While stars like Tom Cruise, Matt Damon and Tom Holland have dominated the headlines throughout 2026, one actor has quietly put together the most commercially successful year in Hollywood. And we’re laughing thinking about how random the whole thing is but, between a record-breaking Christopher Nolan epic and the year’s biggest animated blockbuster, of all people, Benny Safdie has amassed a box office haul that no other performer has been able to match.

Yes, the man whose face you remember dripping with suntan lotion in front of an atomic explosion in Oppenheimer has scaled new box office heights, and is looking at well over $2 billion in takings — and we’re not even in August, yet! It’s even funnier because Safdie isn’t the leading man in any of the films. Instead, he’s become the year’s ultimate supporting player, with two hugely successful projects combining to give him an extraordinary run at the global box office. Now, given Spider-Man: Brand New Day comes out this week, Zendaya and Tom Holland, Safdie’s co-stars, will likely overtake him, while Zendaya definitely will when Dune 3 releases. But for now, let’s enjoy this.

What Movies Is Benny Safdie in?

Safdie kicked off the year by voicing Bowser Jr. in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has surpassed $1 billion worldwide to become one of 2026’s biggest releases, and followed it up as the King of Auramaxxing Mycenae, Agamemnon, in The Odyssey, which is now almost guaranteed to pass a billion, having almost reached $700 million worldwide in just its second weekend.

Safdie first rose to prominence alongside his brother Josh Safdie, directing acclaimed films including Good Time and Uncut Gems. In recent years, however, he’s increasingly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after character actors, earning praise for performances in Oppenheimer, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. and now The Odyssey.

With The Odyssey continuing to dominate cinemas and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie already sitting among the biggest hits of the year, Safdie’s remarkable 2026 box office record may prove difficult for anyone else to catch before the year is out. This is one of those unusual cases where an actor you wouldn’t expect is actually the highest grossing — Zoe Saldaña is regularly cited on these lists thanks to her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also James Cameron‘s Avatar films, while Samuel L. Jackson‘s supporting role as Nick Fury in the MCU has seen him become the highest-grossing actor of all time in the past.

The Odyssey is playing now in theaters.

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Release Date

July 15, 2026

Runtime

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173 minutes

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The start of the 21st century saw quite a distinct shift in music. The lingering effects of the ’90s were still felt. The shockwaves in alt-rock and pop music paved the way for new styles to find success. While massive pop hits dominated the airwaves, so did the explosive rise of mainstream hip-hop and R&B. Alt-rock remained, but rock subgenres like pop-punk and emo slowly took over. And then there was Eurodance music, which shifted to fast, pulsating Auto-Tune club beats. For every Eminem, Britney Spears, or Green Day who dominated the 2000s, there was a one-hit wonder whose track outlasted the artist. You may not remember their name, but you certainly can sing the song.

In the age when TRL was appointment after-school television, the obsession with music videos and Top 40 hits shaped the music scene. The ’00s had a bevy of one-hit wonders across all genres. The artists dropped a hit that stuck with us, but why didn’t they? We’re about to celebrate 10 of the greatest one-hit wonders from the aughts. From hip-hop tracks that were highly inappropriate for a younger demographic to rock songs that became our anthems, these tracks were not only downloaded on Napster but also had a significant impact on pop culture. Some of these artists’ music videos have been on Youtube since the website launched, and some emerged years after, with the views jumping to great heights because we love nostalgia. Though it’s likely some of your favorites may not have made the cut, they remain in our brains.

10

“I Wann Be Bad” by Willa Ford (2001)

There were quite a few blonde bombshells in the pop music scene: Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore. For the most part, they were wholesome until they weren’t any longer. But one blond bombshell entered the TRL era claiming she was a bad girl from day one. That girl was Willa Ford. In the pop-dance track, the rebellious anthem was all about embracing your wild side and breaking the rules. Ford also added another layer with rapper Royce da 5’9″, bringing an extra layer of swagger and edge. It’s a trend that the early aughts did quite often. In a time when the aforementioned divas were still bringing sugary, sweet, Ford was quickly rejected from delivering more. Which is comical as Spears and Aguilera went “I’m a Slave 4 U” and “Dirrrty” shortly after. But they earned it. Ford came out swinging.

