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12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”

Literary critics, historians, avid readers, and even casual readers will all have different opinions on which novel is truly the “greatest book ever written.” Is it a novel with beautiful, captivating figurative language? Or one with gritty realism? A novel that has had an immense social impact? Or one that has more subtly affected the world? Here is a list of 12 novels that, for various reasons, have been considered some of the greatest works of literature ever written.

Anna Karenina

Any fan of stories that involve juicy subjects like adultery, gambling, marriage plots, and, well, Russian feudalism, would instantly place Anna Karenina at the peak of their “greatest novels” list. And that’s exactly the ranking that publications like Time magazine have given the novel since it was published in its entirety in 1878. Written by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy , the eight-part towering work of fiction tells the story of two major characters: a tragic, disenchanted housewife, the titular Anna , who runs off with her young lover, and a lovestruck landowner named Konstantin Levin , who struggles in faith and philosophy. Tolstoy molds together thoughtful discussions on love, pain, and family in Russian society with a sizable cast of characters regarded for their realistic humanity. The novel was especially revolutionary in its treatment of women, depicting prejudices and social hardships of the time with vivid emotion.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee , believed to be one of the most influential authors to have ever existed, famously published only a single novel (up until its controversial sequel was published in 2015 just before her death). Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an immediate classic of literature. The novel examines racism in the American South through the innocent wide eyes of a clever young girl named Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch. Its iconic characters, most notably the sympathetic and just lawyer and father Atticus Finch, served as role models and changed perspectives in the United States at a time when tensions regarding race were high. To Kill a Mockingbird earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961 and was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 1962 , giving the story and its characters further life and influence over the American social sphere.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald ’s The Great Gatsby is distinguished as one of the greatest texts for introducing students to the art of reading literature critically (which means you may have read it in school). The novel is told from the perspective of a young man named Nick Carraway who has recently moved to New York City and is befriended by his eccentric nouveau riche neighbor with mysterious origins, Jay Gatsby . The Great Gatsby provides an insider’s look into the Jazz Age of the 1920s in United States history while at the same time critiquing the idea of the “American Dream.” Perhaps the most famous aspect of the novel is its cover art—a piercing face projected onto a dark blue night sky and lights from a cityscape—an image that is also found, in a slightly different configuration, within the text itself as a key symbol.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

The late Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez published his most famous work, One Hundred Years of Solitude , in 1967. The novel tells the story of seven generations of the Buendía family and follows the establishment of their town Macondo until its destruction along with the last of the family’s descendents. In fantastical form, the novel explores the genre of magic realism by emphasizing the extraordinary nature of commonplace things while mystical things are shown to be common. Márquez highlights the prevalence and power of myth and folktale in relating history and Latin American culture. The novel won many awards for Márquez, leading the way to his eventual honor of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 for his entire body of work, of which One Hundred Years of Solitude is often lauded as his most triumphant.

A Passage to India

E.M. Forster wrote his novel A Passage to India after multiple trips to the country throughout his early life. The book was published in 1924 and follows a Muslim Indian doctor named Aziz and his relationships with an English professor, Cyril Fielding, and a visiting English schoolteacher named Adela Quested . When Adela believes that Aziz has assaulted her while on a trip to the Marabar caves near the fictional city of Chandrapore, where the story is set, tensions between the Indian community and the colonial British community rise. The possibility of friendship and connection between English and Indian people, despite their cultural differences and imperial tensions, is explored in the conflict. The novel’s colorful descriptions of nature, the landscape of India, and the figurative power that they are given within the text solidifies it as a great work of fiction.

Invisible Man

Often confused with H.G. Wells’s science-fiction novella of nearly the same name (just subtract a “The”), Ralph Ellison ’s Invisible Man is a groundbreaking novel in the expression of identity for the African American male. The narrator of the novel, a man who is never named but believes he is “invisible” to others socially, tells the story of his move from the South to college and then to New York City. In each location he faces extreme adversity and discrimination, falling into and out of work, relationships, and questionable social movements in a wayward and ethereal mindset. The novel is renowned for its surreal and experimental style of writing that explores the symbolism surrounding African American identity and culture. Invisible Man won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1953.

Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes ’s Don Quixote , perhaps the most influential and well-known work of Spanish literature, was first published in full in 1615. The novel, which is very regularly regarded as one of the best literary works of all time, tells the story of a man who takes the name “Don Quixote de la Mancha” and sets off in a fit of obsession over romantic novels about chivalry to revive the custom and become a hero himself. The character of Don Quixote has become an idol and somewhat of an archetypal character, influencing many major works of art, music, and literature since the novel’s publication. The text has been so influential that a word, quixotic , based on the Don Quixote character, was created to describe someone who is, “foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially: marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action.”

Toni Morrison ’s 1987 spiritual and haunting novel Beloved tells the story of an escaped slave named Sethe who has fled to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1873. The novel investigates the trauma of slavery even after freedom has been gained, depicting Sethe’s guilt and emotional pain after having killed her own child, whom she named Beloved, to keep her from living life as a slave. A spectral figure appears in the lives of the characters and goes by the same name as the child, embodying the family’s anguish and hardship and making their feelings and past unavoidable. The novel was lauded for addressing the psychological effects of slavery and the importance of family and community in healing. Beloved was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988.

Mrs. Dalloway

Possibly the most idiosyncratic novel of this list, Virginia Woolf ’s Mrs. Dalloway describes exactly one day in the life of a British socialite named Clarissa Dalloway. Using a combination of a third-person narration and the thoughts of various characters, the novel uses a stream-of-consciousness style all the way through. The result of this style is a deeply personal and revealing look into the characters’ minds, with the novel relying heavily on character rather than plot to tell its story. The thoughts of the characters include constant regrets and thoughts of the past, their struggles with mental illness and post-traumatic stress from World War I, and the effect of social pressures. The novel’s unique style, subject, and time setting make it one of the most respected and regarded works of all time.

Things Fall Apart

The Western canon of “great literature” often focuses on writers who come from North America or Europe and often ignores accomplished writers and amazing works of literature from other parts of the world. Chinua Achebe ’s Things Fall Apart , published in 1958, is one such work of Nigerian literature that had to overcome the bias of some literary circles and one that has been able to gain recognition worldwide despite it. The novel follows an Igbo man named Okonkwo, describing his family, the village in Nigeria where he lives, and the effects of British colonialism on his native country. The novel is an example of African postcolonial literature, a genre that has grown in size and recognition since the mid-1900s as African people have been able to share their often unheard stories of imperialism from the perspective of the colonized. The novel is frequently assigned for reading in courses on world literature and African studies.

Charlotte Brontë ’s Jane Eyre , another novel often assigned for reading in school, was initially published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell to disguise the fact that the writer was a woman. Fortunately, a lot has changed with regard to women in literature since 1847, and Brontë now receives the credit she deserves for one of the most groundbreaking novels about women in history. At a time when the author felt compelled to hide her true identity, Jane Eyre provided a story of individualism for women. The novel’s eponymous character rises from being orphaned and poor into a successful and independent woman. The work combines themes from both Gothic and Victorian literature, revolutionizing the art of the novel by focusing on the growth in Jane’s sensibility with internalized action and writing.

The Color Purple

Though the epistolary novel (a novel in the form of letters written by one or more characters) was most popular before the 19th century, Alice Walker became a champion of the style with her 1982 novel The Color Purple , which won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award . Set in the post-Civil War American South, the novel follows a young African American girl named Celie into adulthood in letters she writes to God and to her sister Nettie. Celie faces sexual abuse by her father and eventually her husband, chronicling her own suffering and growth as well as that of her friends and family. The novel explores themes of sexism , racism , gender, sexual orientation, and disability through its grouping of disadvantaged and damaged characters who, over time, grow to shape their own lives. The story was adapted into an Academy Award -nominated film in 1985 that, despite widespread critical acclaim, was notoriously snubbed of all 11 awards it was nominated for.

The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time

This is one of the 312 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Set in 19th-century Russia, this novel revolves around the life of Anna Karenina, a high-society woman who, dissatisfied with her loveless marriage, embarks on a passionate affair with a charming officer named Count Vronsky. This scandalous affair leads to her social downfall, while parallel to this, the novel also explores the rural life and struggles of Levin, a landowner who seeks the meaning of life and true happiness. The book explores themes such as love, marriage, fidelity, societal norms, and the human quest for happiness.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Madame Bovary is a tragic novel about a young woman, Emma Bovary, who is married to a dull, but kind-hearted doctor. Dissatisfied with her life, she embarks on a series of extramarital affairs and indulges in a luxurious lifestyle in an attempt to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life. Her desire for passion and excitement leads her down a path of financial ruin and despair, ultimately resulting in a tragic end.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Set in the backdrop of the Napoleonic era, the novel presents a panorama of Russian society and its descent into the chaos of war. It follows the interconnected lives of five aristocratic families, their struggles, romances, and personal journeys through the tumultuous period of history. The narrative explores themes of love, war, and the meaning of life, as it weaves together historical events with the personal stories of its characters.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Set in the summer of 1922, the novel follows the life of a young and mysterious millionaire, his extravagant lifestyle in Long Island, and his obsessive love for a beautiful former debutante. As the story unfolds, the millionaire's dark secrets and the corrupt reality of the American dream during the Jazz Age are revealed. The narrative is a critique of the hedonistic excess and moral decay of the era, ultimately leading to tragic consequences.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The novel tells the story of Humbert Humbert, a man with a disturbing obsession for young girls, or "nymphets" as he calls them. His obsession leads him to engage in a manipulative and destructive relationship with his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Lolita. The narrative is a controversial exploration of manipulation, obsession, and unreliable narration, as Humbert attempts to justify his actions and feelings throughout the story.

