people. Someone falls in love with the story and continues to explore our shelves and check out more and more.”

“The NYPL system was essential to my research, and it’s incredibly gratifying to think that Manhattan Beach gave something back in return,” said author Jennifer Egan. “Manhattan Beach grew straight out of my love for New York—my adopted home—and involved years of research into the city's wartime shipbuilding, deep sea diving, and criminal activity. The book takes place in all five boroughs, and I can’t fathom a greater honor than to have had it embraced by New Yorkers at public libraries throughout the city!”  

Egan’s book—published by Scribner—was also selected by New Yorkers earlier this year as the City’s official summer read for its annual “One Book, One New York” contest, launched by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. As part of the initiative, Scribner donated hundreds of copies of the winning book to The New York Public Library, as well as to the Queens Library and Brooklyn Public Library, helping all three public library systems meet the enormous demand for the book.

In addition to the top 10 systemwide checkouts, the Library compiled the top books in several other categories, including for each of its three boroughs and at each of its branches. Because these lists are location-based, they do not include e-materials. The full lists are included at the bottom of the release, but the top check outs in each of the three boroughs were:

• The Bronx: Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Manhattan: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Staten Island: Fifty Fifty by Candice Fox and James Patterson

The most popular selections at each branch highlight a diverse range of subjects including Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings at both High Bridge Library in the Bronx and Aguilar Library in Manhattan; the international cookbook The Jewelled Kitchen: A Stunning Collection of Lebanese, Moroccan and Persian Recipes at George Bruce Library; a social media self-help guide Twitter for Dummies at Clason’s Point Library; and the shocking true story The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women at South Beach Library in Staten Island.

The Library also released the year’s number 1 title for the following genres:

• Classics: 1984 by George Orwell
• Comics and Graphic Novels: Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book One  by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Brian Stelfreeze 
• Fantasy: Year One by Nora Roberts
• Horror: It by Stephen King
• Mystery and Detective: Count to Ten by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
• Romance: The Cast by Danielle Steel
• Science Fiction: The Power by Naomi Alderman

The Library offers patrons millions of free books and e-books, as well as a host of other materials, such as periodicals, databases, streaming options, museum passes, and so on. Any New Yorker can get a New York Public Library card at nypl.org/knowledgeispower to begin borrowing, and more are doing just that: the Library has seen a 50% increase in card signups through the first five months of this fiscal year over last year.

“The benefits of reading for pleasure are too numerous to count, and we hope as many New Yorkers as possible will make libraries and books part of their 2019 resolutions,” said Lobash, who shared her insights on the 2018 top checkouts and why reading is so important in “To Read or Not to Read: There Is No Question,” posted this morning on Medium. “Get a library card, save some money, and start a new chapter!”

The 2018 top lists in full are:

Top 10 Books Systemwide

1. ​​Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
2. Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
4. Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
5. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
6. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
7. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
8. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by​ ​J. D. Vance
9. The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
10. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid 

Top 10 Books in the Bronx

1. Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
2. TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review, 2017-2018 by Kaplan
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
4. The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson
5. Red Alert by Marshall Karp and James Patterson
6. The 17th Suspect by James Patterson
7. Haunted by James O. Born and James Patterson
8. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
9. Count to Ten by ​James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
10. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff

Top 10 Books in Manhattan

1. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
2. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
3. Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
4. Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
5. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
6. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid 
7. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
8. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by​ ​J. D. Vance
9. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
10. The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead

Top 10 Books in Staten Island

1. Fifty Fifty by Candice Fox and James Patterson
2. Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
3. The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson
4. Haunted by James O. Born and James Patterson
5. Past Perfect by Danielle Steel
6. Fairytale by Danielle Steel
7. The 17th Suspect by James Patterson
8. Every Breath You Take by Alafair Burke and Mary Higgins Clark
9. End Game: Book 5 by David Baldacci 
10. The Fallen by David Baldacci