Now, another layer into why “I Wanna Be Bad” became a one-hit wonder was because of the world around. Timing was everything, as her second single, “Did Ya Understand That,” was scheduled for release on September 11, 2001. The world stood still, radios froze, and her single just didn’t have the ability to chart. Further, her record company suffered executive turnover, leaving her stranded in “no man’s land.” It’s ironic that her album was called Willa Was Here because, for some, it served as a reminder that in the oversaturated pop scene, she existed. Post-“I Wanna Be Bad,” Ford had some film and television appearances, including the third season of Dancing with the Stars. She and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, were eliminated in the fifth week of the competition. Just this year, she released a digital album called Amanda, which included a string orchestral version of her one-hit wonder.

9

“Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard (2003)

Emo pop-rock was all the rage at the turn of the century. Many alternative rock bands sought out mainstream crossover appeal because it often led to a road of success. For Yellowcard, it seemed they were on that path with the mammoth hit, “Ocean Avenue.” The nostalgic, coming-of-age pop-punk anthem told the story of a youthful romance and a longing to escape your hometown. With that theme, the track resonated by hitting the charts around the world. It may have been a song rooted in Jacksonville, Florida, but it had universal appeal. While the song became a massive mainstream anthem, the band never found that same allure again.

Yellowcard was locked into the mainstream after “Ocean Avenue.” It helped usher in the rise of pop-punk. It resonated well beyond its debut, earning itself a slot on many lists years later, including Greatest Choruses and Best Emo Songs, but Yellowcard was stuck in the past. Though the band found their niche and earned a devoted fan base, Yellowcard never found their way back into the mainstream. While “Only One” did bubble under the Hot 100, no song found the same allure as “Ocean Avenue.”

8

“Tipsy” by J-Kwon (2004)

We should all be grateful that J-Kwon‘s “Tipsy” predated Kidz Bop, because the infectious track would easily have made its way onto an album in retooled form. The truth, though, every kid and their mother was screaming out, “Everybody in the b— gettin’ tipsy.” The celebratory party anthem captured attention with its catchy counting hook, defining a generation of club culture. As the lead single from J-Kwon’s debut album, “Tipsy” was a minimalist, club-shaking hit. Though the track did lead off with, “Teen drinking is very bad,” “Tipsy” literally promoted underage drinking and clubbing. But that didn’t stop anyone from playing the track as it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written when J-Kwon was just 17, the song served as an ode to sneaking into venues in St. Louis, blowing off steam, and getting buzzed.

The song was simply inescapable. If you listened to rap and R&B radio, you’d hear it. Top 40, it was played. It was an instant earworm that remained the communal drinking track until LMFAO and Lil Jon took over with “Shots” in 2009. Because “Tipsy” became J-Kwon’s defining track, industry executives and fans tied him to the party sound. But as hip-hop trends shifted away from the St. Louis sounds of the early 2000s, J-Kwon was never able to regain the same glory, fading into relative musical obscurity. The song has since reemerged in the pop culture lexicon after country singer Shaboozey sampled it on his track “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Now, an entirely new generation and genre sang out, “everybody in the bar gettin’ tipsy.”

7

“Butterfly” by Crazy Town (2000)

If there was ever a band that was meant to bridge the gap from the ’90s to the ’00s it was Crazy Town. They were a rap-rock band that made their impact on the decade with their one-hit wonder, “Butterfly.” A cool, smooth, laid-back rock song with rap layered in, “Butterfly” was meant as a romantic ode to frontman Shifty Shellshock’s girlfriend. Sampling the instrumental from “Pretty Little Ditty” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, the relaxed, acoustic vibe with the hip-hop beat was exactly what music-lovers needed. “Butterfly” was a feel-good, guilty-pleasure track that distinctly brought carefree energy to the airwaves. But the song’s success was aided by its iconic music video. “Butterfly” found immense airplay on MTV because of its fantastical, CGI-heavy forest full of actual butterflies.