Middlemarch by George Eliot

Set in the fictitious English town of Middlemarch during the early 19th century, the novel explores the complex web of relationships in a close-knit society. It follows the lives of several characters, primarily Dorothea Brooke, a young woman of idealistic fervor, and Tertius Lydgate, an ambitious young doctor, who both grapple with societal expectations, personal desires, and moral dilemmas. Their stories intertwine with a rich tapestry of other townsfolk, reflecting themes of love, marriage, ambition, and reform, making a profound commentary on the human condition.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The novel follows the journey of a young boy named Huckleberry Finn and a runaway slave named Jim as they travel down the Mississippi River on a raft. Set in the American South before the Civil War, the story explores themes of friendship, freedom, and the hypocrisy of society. Through various adventures and encounters with a host of colorful characters, Huck grapples with his personal values, often clashing with the societal norms of the time.

The Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov

This collection of short stories explores the complexities of human nature and society in 19th-century Russia. Written by a renowned Russian author, the stories range from humorous to tragic, often focusing on the everyday lives and struggles of ordinary people. The author's keen observation and deep understanding of human nature shine through in these tales, making them timeless classics that continue to resonate with readers today.

In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

This renowned novel is a sweeping exploration of memory, love, art, and the passage of time, told through the narrator's recollections of his childhood and experiences into adulthood in the late 19th and early 20th century aristocratic France. The narrative is notable for its lengthy and intricate involuntary memory episodes, the most famous being the "madeleine episode". It explores the themes of time, space and memory, but also raises questions about the nature of art and literature, and the complex relationships between love, sexuality, and possession.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

This classic play revolves around the young Prince of Denmark who is thrown into a state of emotional turmoil after his father's sudden death and his mother's quick remarriage to his uncle. The prince is visited by the ghost of his father who reveals that he was murdered by the uncle, prompting the prince to seek revenge. The narrative explores themes of madness, revenge, and moral corruption as the prince navigates the complex political and emotional landscape of the Danish court.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

The novel is a detailed narrative of a vengeful sea captain's obsessive quest to hunt down a giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg. The captain's relentless pursuit, despite the warnings and concerns of his crew, leads them on a dangerous journey across the seas. The story is a complex exploration of good and evil, obsession, and the nature of reality, filled with rich descriptions of whaling and the sea.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

This classic novel follows the adventures of a man who, driven mad by reading too many chivalric romances, decides to become a knight-errant and roam the world righting wrongs under the name Don Quixote. Accompanied by his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, he battles windmills he believes to be giants and champions the virtuous lady Dulcinea, who is in reality a simple peasant girl. The book is a richly layered critique of the popular literature of Cervantes' time and a profound exploration of reality and illusion, madness and sanity.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Set in Dublin, the novel follows a day in the life of Leopold Bloom, an advertising salesman, as he navigates the city. The narrative, heavily influenced by Homer's Odyssey, explores themes of identity, heroism, and the complexities of everyday life. It is renowned for its stream-of-consciousness style and complex structure, making it a challenging but rewarding read.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

A young orphan boy, living with his cruel older sister and her kind blacksmith husband, has an encounter with an escaped convict that changes his life. Later, he becomes the protégé of a wealthy but reclusive woman and falls in love with her adopted daughter. He then learns that an anonymous benefactor has left him a fortune, leading him to believe that his benefactor is the reclusive woman and that she intends for him to marry her adopted daughter. He moves to London to become a gentleman, but his great expectations are ultimately shattered when he learns the true identity of his benefactor and the reality of his love interest.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

This novel is a multi-generational saga that focuses on the Buendía family, who founded the fictional town of Macondo. It explores themes of love, loss, family, and the cyclical nature of history. The story is filled with magical realism, blending the supernatural with the ordinary, as it chronicles the family's experiences, including civil war, marriages, births, and deaths. The book is renowned for its narrative style and its exploration of solitude, fate, and the inevitability of repetition in history.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

A young, impoverished former student in Saint Petersburg, Russia, formulates a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker to redistribute her wealth among the needy. However, after carrying out the act, he is consumed by guilt and paranoia, leading to a psychological battle within himself. As he grapples with his actions, he also navigates complex relationships with a variety of characters, including a virtuous prostitute, his sister, and a relentless detective. The narrative explores themes of morality, redemption, and the psychological impacts of crime.

King Lear by William Shakespeare

This classic tragedy revolves around the aging King Lear, who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their declarations of love for him. The two elder daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter him with insincere praises, while the youngest, Cordelia, refuses to play the game and is disowned. As the king's sanity deteriorates, his kingdom falls into chaos under the rule of his deceitful elder daughters. The play explores themes of power, loyalty, madness, and justice, culminating in a tragic ending where almost all the main characters, including King Lear and Cordelia, die.

The Odyssey by Homer

This epic poem follows the Greek hero Odysseus on his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters many obstacles including mythical creatures, divine beings, and natural disasters. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus fend off suitors vying for Penelope's hand in marriage, believing Odysseus to be dead. The story concludes with Odysseus's return, his slaughter of the suitors, and his reunion with his family.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

This novel is a pioneering work of modernist literature that explores the Ramsay family's experiences at their summer home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The narrative is divided into three sections, focusing on a day in the family's life, a description of the house during their absence, and their return after ten years. The book is known for its stream of consciousness narrative technique and its exploration of topics such as the passage of time, the nature of art, and the female experience.

Dubliners by James Joyce

"Dubliners" is a collection of 15 short stories that portray the life of the Irish middle class in the early 20th century. Each story depicts an aspect of everyday life in Dublin, capturing the complexities of human experiences and emotions. The stories range from childhood to adulthood, reflecting on themes such as the paralysis of routine, the desire for escape, and the failure of both. The book is renowned for its vivid characterization and its exploration of the subtleties of the human condition.

The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor by Flannery O'Connor

This comprehensive collection of short stories showcases the author's exploration of the human condition, particularly in the American South. The stories, known for their dark humor, religious themes, and grotesque characters, delve into the complexities of morality, ethics, and the struggle between good and evil. The author's unique blend of Southern Gothic style and religious allegory creates a vivid portrait of a society grappling with its own contradictions and shortcomings.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Set in early 19th-century England, this classic novel revolves around the lives of the Bennet family, particularly the five unmarried daughters. The narrative explores themes of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage within the society of the landed gentry. It follows the romantic entanglements of Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest daughter, who is intelligent, lively, and quick-witted, and her tumultuous relationship with the proud, wealthy, and seemingly aloof Mr. Darcy. Their story unfolds as they navigate societal expectations, personal misunderstandings, and their own pride and prejudice.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

This classic novel explores the complex, passionate, and troubled relationship between four brothers and their father in 19th century Russia. The narrative delves into the themes of faith, doubt, morality, and redemption, as each brother grapples with personal dilemmas and family conflicts. The story culminates in a dramatic trial following a murder, which serves as a microcosm of the moral and philosophical struggles faced by each character, and by extension, humanity itself.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

The novel is a complex exploration of the tragic Compson family from the American South. Told from four distinct perspectives, the story unfolds through stream of consciousness narratives, each revealing their own understanding of the family's decline. The characters grapple with post-Civil War societal changes, personal loss, and their own mental instability. The narrative is marked by themes of time, innocence, and the burdens of the past.

Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner

This novel is a complex narrative about Thomas Sutpen, a poor white man who rises to power in the South, aiming to create a dynasty that would rival the old aristocratic families. However, his ambitions are thwarted by his own flawed decisions and the overarching racial and societal tensions of the era. The story is not told in a linear fashion but rather through a series of interconnected flashbacks and narratives, offering different perspectives on the same events. The book explores themes of family, class, race, and the destructive power of obsession.

Emma by Jane Austen

The novel revolves around Emma, a well-meaning but disaster-prone matchmaker, who ignores her own romantic feelings while setting out to find a suitor for her friend Harriet. Her efforts cause more problems than solutions as she leaves a trail of mishaps behind her. As her plans go awry, Emma realizes that she herself may be the one in love. The book is a classic exploration of social manners, love, and marriage in 19th-century England.

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

In this epic poem, the protagonist embarks on an extraordinary journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso). Guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil and his beloved Beatrice, he encounters various historical and mythological figures in each realm, witnessing the eternal consequences of earthly sins and virtues. The journey serves as an allegory for the soul's progression towards God, offering profound insights into the nature of good and evil, free will, and divine justice.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The novel follows the life of Jane Eyre, an orphan who is mistreated by her relatives and sent to a charity school. As she grows up, Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with the brooding and mysterious Mr. Rochester. However, she soon learns of a dark secret in his past that threatens their future together. The story is a profound exploration of a woman's self-discovery and her struggle for independence and love in a rigid Victorian society.

