A year of reading brings titles new and old. Here are a few of the best books I read this year that weren't new releases.

If you happen to be traveling to Alaska, or just want to know more about that great state all the way up there in the corner, check out this 2019 travel memoir from Mark Adams. He relates both his own journeys and those of an exploratory party in the late 19th century. It’s filled with interesting characters and does a good job of highlighting the more compelling aspects of the 49th state.

A bit of a twist on the “locked room” premise, Brand’s 1948 mystery will surely have at least one reveal you won’t see coming. If you’re a fan of mid-century mysteries, give this recent reissue a chance. The writing is unique, and the plot, concerning a theater cast performing a medieval pageant show, provides an unusual setting.

This starts out feeling a little like a fable, which is an interesting tone for science fiction. If you’re into all the minutiae of space politics and hyper-detailed worldbuilding, this may not be for you. But if you want something different and well-written that’s hard to predict, try this novel from 2020.

Finnegan’s surfing memoir won a Pulitzer in 2016 and is well worth seeking out. Even if you aren’t interested in surfing in general, the account of a life spent seeking the perfect wave and everything that happened along the way is a compelling personal history. Recommended for anyone who loves memoirs and wants something outside the usual celebrity bio.