From Australia to Poland, with Italy in between, “Butterfly” charted in nearly two dozen countries. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but that came with a caveat. Because the song was so mainstream, it ended up alienating their core heavy metal audience. By locking into the pop realm, they struggled to ever shed that appeal. Though “Butterfly” wasn’t the first single from the band, their earlier singles failed to chart even after the success of “Butterfly.” Their sophomore album, “Darkhorse” flopped commercially, leading to the band to break up in 2003. The song has remained at the forefront of iconic one-hit wonders.

6

“Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus (2000)

Even outsiders needed an anthem, and that came from Wheatus‘ “Teenage Dirtbag.” The lead single from the band’s self-titled debut album, “Teenage Dirtbag,” told the tale of unrequited high school romance and teenage alienation. Though the song, written by frontman Brendan B. Brown, was inspired by a gruesome teen murder near his Long Island home in the ’80s. That murder set off a media frenzy and local “Satanic Panic.” Brown made the song an homage to those outsiders who loved AC/DC and Iron Maiden. The song itself is a peppy blend of alternative rock angst and power-pop hooks, which gave it wide appeal. It did have a specific sound, including Brown’s iconic falsetto that many listeners believed was that of a female vocalist.

“Teenage Dirtbag” had massive international success, charting at No. 1 in Australia, Austria, and Belgium. Surprisingly, “Teenage Dirtbag” never officially charted on the US Billboard Hot 100. But that didn’t stop it from becoming massively popular. The song was even featured on soundtracks including the 2000 teen comedy Loser, starring Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari. Unfortunately, Wheatus never found the same broad commercial traction as their subsequent singles. The song found a resurgence on TikTok when users and celebrities alike shared throwback photos and childhood memories to the song.

5

“I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by the Darkness (2003)

It may have been 2003, but the English rock band the Darkness brought music lovers back to the ’80s with their glam-rock anthem “I Believe in the Thing Called Love.” A retro throwback reminiscent of Freddie Mercury and Queen, the one-hit wonder was a celebration of romantic optimism and passion. But the truth is, it was deliberately intended to be the “stupidest song ever.” The song is an homage to classic rock. It’s gloriously over-the-top, proven in its exceptionally bizarre music video. Yes, the band was giving glam rock in space. The song is best known for Justin Hawkins‘ soaring, glass-shattering vocals and face-melting guitar riffs. Did you understand anything that came out of Hawkins’ mouth when he reached the tippy-top notes? No, but that was the allure of its idiocy.

The Darkness found massive global crossover success. Their stylistic mismatch with the 2000s became a roadblock. The band’s unapologetic ’70s glam and ’80s hair-metal revivalism clashed with the post-grunge and garage-rock trends on the airwaves. Despite its popularity, it never cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in the States, though in their homeland, No. 1 was their destiny, where they also scored multiple top-10 hits from their debut album. “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” swiftly became a karaoke go-to. The song may have been a one-hit wonder, but it certainly had longevity in pop culture. The song was featured on music video games including Karaoke Revolution and Guitar Hero. It even made it onto the soundtracks of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and The Fall Guy. The band has kept on rocking, with Hawkins even appearing on the UK version of The Masked Singer.

4

“My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” by Khia (2002)

If there is one song that became a pop culture touchstone because of its unapologetically explicit lyrics and empowering declaration of female sexual desire, it’s “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” by Khia. The lead single from her debut album, Thug Misses, was the edited version of the song that reached mainstream radio, peaking on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song flips traditional power dynamics by giving Khia a demand for physical satisfaction, encouraging other women to do the same. In the process, it challenged the male-dominated rap culture. Though it was an important song for its sociological mission, it was nearly impossible to truly give Khia the success she needed for longevity, as the widespread radio rotation was nearly impossible without major censorship. Did it dilute the song? Incredibly.