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne

The novel is a humorous, rambling narrative that chronicles the life of Tristram Shandy. The story is filled with digressions, anecdotes, and eccentric characters, as Tristram often interrupts his own tale to interject commentary or to recount stories from his family's past. Despite the seemingly haphazard structure, the novel is a clever exploration of narrative form and a satirical critique of traditional biographies and novels.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

The novel chronicles a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a high-society woman in post-World War I England, as she prepares for a party she is hosting that evening. Throughout the day, she encounters various characters from her past, including a former suitor and a shell-shocked war veteran. The narrative jumps back and forth in time and in and out of different characters' minds, exploring themes of mental illness, existentialism, and the nature of time.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

This classic novel is a tale of love, revenge and social class set in the Yorkshire moors. It revolves around the intense, complex relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by Catherine's father. Despite their deep affection for each other, Catherine marries Edgar Linton, a wealthy neighbor, leading Heathcliff to seek revenge on the two families. The story unfolds over two generations, reflecting the consequences of their choices and the destructive power of obsessive love.

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

The novel is a poignant exploration of a young African-American man's journey through life, where he grapples with issues of race, identity, and individuality in mid-20th-century America. The protagonist, who remains unnamed throughout the story, considers himself socially invisible due to his race. The narrative follows his experiences from the South to the North, from being a student to a worker, and his involvement in the Brotherhood, a political organization. The book is a profound critique of societal norms and racial prejudice, highlighting the protagonist's struggle to assert his identity in a world that refuses to see him.

The Bible by Unknown

The Bible is the central religious text of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments. It features a diverse collection of writings including historical narratives, poetry, prophecies, and teachings. These texts chronicle the relationship between God and humanity, detail the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and follow the early Christian church. Considered divinely inspired by believers, it serves as a foundational guide for faith and practice, influencing countless aspects of culture and society worldwide.

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov

The novel is a unique blend of fiction, commentary, and poetry, presented as a 999-line poem written by a fictional poet, followed by an extensive commentary and foreword by his neighbor and academic colleague. The novel blurs the line between reality and fiction, as the commentator's notes reveal an alternative narrative, one of exile, intrigue, and murder. The book is a playful exploration of authorship, deception, and the nature of art.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Set in the racially charged South during the Depression, the novel follows a young girl and her older brother as they navigate their small town's societal norms and prejudices. Their father, a lawyer, is appointed to defend a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, forcing the children to confront the harsh realities of racism and injustice. The story explores themes of morality, innocence, and the loss of innocence through the eyes of the young protagonists.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

"Bleak House" is a complex narrative that critiques the British judiciary system through a long-running legal case known as Jarndyce and Jarndyce. The story follows the lives of numerous characters, including the kind-hearted Esther Summerson, her friends Richard and Ada, and their guardian, Mr. Jarndyce, who are all caught in the web of a legal dispute over an inheritance. The novel is known for its detailed depiction of the legal system, its vivid characters, and its exploration of social issues of the time.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

The book follows the Joad family, Oklahoma farmers displaced from their land during the Great Depression. The family, alongside thousands of other "Okies," travel to California in search of work and a better life. Throughout their journey, they face numerous hardships and injustices, yet maintain their humanity through unity and shared sacrifice. The narrative explores themes of man's inhumanity to man, the dignity of wrath, and the power of family and friendship, offering a stark and moving portrayal of the harsh realities of American migrant laborers during the 1930s.

The Trial by Franz Kafka

The book revolves around a bank clerk who wakes one morning to find himself under arrest for an unspecified crime. Despite not being detained, he is subjected to the psychological torment of a bizarre and nightmarish judicial process. The story is a critique of bureaucracy, exploring themes of guilt, alienation and the inefficiency of the justice system.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories that follows a group of pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. Told in Middle English, the tales are narrated by a diverse group of pilgrims, including a knight, a miller, a reeve, and a pardoner, who share their stories to pass the time during their journey. The tales, which range from chivalrous romances to bawdy fabliaux, provide a colorful, satirical, and critical portrayal of 14th century English society.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

This classic novel follows the journey of a seaman who travels up the Congo River into the African interior to meet a mysterious ivory trader. Throughout his journey, he encounters the harsh realities of imperialism, the brutal treatment of native Africans, and the depths of human cruelty and madness. The protagonist's journey into the 'heart of darkness' serves as both a physical exploration of the African continent and a metaphorical exploration into the depths of human nature.

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

This classic novel explores the life of a young, independent American woman who inherits a large amount of money and moves to Europe, where she falls into a manipulative and oppressive marriage. The story delves into themes of personal freedom, responsibility, and betrayal, as the protagonist navigates the complexities of high society, love, and the consequences of her choices.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

This classic play follows the tragic tale of Macbeth, a Scottish general whose ambition is sparked by a prophecy from three witches that he will one day become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred on by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne. However, guilt and paranoia plague him, leading to a reign of terror and further bloodshed. His desperate attempts to cling onto power lead to his downfall, illustrating the destructive power of unchecked ambition.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

This classic novel revolves around the life of Anne Elliot, a woman of 27 who is unmarried and living with her vain, snobbish, and foolish family who are on the brink of financial ruin. Seven years prior, she had been persuaded to reject a marriage proposal from the man she loved, a poor but ambitious naval officer named Frederick Wentworth. When he returns from the war a wealthy and successful captain, old feelings are rekindled. The story follows Anne's journey towards self-realization and second chances at love amidst the complexities of her social class.

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

"The Good Soldier" is a tragic tale of two seemingly perfect couples: an American couple and an English couple, who meet at a German spa and share a nine-year friendship. However, underneath the surface, their relationships are far from ideal, filled with infidelity, lies, and deceit. The story is narrated by the American husband, who is the last to realize the intricate web of affairs and betrayals amongst the group. The novel explores themes of love, passion, and the destruction that can result from suppressed emotions and societal pressures.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

This novel tells the story of a former African-American slave woman who, after escaping to Ohio, is haunted by the ghost of her deceased daughter. The protagonist is forced to confront her repressed memories and the horrific realities of her past, including the desperate act she committed to protect her children from a life of slavery. The narrative is a poignant exploration of the physical, emotional, and psychological scars inflicted by the institution of slavery, and the struggle for identity and self-acceptance in its aftermath.

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Set in the mid-19th century, this novel follows a violent teenager known as "the Kid" as he joins a group of Indian-hunters led by the enigmatic and brutal Judge Holden. The narrative is a gruesome depiction of the lawless American West, filled with philosophical musings, vivid descriptions of the harsh landscape, and brutal, relentless violence. The story explores themes of human nature, morality, and the inherent chaos and brutality of life.

Oresteia by Aeschylus

"Oresteia" is a trilogy of Greek tragedies that tells the story of the House of Atreus. It begins with King Agamemnon's return from the Trojan War and his subsequent murder by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus. The second play focuses on the revenge of their son, Orestes, who kills his mother and her lover to avenge his father's death. The final play deals with the trial of Orestes by the gods for the crime of matricide, resulting in his acquittal and the end of the curse on the House of Atreus. The trilogy explores themes of justice, vengeance, and the intervention of the gods in human affairs.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

This novel is a semi-autobiographical account of a young man's intellectual and artistic development in late 19th-century Ireland. The protagonist struggles with issues of identity, faith, and nationality, ultimately rejecting the traditional values of his Catholic upbringing to pursue his own path as an artist. The book is renowned for its innovative narrative style and its exploration of themes such as individuality, freedom, and the nature of art.

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The narrative follows a man who, after the death of his mother, falls into a routine of indifference and emotional detachment, leading him to commit an act of violence on a sun-drenched beach. His subsequent trial becomes less about the act itself and more about his inability to conform to societal norms and expectations, ultimately exploring themes of existentialism, absurdism, and the human condition.

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

The novel follows the story of a teenager named Holden Caulfield, who has just been expelled from his prep school. The narrative unfolds over the course of three days, during which Holden experiences various forms of alienation and his mental state continues to unravel. He criticizes the adult world as "phony" and struggles with his own transition into adulthood. The book is a profound exploration of teenage rebellion, alienation, and the loss of innocence.

All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren

"All the King's Men" is a political drama that revolves around the rise and fall of a Southern governor, loosely based on Louisiana's Huey Long. The story is narrated by a journalist who becomes the governor's right-hand man, offering an inside perspective on the political machinations, corruption, and personal tragedies that accompany the governor's climb to power. The novel explores themes of power, corruption, and the moral consequences of political ambition.

Rabbit, Run by John Updike

The novel follows the life of a 26-year-old former high school basketball star, who is dissatisfied with his current life. He impulsively leaves his wife and son and embarks on a journey in the hopes of finding a more meaningful existence. His decisions, however, lead to a series of tragic events that impact the lives of those around him. This mid-20th-century novel explores themes of freedom, responsibility, and the tragic consequences of impulsive decisions.

Rabbit Redux by John Updike

The novel is a sequel in a series following the life of Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a middle-aged man living in a small Pennsylvania town. When his wife leaves him for another man, he finds himself alone and struggling to make sense of the rapidly changing world around him. In his loneliness, he takes in a young runaway and her racially divisive boyfriend, leading to a series of events that force Rabbit to confront his own prejudices and fears. The book is a vivid portrayal of the American social and political climate of the 1960s.

Rabbit Is Rich by John Updike

The book follows the life of a former high school basketball star, who is now in his mid-forties and has inherited a Toyota dealership from his father-in-law. He is living a comfortable life with his wife and son in Brewer, Pennsylvania during the late 1970s. The story unfolds as he navigates through his midlife crisis, dealing with his rebellious son, his longing for his old mistress, and his own insecurities and dissatisfaction. The narrative provides a deep dive into the protagonist's thoughts and feelings, offering a detailed examination of middle-class American life during this era.

