BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — What are people reading in Baltimore County?
Baltimore County's library system is one of the largest in Maryland, and has the second highest circulation numbers in the state (Montgomery County is first).
So, it stands to reason that BCPL's most circulated books of 2024 are a good indicator of reading trends in general.
The top fiction books are about women forging unconventional paths in 1960s society - while the nonfiction realm saw memoirs by Prince Harry and Britney Spears catch interest.
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Bonnie Garmus' "Lessons in Chemistry" has topped Baltimore County's list of most checked-out adult fiction books for the second year in a row.
It's about a woman who pursues her passion for chemistry through a cooking show, after being fired from her job.
The second-most popular fiction book was Kristin Hannah's "The Women," about an Army nurse during the Vietnam war.
BCPL Collection Development Manager Jamie Watson commented:
The popularity of Lessons in Chemistry likely bolstered to the top of the charts again because of the Apple TV+ series. The second most checked out book, Kristin Hannah’s The Women, was optioned for a film by Warner Bros., so it may be around for a bit longer too.
Besides autobiographical works from Prince Harry and Britney Spears, readers also picked up a story of newly-elected President Abraham Lincoln's desperate efforts at the brink of the Civil War ("The Demon of Unrest," by Erik Larson), and self-help books about living longer and breaking bad habits.
Here's the list:
BCPL's Top 5 Adult Fiction Books Circulated in 2024
- "Lessons in Chemistry," by Bonnie Garmus
- "The Women," by Kristin Hannah
- "Think Twice," by Harlan Coben
- "The Exchange," by John Grisham
- "Resurrection Walk," by Michael Connelly
BCPL's Top 5 Adult Nonfiction Books Circulated in 2024
- "Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity," by Peter Attia
- "Spare," by Prince Harry
- "The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War," by Erik Larson
- "The Woman in Me," by Britney Spears
- "Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones," by James Clear
Top Circulated Books in Other Categories:
- Adult Fiction eBook – "The Women," by Kristin Hannah
- Adult Nonfiction eBook – "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed," by Lori Gottlieb
- Adult Fiction Audiobook – "The Teacher," by Freida McFadden
- Adult Nonfiction Audiobook – "I'm Glad My Mom Died," by Jennette McCurdy