To make matters worse, Khia was caught in label disputes while also becoming a controversial persona. She transitioned into a polarizing figure in the music industry, using her platform to focus on outspoken beefs and social commentary. Nevertheless, the track transcended its underground roots to become a cult classic. It’s been interpolated by Saweetie in her 2017 hit “ICY GRL.” Miley Cyrus performed a cover of it in 2015 at Adult Swim’s upfront party. And then there was a country-style cover from Elle King. Oh, and whenever other labels and artists tried to use the sample in their songs, Khia kept the song in the news cycle during copyright disputes.

3

“Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men (2000)

In the ’90s, the most shocking yet addictive one-hit wonder with an awful meaning was “The Macarena.” Only a few years later, the Baha Men swooped in and took over with the highly addictive earworm, “Who Let the Dogs Out.” The sole hit single from the Bahamian Junkanoo band, the song, originally written by Trinidadian musician Anslem Douglas, was originally intended as a man-bashing anthem. In the lyrics, men at a party catcall women, prompting them to respond by calling the men dogs and demanding to know who let the dogs out. Though over time, it’s been believed that the song is about men calling women dogs. Nevertheless, the song rose to prominence thanks to its appearance in Rugrats in Paris: The Movie. It’s why kids started barking all the time.

The song became a global chart-topper, going number 1 in Australia and New Zealand. The Baha Men’s entire identity was locked into the novelty track. Because of that, their subsequent releases failed to find the same massive commercial lightning in a bottle. “Who Let the Dogs Out” was simply irresistible. The barking and chanting served as an inescapable earworm, finding its place in the professional sports world. The cultural phenomenon lasted long beyond its initial release. It appeared in films like Rat Race and Bubble Boy. It continues to be dropped into meme culture and internet humor. And, like anything successful, it faced legal complications, which were documented in the 2019 SXSW documentary Who Let the Dogs Out. Still today, we want to know the answer to the titular question.

2

“Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” by Blu Cantrell (2001)

Thanks to Blu Cantrell, we all wished to shop at Neiman Marcus, though the music video clearly stated it was Neircus Marman. The sassy R&B revenge anthem “Hit ‘Em Style (Oops!)” A fiercely independent, boss track, “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” follows Cantrell as she discovers a partner’s infidelity and retaliates by draining his bank accounts, maxing out his credit cards, and selling his property as payback. The fun feel flips the classic heartbreak narrative into an empowering, upbeat revenge fantasy. The rhythmic, head-nodding anthem gave way to an instant guilty-pleasure tune. The track cleverly sampled a snippet of Frank Sinatra‘s “The Boys’ Night Out,” instantly adding a hint of nostalgia. The single’s massive success was driven by its uniquely catchy fusion of classic jazz and modern R&B. That jazzy R&B helped establish Alicia Keys as a megastar. It didn’t happen for Cantrell.

Cantrell found instant success as the song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately, it was the only massive track in her repertoire as “Breathe” featuring Sean Paul didn’t find the same appeal stateside. That said, Cantrell’s track remains a feminist anthem, even as a time-capsule song. Cantrell fell into a bit of music obscurity, though she did try reality in the complete celebrity-centric flop on NBC, Celebrity Circus. The song has been covered and mashed up, including by dancehall artist Shenseea. Cantrell was invited to appear in the “Boss Up” music video, but she passed.

1

“Bad Day” by Daniel Powter (2005)

Sometimes we turn to music to lift ourselves up when we’ve had a tough time. Then Daniel Powter arrived with “Bad Day,” and a song personified it all. What began as a commercial song for Coca-Cola turned into an overnight hit for the Canadian singer-songwriter. Before it was used as a mockery and as an exit song for a reality song, “Bad Day” was meant as a triumphant lift-up track. The song’s lyrics discuss the universal experience of having a rough, discouraging day and pushing through it. The musical equivalent of that hokey poster you saw taped on the classroom wall, “Bad Day” was meant to remind the listeners that this too shall pass. Rather than being a sad ballad, Powter presented the song with a sunny, upbeat melody. Powter didn’t have a bad day when the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006, spending five weeks in the top spot. As for his subsequent singles, they had bad days, as none reached such chart heights.

