> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Michelle Obama’s Becoming Tops New York Public Library’s List of 2019 Checkouts
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/michelle-obamas-becoming-tops-new-york-public-librarys-list-of-2019-checkouts/
- Published: 2019-12-23T15:00:14.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:46:44.000Z
- Description: The library has released a list of its 10 most checked out books in 2019. Here's a guide to other highlights.
- Author: Monica Castillo
- Tags: In Brief, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 07:41 (2019, 2020, part 2)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2019/12/3373639453_aea94cb8ca_k.jpg)

The New York Public Library (via John Sawyong Ra’s Flickrstream)

Were you one of the many readers who checked out Michelle Obama’s *Becoming* in the New York Public Library system? Congrats! The highly in-demand autobiography of the former first lady was the top checkout title for 2019\. Although the NYPL did not release the exact number of checkouts for each title, they did a full list of top 10 books for the year, as well as top titles throughout [several boroughs and branches throughout the city](https://www.nypl.org/press/press-release/december-18-2019/new-york-public-library-shares-top-checkouts-2019-becoming?ref=hyperallergic.com).

Obama’s autobiography leads a varied list that also included Tara Westover’s *Educated: A Memoir,* Jodi Picoult’s *A Spark of Light*, Delia Owens’ *Where the Crawdads Sing*, Min Jin Lee’s *Pachinko* and several others. *Becoming* was the top book for readers in Manhattan and the Bronx, but Picoult’s *A Spark of Light* took the top spot in Staten Island. Brooklyn and Queens have their own set of library systems, but the NYPL’s bookmobiles found visitors often chose Kevin Kwan’s *Crazy Rich Asians* and Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar’s *The Map of Salt and Stars.*

The library system also broke down a number of first throughout genres, among them are favorites like Harper Lee’s *To Kill a Mockingbird* (Classics), Ray Bradbury’s *Fahrenheit 451* (Science Fiction) and Stephen King’s *The Shining* (Horror), perhaps in conjunction with the renewed interest in movies based on his works like *It* and *The Shining* sequel, *Doctor Sleep*. Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughan’s *Saga* topped the Comics and Graphic Novel section, Marlon James’s *Black Leopard, Red Wolf* held down the number 1 spot among Fantasy titles, James Patterson’s *The Chef* thrilled the most Mystery readers, and Nicholas Sparks’ *Every Breath* was the most popular checkout in the Romance section. 

Next year, for its 125th anniversary, NYPL will announce its top checkouts of all time as well as launch a program to motivate New Yorkers to read for 30 minutes a day. Since NYPL reported a 30% increase in library card sign-ups this year, they’ll have a lot more readers to inspire.

See the ordered list of top checkouts below:

1. *Becoming* by Michelle Obama
2. *Educated: A Memoir* by Tara Westover
3. *Little Fires Everywhere* by Celeste Ng
4. *A Spark of Light* by Jodi Picoult
5. *Where the Crawdads Sing* by Delia Owens
6. *Pachinko* by Min Jin Lee
7. *Circe* by Madeline Miller
8. *Nine Perfect Strangers* by Liane Moriarty
9. *Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup* by John Carreyrou
10. *Milkman* by Anna Burns