If you’re wondering what you should read next, welcome to this year’s reading guide for 2020. To say 2020 has been an interesting year would be an understatement. With so much going on, is reading really a priority? Yes!

While some people say reading is a means of escape, there’s so much more going on as you’re turning the page. In fact, the benefits of reading are well-documented. A good book can relax you, lower stress levels, promote empathy, and boost intelligence. Sign us up!

So let’s dive into this year’s reading guide for 2020.

We’re divided—and so is our attention. That’s the case that Cal Newport makes in this highly-relatable, highly-relevant book. It’s nice to hear from a guy who’s never had a single social media account in an age of incessant distraction, acute anxiety, and device-addiction.

Newport argues that rebuffing unnecessary distractions to focus intensely on meaningful work is what can distinguish you from your peers and take your work to the next level. And he gives some helpful tips on how to do just that.

For almost 40 years, the identity of the Golden State Killer baffled investigators. His crimes held entire communities hostage and altered hundreds of lives. Between the years of 1973 and 1986, he looted more than 120 people, raped more than 50, and murdered 13.

For five years, crime writer Michelle McNamara immersed herself in the crimes of the Golden State Killer and the lives of those he targeted. Although she didn’t live to finish it, the book was completed by her husband and friends and released in 2018.

This year, the Golden State Killer was finally identified, apprehended, and sentenced to death. McNamara’s investigative work and interest in online DNA platforms contributed heavily to solving the crime. To celebrate Joseph DeAngelo’s capture, grab this book and dive into McNamara’s riveting investigation.

From the journalist who brought us the Harvey Weinstein scandal comes this in-depth examination of how predators are protected by the enablers and accomplices around them.

Suppose you want to know more about one of the biggest news stories of 2020. In that case, you might be fascinated by Farrow’s account of the obstacles and challenges he faced while digging for the truth of Weinstein’s decades-long tirade of abuse and assault.

If you’ve never read Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel set on the desert planet Arakis, now is the perfect time. Often considered the best science fiction novel ever written, a movie based on the novel came out in 1984. Even the director hated it.

But never fear! A new Dune film directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) is set for release in December 2020. It stars Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, and Zendaya. If you’d like to brush up on the literary original before checking out the movie, now is your chance.

In 1978, Stephen King wrote a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel about a weaponized influenza strain that nearly destroys the human race. Whoa! And before Covid-19 was on the scene, a new television adaptation of The Stand was in the works. (The first one aired in the 80s.)

Now completed, the CBS miniseries based on King’s iconic book is set to air in December 2020. That means you’ve still got time to enjoy the book before you see how Whoopie Goldberg, James Marsden, and Greg Kinnear bring it to life on the small screen.