Perhaps the most prevalent appearance of the track was during American Idol as the elimination send-off song. What was meant to be a comforting, albeit slightly melancholic, pick-me-up track in the moment became laughable over time. It would soon be used as a parody via viral videos to evoke sucky situations through musical underscoring. Powter has openly shared how the overnight fame affected his mental health, pushing him into substance abuse to cope with the sudden spotlight. Powter made waves when he auditioned for Canada’s Got Talent with “Bad Day.” In his audition, judge Howie Mandel mentioned the risk of singing an original song, only to eventually put two and two together. They let him through to the next day, so not such a bad day!

She’s covered in mud, elbow-deep in an engine bay, and the internet cannot stop talking about her. Say hello to Hope De Graauw — the Australian outdoor stunner who’s blowing up social media right now, and not just because of her looks.

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That’s the question flooding Hope’s comments section lately. Fans have been doing double-takes over her uncanny resemblance to OnlyFans megastar Sophie Rain — the same striking features, the same magnetic camera presence — except Hope’s version comes with a dirt bike, a lift kit, and an accent that makes the whole thing even more irresistible.

“I had to scroll back up like three times,” one commenter wrote. “Is this Sophie Rain in Australia?” Spoiler: it’s not. It’s Hope — and she’s very much her own thing.

From the Outback to Everyone’s For You Page

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Unlike a lot of internet-famous faces, Hope didn’t come up posing in a studio. She grew up around dust, diesel, and wide-open Australian terrain, and it shows. Offroading isn’t a prop for her content — it’s genuinely her world. She’s just as comfortable winching a bogged-down truck out of a creek bed as she is turning heads doing it.

That authenticity is exactly why people can’t look away. The internet has seen plenty of manufactured “outdoorsy girl” content. Hope is the real deal, and audiences can tell the difference immediately.

She Builds the Trucks, Not Just Poses Next to Them

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Here’s the part that’s really got people hooked: Hope isn’t just riding along for the aesthetic. She’s under the hood. Suspension work, drivetrain upgrades, the kind of hands-on mechanical knowledge that most influencers couldn’t fake if they tried — she’s doing it herself, on camera, in between the content that’s already drawing Sophie Rain comparisons.

It’s a combination nobody saw coming: a face that stops the scroll, paired with the kind of grease-under-the-fingernails skill set that off-road diehards respect. That mix is rare, and it’s exactly why early fans are calling her a breakout star in the making.

What’s Next for Hope De Graauw

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Right now, Hope’s following is climbing fast, fueled by word-of-mouth comparisons and a steady stream of content that mixes rugged adventure with serious star power. Industry watchers are already predicting she won’t stay an under-the-radar name for long.

Keep an eye on this one. Between the Sophie Rain lookalike buzz and a genuine offroading pedigree most creators can’t touch, Hope De Graauw has all the ingredients of the internet’s next obsession — and she’s just getting started.

If you avoided every book published in the 21st century, you’d still be unlikely to ever run out of good reading material, since there are an overwhelming number of classics published in the 20th century, and then all sorts of essential pieces of literature published in 1900 or earlier, too. “Wait, isn’t 1900 part of the 20th century?” you might be asking. It’s part of the 1900s, as in the decade, but not the 20th century.

The same goes for the year 2000. Arguable classics from 2000, like House of Leaves, Blonde, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, aren’t going to be here, as a result. It would feel right for the year 2000 to be part of the 21st century, but also, it would be factually incorrect. So, going through the best books of the 21st century so far means counting anything published from 2001 onwards. There’s only one author who appears here more than once, and he only appears twice, just to maintain some variety. Speaking of variety, non-fiction and works of fiction will be included here, too.