Rabbit at Rest by John Updike

The novel is a final look into the life of Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a former high-school basketball star, now in his mid-fifties, overweight and grappling with several health issues. Despite his success in business, his personal life is in shambles, with his wife addicted to alcohol and his son to drugs. Harry, struggling with his mortality, is trying to understand his past and make sense of his future, while dealing with the changing American society and the consequences of his own choices.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

The novel is set in 1930s Edinburgh and follows the story of six girls under the tutelage of an unconventional teacher, Miss Jean Brodie. Miss Brodie, in her prime, takes it upon herself to educate the girls about life, love, politics, and art, often disregarding the traditional curriculum. The narrative explores the influence of Miss Brodie on the girls, the consequences of her nonconformist teachings, and the ultimate betrayal that leads to her downfall.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The novel is a poignant tale set in the 1920s post-World War I era, focusing on a group of American and British expatriates living in Paris who travel to Pamplona, Spain for the annual Running of the Bulls. The story explores themes of disillusionment, identity, and the Lost Generation, with the protagonist, a war veteran, grappling with impotence caused by a war injury. The narrative is steeped in the disillusionment and existential crisis experienced by many in the aftermath of the war, and the reckless hedonism of the era is portrayed through the characters' aimless wanderings and excessive drinking.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, this novel tells the story of a woman who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. She is forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress as a sign of her adultery while her lover, a revered local minister, remains unnamed and unpunished. Throughout the book, themes of sin, legalism, and guilt are explored.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

This novel follows the story of a young girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantastical world full of peculiar creatures and bizarre experiences. As she navigates through this strange land, she encounters a series of nonsensical events, including a tea party with a Mad Hatter, a pool of tears, and a trial over stolen tarts. The book is renowned for its playful use of language, logic, and its exploration of the boundaries of reality.

The Iliad by Homer

This epic poem focuses on the final weeks of the Trojan War, a conflict between the city of Troy and the Greek city-states. The story explores themes of war, honor, wrath, and divine intervention, with a particular focus on the Greek hero Achilles, whose anger and refusal to fight have devastating consequences. The narrative also delves into the lives of the gods, their relationships with humans, and their influence on the course of events.

One Thousand and One Nights by Unknown

This is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The stories are told by a young woman, who must weave a new tale each night for her husband, a king, to delay her execution. The tales are filled with magic, adventure, love, and betrayal, and include well-known stories such as "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp", "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", and "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor".

The Red and the Black by Stendhal

The novel is a detailed psychological portrait of Julien Sorel, a young man from a provincial background who aspires to rise above his humble beginnings. He uses his intelligence and hypocrisy to advance in the post-Napoleonic French society, which is deeply divided by class and political loyalties. The story is a critique of the society's materialism and hypocrisy as Julien's ambitions lead him to a tragic end. The title refers to the contrasting uniforms of the army and the church, the two routes available to him for upward mobility.

The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel by Isaac Babel

This collection of short stories presents a rich tapestry of narratives exploring the harsh realities of war, the complexities of Jewish life in early 20th century Russia, and the human condition. Written by a renowned Russian author, the stories are known for their vivid imagery, poignant themes, and incisive social commentary. The collection includes famous works like "Red Cavalry", a series of stories based on the author's experiences as a journalist during the Russo-Polish War, and "Odessa Stories", which depicts the vibrant yet often brutal life in the city's Jewish ghetto.

Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Set in the French Riviera in the 1920s, the novel traces the tragic tale of a young psychiatrist, his beautiful wife, and the drama that unfolds amongst their circle of wealthy expatriate friends. The psychiatrist's wife suffers from mental illness, which leads to his own downfall as he struggles to keep his marriage intact and maintain his professional reputation. The narrative explores themes of wealth, love, desire, and the destructive power of obsession, painting a haunting portrait of the dark side of the glamorous Jazz Age.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

The book is a satirical critique of military bureaucracy and the illogical nature of war, set during World War II. The story follows a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier stationed in Italy, who is trying to maintain his sanity while fulfilling his service requirements so that he can go home. The novel explores the absurdity of war and military life through the experiences of the protagonist, who discovers that a bureaucratic rule, the "Catch-22", makes it impossible for him to escape his dangerous situation. The more he tries to avoid his military assignments, the deeper he gets sucked into the irrational world of military rule.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

The novel follows the life of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran who has become "unstuck in time," experiencing his life events out of order. This includes his experiences as a prisoner of war in Dresden during the Allies' firebombing, his post-war life as a successful optometrist, his abduction by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore, and his eventual death. The book is a critique of war and a demonstration of the destructive nature of time, with a nonlinear narrative that reflects the chaos and unpredictability of life.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

The narrative unfolds through the eyes of 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her poor, rural family's quest and motivations—noble or selfish—to honor her wish to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. As the Bundren family undertakes a journey to fulfill Addie's last wish, they face many hardships and personal revelations. The novel explores themes of existentialism, death, and the nature of family relationships.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

"Paradise Lost" is an epic poem that explores the biblical story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace in the Garden of Eden. It delves into their temptation by Satan, their subsequent expulsion, and the consequences of their disobedience. The narrative also provides a complex portrayal of Satan as a rebellious angel, who, after being cast out of Heaven, seeks revenge by causing mankind's downfall. The poem is a profound exploration of free will, divine justice, and the human struggle with good and evil.

The Stories of John Cheever by John Cheever

This collection of short stories provides an intimate look into the lives of individuals living in the American suburbs during the mid-20th century. The narratives often center around themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of the American dream, painting a vivid picture of the human condition. The characters are typically middle-class individuals dealing with personal crises, existential dread, and the often harsh realities of everyday life. The stories are renowned for their ability to capture the essence of post-war America, with all of its beauty, despair, and complexity.

The Aeneid by Virgil

This epic poem tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travels to Italy, where he becomes the ancestor of the Romans. It includes a series of prophecies about Rome's future and the deeds of heroic individuals, and is divided into two sections, the first illustrating the hero's journey and the second detailing the wars and battles that ensue as Aeneas attempts to establish a new home in Italy. The narrative is deeply imbued with themes of duty, fate, and divine intervention.

Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol

In this satirical novel, a man travels through Russia buying up the titles to deceased serfs (or "souls") from their naive landowners, under the guise of a get-rich-quick scheme. However, his real plan is to use these "dead souls" to create a phantom estate and secure a massive loan. The story explores the corruption and greed prevalent in 19th-century Russian society and provides a unique perspective on the human condition.

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

Set in the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the novel follows the story of an American dynamiter, who is assigned the task of blowing up a bridge during a crucial attack on the city of Segovia. Alongside the war narrative, the story also explores his relationships with various characters, including his love affair with a young Spanish woman. The narrative beautifully encapsulates themes of love, war, death, and the transient nature of life.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

"Leaves of Grass" is a collection of poetry that celebrates the human form and condition, while also exploring themes of democracy, nature, love, and friendship. The book, known for its departure from traditional poetic form, features a free verse style and the use of everyday language. The poet presents himself as both an individual and a universal figure, representing the collective American experience and identity. The collection is also notable for its controversial content at the time of its publication, including candid depictions of sexuality.

Franz Kafka: The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka

This collection of stories offers a comprehensive look at the work of a renowned author, known for his surreal and often unsettling depictions of modern life. The stories explore themes of existential anxiety, guilt, and absurdity, often through narratives in which ordinary people face extraordinary, inexplicable circumstances. The collection showcases the author's unique style and his profound influence on 20th-century literature.

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

In this novel, the protagonist, a young, ordinary man, visits his cousin at a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. Intending to stay for only a few weeks, he ends up remaining there for seven years, becoming a patient himself. The book explores his experiences and relationships with other patients and staff, delving into philosophical discussions on life, time, and the nature of disease. It also provides a vivid portrayal of the European society and intellectual life on the eve of World War I.

Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson

"Winesburg, Ohio" is a collection of interconnected short stories that paints a picture of life in a small town in the early 20th century. The book captures the hopes, dreams, and despair of the inhabitants of Winesburg, focusing on a young reporter as he interacts with the townspeople. Each character's story reveals their inner struggles, loneliness, and search for understanding and connection, providing a profound exploration of human nature and the complexities of life in a small community.

The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty by Eudora Welty

This collection of short stories provides an insightful look into the human condition through the lens of Southern American life. The narratives, rich in detail and character development, explore a wide range of themes such as love, loss, race, poverty, and the complexities of human relationships. The stories are deeply rooted in the setting of the Southern United States, bringing to life the unique culture, customs, and dialect of the region. The author's masterful storytelling and evocative prose make each story a vivid and memorable exploration of human nature.

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

In this classic novel, a complex web of characters is spun around a central plot involving a mysterious inheritance. The narrative explores various themes such as love, greed, social class, and human nature, set against the backdrop of Victorian London. The story unfolds through the lives of numerous characters including a dust contractor, his charming daughter, a lawyer, a teacher, and a couple of greedy, scheming relatives, all of whom are connected by the mysterious fortune left by a deceased man to his estranged son, who is presumed drowned.

The Hamlet by William Faulkner

"The Hamlet" is a complex narrative that explores the lives of the Snopes family, their rise to power, and their struggle with morality in a small southern town. The story is filled with themes of greed, manipulation, and the quest for power, as the Snopes family uses cunning and deceit to gain control over the town and its inhabitants. The novel is a vivid portrayal of the dark side of human nature and the destructive power of ambition.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

This novel is a complex narrative that weaves together three distinct yet intertwined stories. The first story is set in 1930s Moscow and follows the devil and his entourage as they wreak havoc on the city's literary elite. The second story is a historical narrative about Pontius Pilate and his role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The third story is a love story between the titular Master, a writer who has been driven to madness by the criticism of his work, and his devoted lover, Margarita. The novel is a satirical critique of Soviet society, particularly the literary establishment, and its treatment of artists. It also explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the nature of good and evil.

