A meticulously reported, character-driven, unforgettable investigation of a time when nothing was certain and everything was at stake, by the acclaimed sociologist and best-selling author Eric Klinenberg

"A gripping, deeply moving account of a signal year in modern history, told through the stories of seven ordinary people. Klinenberg's narrative shows how the legacy of that year continues to shape us, our politics and our personal lives."-Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies

2020 will go down alongside 1914, 1929, and 1968 as one of the most consequential years in history. This riveting and affecting book is the first attempt to capture the full human experience of that fateful time.

At the heart of 2020 are seven vivid profiles of ordinary New Yorkers-including an elementary school principal, a bar manager, a subway custodian, and a local political aide-whose experiences illuminate how Americans, and people across the globe, reckoned with 2020. Through these poignant stories, we revisit our own moments of hope and fear, the profound tragedies and losses in our communities, the mutual aid networks that brought us together, and the social movements that hinted at the possibilities of a better world.