25

‘Never Let Me Go’ (2005)

Kazuo Ishiguro

Image via Faber Paperback

A far from conventional science fiction book, and a heavy one, too, Never Let Me Go feels like it’s been around for longer than just over 20 years… in a good way. It feels like more of a traditional classic than it is, and that also suggests it’s going to stand the test of time further, though it’s worth really stressing that it’s a good book without being a very fun book.

The sci-fi elements are subdued, and there mostly to enhance what’s mostly a psychological drama, and something that can be unusually eerie (maybe even scary) at times, too. It’s all too easy to ruin some of the surprises in Never Let Me Go, so it’s just better to say you’re better off discovering things here for yourself (again, if you don’t mind reading a downbeat novel every now and then).

24

‘The Cold Six Thousand’ (2001)

James Ellroy

Image via Cornerstone Digital

The middle chapter in the Underworld USA trilogy by James Ellroy, The Cold Six Thousand, is not as good as American Tabloid, but that one came out in 1995, so it can’t be here. Sorry, American Tabloid. It is worth mentioning that, though, because the book covers events between 1958 and 1963, with The Cold Six Thousand picking up right after and covering 1963 to 1968, with the third book, Blood’s a Rover, then covering 1968 to 1973.

Historical figures and fictional characters collided in American Tabloid, building up to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, with some of those figures and characters carrying over to The Cold Six Thousand, which then builds to the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. It succeeds at making a tumultuous time in history feel all the more chaotic and downbeat, standing as a good book to read if, for whatever reason, you want to feel some intense paranoia.

23

‘The Road’ (2006)

Cormac McCarthy

Image via Picador

Potentially the greatest post-apocalyptic book of the century so far, The Road is about a man and his son trying to survive in a vastly changed world, but one that does feel uneasily believable. If an apocalyptic event did happen, it would probably be more The Road than Fallout… not that Fallout looks amazing, either, but there is fun to be had in that world, whether you’re talking about the games or the show.

The Road keeps things minimalist and brutal, in that Cormac McCarthy sort of way. You can typically rely on him for a well-written bad time, though there is still humanity in The Road, with some love and all still existing when there’s nothing else. And all that’s conveyed in a non-cheesy way, and without detracting/distracting from the bulk of the book, which is still very much as heavy as it needs to be, with subject matter like this.

22

‘Falling Man’ (2007)

Don DeLillo

Image via Scribner Book Company

Certain Don DeLillo books are worthy of reading before Falling Man, but those ones (namely, Libra, Underworld, and White Noise) all came out in the 20th century. Falling Man is his best of the current century, and it’s admittedly imperfect, but it has enough truly striking moments to ultimately feel great. It’s a novel that sees DeLillo tackling the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, doing so after addressing historical events of the back half of the 20th century in books like Libra and Underworld.

The postmodern approach here does lead to certain stretches of the book being hard to connect to others, and there is a non-chronological sort of storytelling here. But it does all serve to make the final stretch of Falling Man very haunting and powerful, albeit in ways that are hard to explain without undermining said haunting and powerful quality (just trust, please).

21

‘Born to Run’ (2016)

Bruce Springsteen

Image via Simon & Schuster

If you’ve listened to enough classic Bruce Springsteen albums, you’ll probably know he’s good with words (bit of an understatement), and those songs are often narratively quite strong. It shouldn’t be too surprising, then, that when he wrote a memoir – with the same title as what’s probably his best album – it was also extremely well-written. He covers about everything you’d want here, and the whole thing’s well-paced, too.

Like any memoir, Born to Run is going to be more compelling if you’re a Bruce Springsteen fan, but that’s okay. Maybe the person writing is a Bruce Springsteen fan, and so perhaps they’re biased, but what are you going to do? Yes, you. Problem? Upset? Don’t agree Born to Run is very good? Tough. It’s a great memoir. It’s a great book. It’s also one of a few memoirs that might be enhanced if you listen to it, since Springsteen himself narrates it (the same can be said about a couple more memoirs from the 21st century that’ll be mentioned a little later).