The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard

The novel follows the lives of two orphaned Australian sisters, Caroline and Grace Bell, who move to England in the post-World War II era. The story revolves around their relationships, particularly Caroline's complex and often tragic love life. The narrative is filled with themes of love, fate, time, and the intricate complexities of human relationships, all set against the backdrop of significant historical events.

So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell

The novel revolves around a young boy in Illinois who befriends a new classmate, Cletus, whose father has been murdered. The protagonist becomes obsessed with the murder, imagining the events leading up to the tragedy from the perspectives of the involved parties. The novel explores themes of memory, guilt, and the impact of trauma on childhood friendships.

Selected Stories of Alice Munro by Alice Munro

This collection of short stories offers a comprehensive view of the author's narrative talent, showcasing her ability to create complex characters and situations that reflect the human condition. Set in various locations, from small Canadian towns to exotic foreign locales, each story delves into the intricate relationships, personal struggles, and quiet triumphs of its characters. The author's writing is marked by her keen observation, psychological insight, and the ability to convey the extraordinary within the ordinary, making each story a unique exploration of life's complexities.

The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal

The novel follows the life of a young Italian nobleman, who, driven by romantic ideals and a thirst for adventure, leaves his comfortable life to join Napoleon's army. After surviving many trials and tribulations, he returns home to a life of political intrigue, love affairs, and power struggles in the court of Parma. The narrative provides a vivid and satirical depiction of the political and social life in Italy during the 19th century.

Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio

"Decameron" is a collection of 100 stories told by a group of seven young women and three young men sheltering in a secluded villa just outside Florence to escape the Black Death, which was afflicting the city. The tales, which range from the erotic to the tragic, the hilarious to the instructional, are embedded in a rich framework narrative that provides a detailed portrait of the society of the Italian Renaissance.

The Man Who Loved Children by Christina Stead

This novel explores the complex dynamics of the Pollit family, focusing on the relationship between the egotistical patriarch Sam and his idealistic daughter Louie. Set in Washington D.C. during the 1930s, the story provides a stark portrayal of a dysfunctional family, where Sam's delusional optimism and insensitivity clash with Louie's growing disillusionment and rebellion. The narrative delves into themes of family conflict, emotional abuse, and the struggle for individual identity within the confines of family expectations.

Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky

"The Possessed" is a complex political novel set in a provincial Russian town, exploring the destructive influence of radical ideologies on society. The narrative revolves around a group of revolutionaries, their philosophical debates and their destructive actions, driven by nihilism and anarchism. The story is a critique of the political and social chaos of the time, showcasing the author's deep understanding of human psychology and his profound insights into the human condition. It is an exploration of faith, reason, and the nature of freedom and is considered one of the most significant works of Russian literature.

Independent People by Halldor Laxness

"Independent People" is a novel set in rural Iceland, following the life of a stubborn sheep farmer who values his independence above all else. Despite facing numerous hardships, including poverty, harsh weather, and family strife, he refuses to accept help or compromise his self-reliance. The book explores themes of pride, the struggle for survival, and the human spirit's resilience in the face of adversity.

My Antonia by Willa Cather

This novel follows the life of Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant to the United States, through the eyes of her childhood friend, Jim Burden. The narrative explores their lives in the harsh environment of the American Midwest, their struggles with poverty, cultural adaptation, and personal growth. Antonia's resilience, strength, and love for life inspire Jim, who moves away for education and career but remains emotionally tied to the woman and the prairie life he left behind. The book is a compelling portrayal of pioneer life, human resilience, and the enduring power of friendship.

Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford

The novel chronicles the life of Christopher Tietjens, an officer in the British Army during World War I, and his complex relationships with two women: his adulterous wife Sylvia and a young suffragette named Valentine. The story is set against the backdrop of a changing society and the devastation of war, exploring themes of duty, honor, and the struggle between traditional values and modernism.

Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway

This book is a collection of short stories penned by a renowned 20th-century American author, known for his minimalist and direct style of writing. The stories span a range of themes, including love, war, wilderness, and loss, often drawing from the author's own experiences as a journalist and war correspondent. Each story offers a glimpse into the complexities of human nature and the harsh realities of life, showcasing the author's ability to capture profound emotions and experiences in simple, yet powerful prose.

Collected Stories by Raymond Chandler

"Collected Stories" is a compilation of short stories that showcase the author's signature noir style. The narratives are filled with complex plots, gritty settings, and cynical, hard-boiled characters, often featuring private detectives navigating the seedy underbelly of society. The collection highlights the author's distinct voice, characterized by sharp dialogue, vivid descriptions, and a keen observation of human nature.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

This is a tragic tale of a young woman named Tess who comes from a poor family in rural England. Tess is sent to work for a wealthy family, where she is seduced by a man who abandons her after she becomes pregnant. The baby dies, and Tess is ostracized by her community. She falls in love with a kind man, but when she confesses her past, he rejects her. Desperate and heartbroken, Tess murders her former seducer and is eventually captured and executed. The novel explores themes of fate, injustice, and the oppressive sexual morals of its time.

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

This classic novel follows the lives of two contrasting women, the cunning and ruthless Becky Sharp and the sweet and naive Amelia Sedley, against the backdrop of English society during the Napoleonic Wars. The book is a satirical exploration of the obsession with wealth, status, and social climbing, and the moral bankruptcy that can result from such pursuits. The narrative weaves an intricate tale of love, betrayal, and redemption, exposing the vanity and hypocrisy of high society.

Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac

"Cousin Bette" is a novel set in mid-19th century Paris, focusing on the lives of the Hulot family and their cousin, Bette, an old maid who harbors a deep resentment towards her relatives due to their wealth and social status. When Bette learns that her cousin's husband is having an affair, she decides to exact revenge by manipulating various characters and situations, leading to the downfall of the Hulot family. The novel explores themes of jealousy, revenge, and the destructive power of repressed feelings.

Don Juan: A Poem by Lord Byron

This epic satirical poem tells the story of Don Juan, a handsome, charming young man from Spain who gets into various adventures and romantic escapades throughout Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Throughout his journey, he encounters a variety of characters, including pirates, sultans, and aristocrats, while also engaging in numerous love affairs. The narrative, filled with humor, irony, and social commentary, serves as a critique of societal norms and conventions, particularly those related to love and morality.

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky

This novel is a profound exploration of the human psyche through the eyes of a bitter and isolated retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The protagonist, a self-proclaimed "sick" and "spiteful" man, delves into his past experiences and personal philosophies in a series of rambling and often contradictory monologues. His existential musings touch on themes such as free will, determinism, and the nature of human action, often challenging the prevailing ideologies of his time. The narrative provides a deep and unsettling insight into the darker aspects of human consciousness.

The Stand by Stephen King

This post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel presents a world devastated by a deadly plague, killing 99% of the population. The survivors, drawn together by dreams of a charismatic and benevolent figure, gather in Boulder, Colorado to form a new society. However, a malevolent figure also emerges, attracting a following of his own and setting the stage for a classic battle between good and evil. The story delves into themes of community, morality, and the capacity for both destruction and regeneration within humanity.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

"The Tempest" is a classic play about a sorcerer and rightful Duke of Milan who has been stranded on an island for 12 years with his daughter after being betrayed by his brother. Using his magical powers and the help of an airy spirit, he conjures a storm to shipwreck his brother and other enemies on the island. The narrative explores themes of revenge, power, magic, and forgiveness as the sorcerer manipulates events on the island to regain his dukedom and secure a good future for his daughter.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

This novel follows the life of Janie Crawford, a young African-American woman, in the early 20th century. She embarks on a journey through three marriages and self-discovery while challenging the societal norms of her time. The narrative explores her struggle for personal freedom, fulfillment, and identity against the backdrop of racism and gender expectations, ultimately emphasizing the importance of independence and personal growth.

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Blog – Posted on Wednesday, May 20

The 115 best books of all time.

The written word is a pillar of human civilization — it signals complex thinking, it’s a tool to record history, and it allows for the development of ideas. Throughout our existence, so much has been written down, whether carved into stone or printed on paper, immortalizing thrilling tales and imparting wisdom. Many are lost, weathered by time or withered in flames like in the case of the Library of Alexandria; though plenty remain for us to peruse.

Let’s take a trip through time and discover the world’s literary trends by looking at 115 of the best books of all time! It took a while to compile this list (there is simply too much great writing!) but you’ll see that there’s a bit of everything: from poetry to plays to novels, from Chinese classics to Renaissance gems.

Ancient civilizations

1. the story of sinuhe by unknown (c. 1800 bc) .

More than three thousand years before the Bard was born, the Egyptian Shakespeare wrote the Hathor worshipper’s answer to Hamlet — and we don’t even know their name. Anonymously authored, the elegant and haunting Story of Sinuhe has been hailed as ancient Egypt’s best. This epic poem follows the titular Sinuhe, an official who goes AWOL when he gets some explosive intel about the assassination of his king. His new life in Canaan brings him glorious victories, a high-society marriage, and honorable sons…. but the guilt of his exit continues to eat away at him, and he never stops longing for his homeland. 