Top Book by Branch in the Bronx

• Allerton – The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Baychester - The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson
• Belmont – ​ Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Pookie Rolf
• Bronx Library Center – Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Castle Hill – TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review, 2017-2018 by Kaplan
• City Island – The Treasure of Hart Island by Mike Monahan
• Clason's Point – Twitter for Dummies by Laura Fitton, Michael E. Gruen, and Leslie Poston
• Eastchester – The Great American Birthday Cake Book by Dean Brettschneider, Jazmine Nixon and Wendy Nixon
• Edenwald – ​ Grand Opening 2 by La Jill Hunt and Carl Weber
• Francis Martin - TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review, 2017-2018 by Kaplan
• Grand Concourse - The Elements of Resume Style: Essential Rules for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters that Work by Scott Bennett
• High Bridge - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• Hunt's Point – Murdergram: Part 2 by Nisa Santiago
• Jerome Park – TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review, 2017-2018 by Kaplan
• Kingsbridge - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Melrose – The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson
• Morris Park – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• Morrisania – The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
• Mosholu – Swing Time by Zadie Smith
• Mott Haven – Unsuccessful Thug: One Comedian's Journey from Naptown to Tinseltown by Mike Epps
• Parkchester - Traffic Enforcement Agent: Test Preparation Study Guide, Questions & Answers
• Pelham Bay – Haunted by James O. Born and James Patterson
• Pelham Parkway-Van Nest – Calculus by Frank Ayres and Elliott Mendelson
• Riverdale - ​ Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Sedgwick – Magic Touch: A Brooklyn Girls Story by Treasure Hernandez
• Soundview - ​ Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Pookie Rolf
• Spuyten Duyvil - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Throg's Neck – Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Tremont - TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review, 2017-2018 by Kaplan
• Van Cortlandt - The Official SAT Study Guide: 2018
• Wakefield – Red Alert by Marshall Karp and James Patterson
• West Farms – Grand Opening 2 by La Jill Hunt and Carl Weber
• Westchester Square – New York City SHSAT Specialized High Schools Admissions Test Specialized High Schools Admissions Test
• Woodlawn Heights – Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
• Woodstock - The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Top Book by Branch in Manhattan

• 115th Street – ​ Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• 125th Street – The Black Diamond Trilogy by Brittani Williams
• 53rd Street - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• 58th St. - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• 67th St. - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• 96th St - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Aguilar - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book – Raven Black by Anne Cleeves
• Battery Park City -  Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Bloomingdale - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Chatham Square - Avatar: The Last Airbender, Part one  by Gurihiru and Gene Luen Yang
• Columbus - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Countee Cullen - Between the World and Me by Ta-Nahesi Coates
• Epiphany - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Fort Washington – Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• George Bruce - The Jewelled Kitchen: A Stunning Collection of Lebanese, Moroccan and Persian Recipes by Bethany Kehdy
• Grand Central - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Hamilton Fish Park - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Hamilton Grange - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Harlem - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Hudson Park - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Inwood - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Jefferson Market - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Kips Bay - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Library for the Performing Arts – The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
• Macomb's Bridge – Inside A Silver Box by Walter Mosley
• Mid-Manhattan - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Morningside Heights - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Muhlenberg - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Mulberry Street- The Power: A Novel by Naomi Alderman
• New Amsterdam – Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Ottendorfer - Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
• Riverside - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Roosevelt Island - 1984 by George Orwell
• Science, Industry and Business Library - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
• Seward Park - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• St. Agnes - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Terence Cardinal Cooke-Cathedral - Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
• Tompkins Square – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Washington Heights – Swing Time by Zadie Smith
• Webster - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
• Yorkville - Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown

Top Book by Branch in Staten Island:

• Dongan Hills – Every Breath You Take by Alafair Burke and Mary Higgins Clark
• Great Kills – Fairytale by Danielle Steel
• Huguenot Park – The Cast by Danielle Steel
• Mariners Harbor – If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
• New Dorp – Fall From Grace by Danielle Steel
• Port Richmond – Small Great Things: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
• Richmondtown – Origin by Dan Brown
• South Beach - The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
• St. George – If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
• Stapleton – 1984 by George Orwell
• Todt Hill - Fifty Fifty by Candice Fox and James Patterson
• Tottenville – The Right Time by Danielle Steel
• West New Brighton – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves nearly 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.