20

‘Against the Day’ (2006)

Thomas Pynchon

Image via Penguin Press

Like Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon is a postmodernist author who had his most essential books published in the 20th century, but he’s remained writing throughout the 21st century, too. Against the Day isn’t just his biggest of this century, but is also the beefiest book he’s written so far in either century, being well over 1000 pages long and having an overwhelming bunch of characters who drop in and out of the narrative (or narratives?) as a period of about 25 years is covered.

Against the Day is kind of a historical novel that spans from 1893 to 1918, but the main characters are mostly fictional, and there are some clear breaks from reality at certain points, when Pynchon wants to get fantastical/surreal. You can chip away at it over time, but it is a rewarding one to eventually finish (or conquer), standing as Pynchon’s most moving novel, or maybe his second-most, after only Mason & Dixon.

19

‘Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy’ (2007)

Vincent Bugliosi

Image via W. W. Norton & Company

There were lots of things that happened in the 1960s, to put it mildly. It was a decade of change, upheaval, and progress (at least in some regards), with the John F. Kennedy assassination being… well, not related to progress. But it definitely changed things and shook America, plus much of the world, in ways that can still be felt, and it all happened not too long ago in the overall scheme of things.

Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy is the ultimate book about the event, covering it in exhaustive detail and then addressing just about every conspiracy theory that’s sprung up about the event itself, laying out why they don’t hold up. It is easiest to be exposed to conspiracies, rather than detailed refutations of conspiracies, so Reclaiming History has value in that regard. And if you still want to believe, you do you, and even then, you can still probably get a lot out of the (long) section of this (very long) book that covers the assassination and its immediate aftermath, more or less minute-by-minute.

18

‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ (2007)

J.K. Rowling

Image via Bloomsbury

The 1990s was when the Harry Potter series started, but the 2000s felt like the decade that it was truly dominant, and even inescapable. The fourth book was published in 2000, and is debatably the best Harry Potter book of the 2000s, but it’s got that “technically a 20th-century book” thing going for it, so it’s not here. The final three books in the series were also published during the 2000s, and were being released at around the same time the first few movies were coming out, too.

Of the 21st century Harry Potter books, the grand finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is going here. It’s one of the less controversial endings to a long-running book series out there, and even if it’s not perfect, it is still satisfying and crowd-pleasing. Crowds of people read it, and most of them seemed pleased. And you can’t fault Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when it comes to drama and big things happening, with it being jam-packed to the extent that dividing its eventual movie adaptation into two parts did ultimately feel appropriate.

17

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2005)

Image via Norstedts Förlag

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Stieg Larsson died suddenly and tragically before he could see just how popular his Millennium series would be, because the three books in that series he wrote were all published posthumously. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was the first of them, and probably the best, being about a journalist and a hacker/private investigator who both get wrapped in a complex criminal case for (initially) different reasons.

It unfolds a bit like a noir story, and also a psychological thriller, keeping things unpredictable and consistently tense. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been adapted into two movies, and that’s part of the reason it’s such a central and defining neo-noir story, but the book remains the most compelling way to soak up this particular dark, intense, and oftentimes surprising narrative.

16

‘Sonny Boy: A Memoir’ (2024)

Al Pacino

Image via Penguin

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Another memoir, Sonny Boy is Al Pacino telling his life story in his own words, and it also has a fantastic audiobook version, with Pacino being both conversational and theatrical with his delivery. It feels like he’s approached you in a bar, or you’ve found yourself stuck next to him on a long plane trip, and he’s just started casually telling you about everything he’s done. But he’s Pacino, and his life story is fascinating, so it’s worth listening to.

There is a slow pace to the early chapters, about Pacino’s childhood, but then he returns to this time right near the book’s end, and the final things he has to say about his pre-acting years become so much more bittersweet and moving. And then the parts about all the incredible movies he’s been in (with some time spent on the not-so-incredible movies he’s also been in) are all engrossing in the ways you’d expect such parts to be.