2. Epic of Gilgamesh by Sin-liqe-unninni (c. 1700 BC) 

This four thousand year-old page-turner flies under the radar compared to high school staples like the Odyssey, but the Epic of Gilgamesh is nothing short of, well, epic . It’s a must-read whether you love the redemptive power of a good bromance or have a taste for quirky math (the titular Gilgamesh is one-third moral and two-thirds divine)! Our genetically improbable protagonist begins the story as a a king who brutalizes his people — in other words, a true antihero. He rules over the city of Uruk with an iron fist until the gods themselves mold the wild man Enkidu out of clay and water to strike the wicked king down. But when Enkidu  finally confronts his target, the two destined enemies become fast friends — inspiring Gilgamesh to mend his ways and go on a monster-hunting quest with his new bestie. 

3. The Odyssey by Homer (c. 700 BC) 

4. Aesop’s Fables by Aesop (c. 500 BC)

City mouse and country mouse. Sour grapes. Slow and steady wins the race. Brought to life by an enslaved prisoner of war, Aesop’s Fables have shaped our everyday idioms and helped define how we see the world. These deceptively simple tales have clear moral messages that are served with a dash of darkness: in Aesop’s starkly enchanted world, anthropomorphic animals cavort, gambol, and sometimes die ignoble deaths, struck down by their own foolishness and arrogance. Whether you’re in the mood for Tweet-brief bedtime reading or hankering for a blunt reminder of life’s harshness, these timeless tales that have enriched the worlds of toddlers and philosophers alike will have you covered.

5. Oedipus the King by Sophocles (430 BC) 

This bleak masterclass in dramatic irony gave its name to the most famous of Freudian complexes, and it’s been reminding readers — and playgoers — for ages that sometimes you just can’t fight fate. The great tragedian Sophocles wrote it more than 2,000 years ago, so forgive us if we don’t issue any spoiler warnings. In any case, we all know how this story ends — with the unlucky Oedipus blinded and weeping blood, after accidentally killing his father and marrying his mother. The bitter fascination of reading Oedipus the King lies in following him to that grisly and inevitable conclusion. Trust us — the dread that grips you because you know exactly what’s coming will make your blood run colder than many a horror movie. 

6. The Mahabharata by Vyasa (c. 300 BC)

If you’re not quite sure where to start, we recommend diving into the Bhagavad Gita . In this philosophically rich, 700-verse passage from the sixth book, the warrior prince Arjuna struggles to master his emotions on the eve of battle. His enemies, after all, are also his own kinsmen. Can his friend and charioteer — who also happens to be a reincarnated god — help him find a way out of his turmoil?

7. Adelphoe by Terence (160 BC)

This quirky Roman classic proves two things: the ancients knew how to get a laugh out of theatergoers, and bumbling fathers and rebellious sons are literally) an age-old recipe for comedy. Adelphoe kicks off with a parenting experiment: rural patriarch Demea has two sons, and he sends one to be raised by his city-dwelling brother Micio while rearing the other himself. Thus the two brothers grow up apart: Ctesipho lives it up in Athens with his indulgent uncle, while Aeschinus stays in the countryside, under his despotic father’s thumb. In short, one brother becomes repressed, and the other has become a louche. But when Ctesipho falls in love with an enslaved musician, he turns to his brother for help. When Demea and Micio find out what their boys are up to, will they finally agree on the right way to raise kids?

8. The Aeneid by Virgil (c. 20 BC)

For Odysseus, the Trojan War led to a ten-year nightmare involving six-headed monsters, vengeful sea-gods, and a scorned witch capable of turning men into pigs — and he was one of the winners! Which makes you wonder what it was like to be on the losing side. Let’s just ask the Trojan hero Aeneas, whose own post-war adventures spawned another epic poem.

The star of the Aeneid , he flees Troy just after the murder of its king. For a while, destiny seems to be on Aeneas’ side: a prophecy dictates he’ll establish a glorious nation in Rome, and his own mother is none other than Venus herself. But even with divine blood flowing through him, he can’t count on support from all the gods: Juno, in particular, seems intent on turning his journey to Italy into a real ordeal. We know that Aeneas will make it to Rome. But what will he suffer in the process — and who will suffer with him?

9. The Satyricon by Petronius (c. 90 AD) 

10. The Tale of an Anklet by Unknown (c. 450 AD)

This Tamil answer to the Odyssey features one unforgettable heroine. Kannaki starts out as a long-suffering wife, but by the time the story’s done, she’s transformed into a goddess who sets cities on fire with her rage. But let’s rewind quickly to the start of The Tale of an Anklet , where she and the handsome Kovalan are married and living in bliss — as far as she’s concerned. Kovalan seems to feel differently: why else would he leave his wife at home to take up with a beautiful courtesan? 

But when Kovalan faces financial ruin, Kannaki swallows her betrayal and prepares to bail him out. She offers him a jeweled anklet to pawn — but he’s falsely accused of stealing it from the queen. Can Kannaki save him from a flawed justice system, or will she be forced to seek revenge for the husband who broke her heart? From the bitterness of love to the brokenness of law, this gorgeous, heartrending drama brings age-old issues to passionate life.

Post-classical literature

11. one thousand and one nights by unknown (c. 700)  .

This collection of Arabic-language folk tales shows the transformative power of a good cliffhanger — used right, it can apparently save your life! Over the course of, well, a thousand and one nights, the quick-witted storyteller Scheherazade (the latest in a long succession of King Shahryar’s unfortunate brides) draws on her imagination to stave off death. Embittered by a previous wife’s infidelity, King Shahryar has been marrying a new one every night — only to put her to death the next morning. Scheherazade, though, is different from these other one-night queens: she actually volunteered for the job. Every night, she regales her paranoid husband with a story but refuses to finish it — forcing him to push back her beheading in favor of the grand finale. And then she starts another one to keep him on the hook.

One Thousand and One Nights lets you listen in on these high-stakes bedtime stories. Scheherazade’s repertoire spans the spectrum from cozy childhood favorites ( Aladdin , anyone?) to historical, tragic, and erotic tales fit to stir a royal imagination. It turns out, the way to a king’s heart isn’t through his stomach — it’s through the magic of plot!

12. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (c. 1010)

Unfortunately for Genji, his gifts seem to bring him more sorrow than joy: he falls in love with the worst possible woman — his own stepmother, Lady Fujitsubo. Unable to forget her, he kidnaps her niece, the preteen Murasaki, to raise as a replacement Fujitsubo — all while continuing his affair with the real Fujitsubo. Elegant, immersive, and dense, this strange and captivating classic blurs the line between truth and fiction. Did Murasaki, the author, name herself after her heroine? Or is Muraski the character a reflection of the woman who brought her to life?

14. Lais by Marie de France (c. 1100) 

If you’ve ever wanted to live out a courtly romance or daydreamed about saving lives as a dragon-slaying knight, you can thank Marie. This 12th-century poet — the first woman in French history to write verse — virtually invented chivalry through her Lais . Though we sadly don’t even know her real name today, we do know that her view of romance was subtle and even sometimes sinister — never sappy. In these twelve short narrative poems, werewolves suffer heartbreak, vassals betray their lords, and jealous husbands lash out against innocent wives with unimaginable cruelty. Love, Marie knew, could be as corrupting as it was powerful, making cunning and sophisticated beasts out of men. 

15. The Knight in Panther’s Skin by Shota Rusteveli (c. 1190) 

Up to a century ago, The Knight in Panther’s Skin was a part of every Georgian bride’s dowry. In this heart-stirring epic, medieval Georgia’s premiere poet uses a fictionalized Middle Eastern setting to glorify Queen Tamar, who presided over the kingdom’s golden age.

The poem opens on the warrior Avtandil as he takes on an unusual mission. Normally tasked with commanding the Arabian king’s armies, he’s been asked to spearhead a strange manhunt. His target? A mysterious knight dressed in a panther’s skin, whom the king’s men found weeping by a river — before he killed them and disappeared. Dangerous as he is, is this shadowy stranger a friend or a foe? The answer may surprise the noble Avtandil — and force him to turn against the king he’s served so faithfully.

16. The Song of the Nibelungs by Unknown (c. 1200) 

Beyond the fascinating plot, this poem immortalized Siegfried and Hagen, Gunther’s loyal right-hand man, as the embodiment of the German spirit when the country unified in the late 1800s. Its influence on European culture attests to its status as one of the most impressive works of German Medieval literature ever created. 

17. The Poetic Edda by Unknown (13th century) 

You can thank this anonymous batch of poems for The Hobbit — not to mention the superhero Thor. The Poetic Edda , one of the most important sources for Nose mythology, surfaced in Iceland sometime during the 13th century. It’s since cast a vast shadow on western literature, with writers from Tolkien to Jorge Luis Borges touting it as a major influence.

This verse collection brings the deeds of gods and heroes to life. You’ll hear a witch’s prophecy foretelling Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, see the All-father Odin match wits with the wisest of giants, and follow Heimdall, the divine watchmen, as he journeys through the land of mortals — fathering many children along the way. In the starkly beautiful world these poems sketch out, vows are binding, honor is everything, and not even the gods are safe from a painful death. 

17. Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong (c. 1300)

If this glorious tale had to be described in three words, they would be: epic, tragic, and historical. One of the pillars of Chinese classical literature, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a mythicized account of 80 years of political intrigue and warfare between three dynastic families over rulership of Northern China. As beloved generals and cunning strategists form leagues and battle it out, we learn of their love, their righteousness, and their camaraderie. The riveting plot ends with a twist that’s too well-crafted to be true — although the story is based on real events. 

This masterpiece and its philosophical explorations transcends time and borders, and it remains one of the most well-known novels in East Asian cultures today.  

18. Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (1320)

Dante’s lyrical and intricate depictions of immorality are pertinent throughout history, inspiring writers in the craft of storytelling while provoking reflection among readers. It’s truly one of the greatest literary works of all time.

19. Piers Plowman by William Langland (c. 1380)

Taking a large leap across France, Spain and the Channel from Italy we arrive in England, where Langland recorded his take on Christianity in a colossal, alliterated poem.

Rather than delving into death as Dante had several decades prior, this poem explores human behaviors and morality through the visions of a man called Will. In his dreamscape, Will meets all kinds of “people” who are personified virtues — from the Seven Deadly Sins to Dowel (“do well”) and Dobet (“do better”). The metafictional quality of presenting vision within vision, the complexity of Middle English literature, and the depth of theological knowledge make Piers Plowman a difficult but very rich and sophisticated text. 

20. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1400)

From knights to monks to cooks — Chaucer’s elaborate collection of 24 stories unravels the journey that people make to Canterbury and its majestic cathedral. While they embark on the same journey, the protagonists of these tales are as different as can be — each hails from a different background and represents a different tier in the social hierarchy of feudal society. 

The Canterbury Tales are fascinating to read on their own, providing a magical portal to medieval villages and quests that came to be the inspiration for countless Hollywood movies. These odysseys shine the most, however, when they are experienced together, because that’s when Chaucer’s brilliance at displaying the complexities of society reveals itself. 

21. The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan (c. 1405)

In The Book of the City of Ladies ,  Reason, Rectitude, and Justice appear to the narrator — Pizan herself — and ask her to build a city just for women. It turns out that building this city requires the dismantling of the narrator’s own preconceived notions of gender and societal norms. 

The resulting monumental literary work includes stories of legendary female figures in history and mythology — from the Virgin Mary to Helen of Troy — as Pizan reveals to readers that women are every bit as capable as men. Elegantly written and daringly conceived, this book will be a place of refuge for believers of gender equality. 

22. Hamlet by William Shakespeare (c. 1601)

Though you may be familiar with the plot by virtue of The Lion King, it’s always worth getting back to basics with the source material — inasmuch as you can call Shakespeare’s longest and arguably most influential play “basic.”

For those unfamiliar, we’ll back it up: Hamlet is the son of the recently deceased king of Denmark, whose sudden death has been hastily papered over by his brother and successor, Claudius. Hamlet, of course, is suspicious, especially after a vision of his father claims that Claudius murdered him to take the throne. To distract others from his plan of revenge, Hamlet pretends that he’s gone mad, and what follows is a tangled web of deceit, violence, and tragedy for the royal family and their compatriots — especially as it becomes increasingly difficult to tell whether Hamlet is still faking his madness, or has genuinely gone off the deep end.

23. The Plum in the Golden Vase by Unknown (c. 1610) 

Arguably the world’s most famous erotic novel, The Plum in the Golden Vase seems to shape-shift depending on the angle you view it from. It’s a lavishly illustrated handbook of sexual peccadilloes and a harshly punitive morality tale; an irreverent fanfic for a foundational novel and an eminent classic in its own right. You can think of it as the late Ming answer to Lolita : artful in its execution, perverse and learned in its tone.

The Plum in the Golden Vase shines a spotlight (or a blacklight) on a minor figure from The Water Margin , the adventuresome ancestor of Chinese martial arts fiction. This, however, is a very different novel: light on honor among thieves and heavy on steamy social satire, its characters are much more likely to die by aphrodisiac poisoning than by the sword. The fabulously wealthy, fatally dissolute merchant Ximen Qing shares his bed with a rotating cast of six lovers — and counting. Needless to say, his appetites don’t always make for the most…  harmonious of households. As the novel tracks his social life with savage wit, the women around him take center stage, in all their cruel, bawdy complexity. 

24. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (1615)

Part two of the novel introduces an impostor — a writer who pretends to be Don Quixote the knight and publishes recounts of his imaginary adventures. As the metafiction develops, the lines and meanings of imagination and reality blurs even more, leaving only one thing crystal clear: Cervantes’ mastery of the art of storytelling. 

25. The Imposter by Molière (1644)

The Imposter is a satirical play that stars Tartuffe, a pious and well-respected man who has won the love and adoration of Orgon, the head of a well-to-do family. As Tartuffe wines and dines with this family, it quickly comes to light that Tartuffe is not who he pretends to be; that behind his facade of civility is an array of selfish intentions. As the story goes on, Orgon’s family make many attempts to reveal Tartuffe’s true nature.

In a time when religiousness was never a quality not deserving of respect, the preachy and pretentious character of Tartuffe was so well-crafted that his name came to mean “hypocrite” in contemporary French. Molière also faced backlash from the Church and Christain community at the time, but his brilliance as a playwright refuses to be disregarded, and his play stands as a literary classic. 

Literature in the modern age

26. robinson crusoe by daniel defoe (1719).

In a rebellious act that has inspired the wanderlust of many, Robinson Crusoe denies the stability of life in England to travel the world. Thankfully, his colonial adventures feature encounters foreign to modern travellers: slave trades, cannibalism, and shipwrecks on foreign islands. Through this flurry of events, Crusoe comes to appreciate his own upbringing and culture more.

First published under the pseudonym Robinson Crusoe, Defoe’s vivid narration fooled many of its contemporary readers into thinking it was a travel memoir, which back then was a very popular genre. Defoe’s creativity marks this stunning novel as a trailblazer for adventure fiction .

27. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)

28. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding (1749)

Widely considered to be one of the earliest English comic novels, Tom Jones is also an elaborate bildungsroman detailing the upbringing of the titular Tom. Born to an unwed mother and raised by the kindhearted squire Allworthy, Tom grows into a spirited but similarly compassionate young man, eventually falling in love with a neighboring squire’s daughter, Sophia. But after being foiled by a rival for her affections, Tom sets off on a series of adventures through England that are equal parts thrilling and purely comical, from accidental encounters with both of his alleged parents to a very Oscar Wilde-esque ending (though of course, Fielding preceded Wilde by 150 years!) wherein his true parentage is revealed at last.

29. Candide by Voltaire (1759)

As a boy, Candide was taught that everything in the world happens for a reason: that things good and bad serve their purpose in the grand scheme of it all. But as he ventures out into the world and comes face to face with hardships and sufferings, Candide begins to wonder if this optimistic philosophy is a manifestation of ignorance and indifference. 

Underneath this coming-of-age story is Voltaire’s brave effort to hold a mirror up to society, and make it examine its flaws. Hardly any author in his time dared to oppose the accepted virtues of the educated class  — Voltaire even refused to take credit for this masterpiece until years after the publication — and none did it with as much wit and passion as Voltaire did. 

30. Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne (c. 1767)

31. Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin (1791) 

One of the longest and most treasured classics of Chinese literature, Dream of the Red Chamber centers around the life and loves of Jia Baoyu — heir of one of the most powerful families in the land. As with every dynastic family, there will always come a decline. And the Jias’ final days seem to be around the corner, as the political arena shifts and its heir appears bent on listening to his heart rather than his parents. 

From battles of the matriarchs, to noble garden parties and corrupt murder trials, this tale unravels the deepest and darkest corners of Chinese high society in the time of the Qing dynasty — all inspired by the author’s own prestigious upbringing. Dream of the Red Chamber ’s fame as a pillar of Chinese fiction extends far beyond its culture, astounding readers throughout the world with its thematic depth and allegorical intricacies. 

32. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

You are probably familiar with Pride and Prejudice , the love story of the bright and beautiful Elizabeth Bennet and the stoic and aristocratic Mr. Darcy. If you read it when you were younger, it perhaps presented itself as a mere love story set in Regency England. But of course, that barely scratches the surface of all the book holds. Austen had gracefully weaved snarky commentary about wealth, social class, and individuality into the narrative. Austen’s attention to detail and her wonderful wit ultimately show how thought-provoking and entertaining a story can become if it falls into the hands of the right author. 

33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

34. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott (1819)

Often credited with renewing modern interest in the medieval period and its “romantic” culture, Ivanhoe tracks the adventures of its eponymous hero, who is disinherited by his Anglo-Saxon father for his allegiance to Richard the Lionheart. Undeterred, Ivanhoe accompanies his king on the Crusades as tensions mount back in England — and this is only the beginning of a rollicking ride full of trials and tournaments, secret identities and stormed castles, hard-won loves and loyalties, and much more. Coupling nineteenth-century sensibilities and style with a story that could otherwise have come straight from the quill of Chrétien de Troyes, Ivanhoe is a historical masterpiece that will enthrall fans of action, politics, and chivalric romance alike.

35. Faust by Goethe (1832)

We’ve all heard the phrase “a deal with the devil” — or, if you’re sufficiently literary, “a Faustian bargain.” The notion of a cursed contract did indeed originate with Faust, and was immortalized in this play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (though the story has much earlier roots). Goethe’s Faust, as he’s referred to, is a voracious scholar who desires to learn and achieve all that is possible in the human realm — yet suffers for the knowledge that he cannot. As another axiom goes, be careful what you wish for; Mephistopheles then appears to Faust, offering him all the worldly knowledge and pleasures that he can imagine, in exchange for Faust’s service in hell after death. Famously signing the contract in his own blood, Faust agrees… but how will their pact actually unfold? You’ll have to read this mesmerizing play to find out.

36. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844)

37. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)

Arguably the first ever female bildungsroman, Jane Eyre is the story of a frail orphan girl who grows into a highly principled young woman. After a difficult childhood, Jane’s luck takes a turn when she’s employed by the wealthy and mysterious Edward Rochester, whose company she comes to enjoy a great deal. But just as Jane and Rochester become engaged to be married, increasingly frequent and disturbing occurrences take a toll on their relationship, and the revelation of a shocking secret forces Jane to reevaluate everything she once believed. (But fear not, dear reader; for all its Gothic overtones, this novel is still a superb romance above all.)

38. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackery (1848)

An incisive satirist, William Makepeace Thackery intended this book as both social commentary and a deconstruction of conventional literary heroism. Vanity Fair follows the intertwined lives of two women, Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp, as they forge their own paths in Regency society. Amelia is a sweet, simple girl who devotes herself to her husband, despite his flaws; Becky is a savvy social climber who uses her feminine wiles to further her personal interests, even after she is married. The stark contrast between them serves not so much to ridicule the characters, however, as to criticize the society that would make respectability so impossible — and to point out the rife ignorance, hypocrisy, and opportunism even in supposedly upper-class circles.

39. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (1850)

40. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (1851)

“I hate metaphors. That’s why my favorite book is Moby-Dick .” Of course, anyone who’s actually read Moby-Dick will recognize the irony of this Ron Swanson quote — not only is the book packed with symbolism, but Melville’s prose is wonderfully ornate (albeit a little too descriptive when he gets into cetology, the study of whales). The surface story of Moby-Dick is thus: our narrator, Ishmael, boards a whaling ship and quickly discovers its maimed captain is bent on a mission of revenge. The captain, Ahab, spends the next three years searching for the white whale, Moby-Dick, unable to shake his convictions even as he and his crew start to unravel. A timeless tale of delusion and destruction, Moby-Dick does a particularly good job of juxtaposing the gritty everyday realities of whaling with the philosophical allegory of Ahab’s pursuit.

41. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (1862)

Though a 1,500-page tome promising certain misery might sound like an untenable read, we implore you to tackle this brick of a book for Victor Hugo’s glorious and masterful depiction of politics and the inherent tragedy of the human condition. The plot incites, as many likely know, with the peasant Jean Valjean stealing bread to feed his family and being imprisoned for 19 years. Upon his release, he remakes himself as an honest businessman, eventually growing wealthy and even rescuing a young girl, Cosette, from her abusive caretakers the Thénardiers.

All this occurs on the brink of Paris’s June Rebellion of 1832, a cause for which a young revolutionary named Marius risks his life. This event unexpectedly and movingly brings together a number of figures from the rest of the book… which is honestly impossible to explain in a mere synopsis. Just know this: for all the astonishing beauty and gut-wrenching emotion of the musical, Hugo’s source material makes it look like a joke on a candy bar wrapper. If you’re interested in a truly transcendent portrayal of humanity and history (and have enough time on your hands to fully appreciate it), please read Les Misérables .

42. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

43. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1866)

What is the true nature of man? According to Dostoyevsky, the answer might be “dark and twisted, yet still plagued by his conscience.” This is the tragic combination that befalls Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished young man who believes that he can rob and murder an elderly pawnbroker without any psychological consequences… only to botch the job and immediately begin agonizing over it (the “punishment” to which the title refers). As Raskolnikov descends further into madness and misery, he grapples with whether to turn himself in, especially with a policeman on his tail and his mother and sister’s reputations at risk. This classic tale of morality, mentality, and social values aptly criticizes the then-prominent notions of nihilism and egoism, while also making profound statements about what it means to be human.

44. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1877)

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Such is stated the first of many contentious issues addressed in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina , considered by many to be the greatest and best book of all time. The plot revolves around a tumultuous affair between the high-society Anna and cavalry officer Vronsky, with a parallel narrative detailing the religious and ethical quandaries of country landowner Levin. But even as these characters’ lives become increasingly intertwined, and their circumstances increasingly desperate — especially for Anna, whose fate has become a well-known literary reference point — this novel is so much more than an 800-page soap opera. Tolstoy’s exploration of relationships, family, sin, virtue, and the cultural contrast between city and country produces incredibly nuanced and brilliant ideas, many of which are still relevant today.

45. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1884)

46. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

If you’ve ever heard someone referred to as “a real Jekyll and Hyde character,” you probably know this story has something to do with the duality of man… but what you may not know is how this duality comes to be. In Stevenson’s gothic novella , it’s the result of the scientific Dr. Jekyll’s attempts to indulge in his vices undetected — specifically, by drinking a potion that transforms him into the horrific Mr. Hyde. But the more frequently Jekyll yields to his alter-ego, the more powerful Hyde becomes, until even Jekyll cannot control him. The ensuing tale is both a thrilling feat of supernatural horror and a potent allegory that warns against giving into one’s dark side, even occasionally, for fear that one may never escape its compulsions.

47. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

Long before Twilight and True Blood, vampires were no cause for swooning — or rather, they were, but in a manner more alarming than amorous. This is the iteration of vampires introduced by Bram Stoker’s genre-defining Dracula , an epistolary novel that traces the history and horrific deeds of the one and only Count Dracula. As more humans come into contact with Dracula, they start to understand what he is, and that he aims to infect and drink the blood of as many people as possible. Only Abraham van Helsing, a professor and bona fide vampire expert, has the power to stop him — and aided by his intrepid cohorts, that’s exactly what they set out to do.

48. The Call of the Wild by Jack London (1903)

49. Nostromo by Joseph Conrad (1904)

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said of this book, "I'd rather have written Nostromo than any other novel.” The story commences with the titular Nostromo, an Italian seaman, transporting a wealth of silver so that it cannot corrupt the local affairs of Sulaco (a port city in a fictional Colombia-like country). But when Nostromo’s ship is compromised, he stashes the silver on a nearby island, leading everyone to believe it was lost at sea. What follows is an incredibly affecting account of Nostromo’s increasing disillusionment and paranoia, as he realizes that other men see him as a pawn and grows obsessed with his hoarded silver. If you loved The Great Gatsby , but wanted it to be even darker and more geopolitical — as Fitzgerald apparently did — you’ll devour Nostromo faster than you can say “quicksilver.”

50. Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence (1913)

The third of his published novels, Sons and Lovers brought D.H. Lawrence a new level of success and acclaim. It also established his reputation for bucking social mores — a talent which would eventually see him indicted for obscenity. Drawing from the author’s working-class upbringing, the book tells the story of Paul Morel, the son of an abusive father and a beloved mother. Escaping the trappings of the mining town where he grew up, Paul leaves for London and begins climbing the social ladder, even finding romance. But as the book’s title suggests, his attempts to separate his emotional identities of son and lover are futile, especially as his mother’s once-treasured affection poisons Paul against other women.

51. The Trial by Franz Kafka (1915)

52. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham (1915)

A wrenching, partially autobiographical account of the author’s own life, Of Human Bondage follows young Englishman Philip Carey in his quest to find meaning and love. Traumatized by the deaths of his parents, Philip struggles throughout his childhood; in later years, he rebels and pursues art instead of attending Oxford, but eventually returns to England for medical school. It is there that he meets his femme fatale, Mildred Rogers, who will break his heart over and over as Philip flits from job to job. But this sorrowful tale has a surprisingly uplifting ending, containing a powerful message about the bonds of society and expectations and how we can shed them by taking life one day at a time.

53. The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford (1915)

With this book, Ford Madox Ford reinvigorated two crucial narrative elements that would go on to become huge parts of modern literature: flashbacks and the unreliable narrator. Basically, he was the original Gillian Flynn — a comparison that seems even more apt upon knowing the plot of The Good Soldier . It consists of domestic drama between two seemingly perfect couples: John and Florence Dowell, and Leonora and Edward Ashburnham. Edward, the soldier, seems committed to Leonora, but in truth she manipulates and controls him; Edward, meanwhile, is actually having an affair with Florence. John, the narrator, gravely recounts the deterioration of both marriages and the tragic repercussions of their repressive Edwardian era… but also, all is not as it seems, and what’s on the page is seen in a whole new light by the book’s end.

54. The Real Story of Ah-Q by Lu Xun (c. 1920)

Accompanying The Real Story of Ah-Q in this collection are short stories just as poignant and impactful. Lu Xun’s unconventional view of development and his ability to flesh out nuances from simple plots makes his stories bleakly insightful.  

55. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (1920)

Newland Archer — one of 1900s New York’s most eligible bachelors, with his upper-crust background and his established career as a lawyer — has been looking for a beautiful, traditional wife, and it appears May Welland is just the girl. She also grew up in high society, understands etiquette, and fits perfectly into his picture-perfect family. And yet, it is May’s cousin, Ellen Olenska — a dynamic character returning from her failed marriage in Europe — who catches Newland’s attention. The Age of Innocence follows Newland and his unprecedented dilemma between the two women — and by extension his struggle between upholding the prestige of old money, and seeking the real value behind the labels of social class. 

56. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922)

If you are only going to read one book from this elephantine list, it should be James Joyce’s literary jewel Ulysses . The tale mirrors that of Homer’s the Odyssey (hence the title), only this time, it’s set entirely during one of Leopold Bloom’s days in Dublin. A cast of characters — namely Bloom’s friends and wife — make up others who draw comparisons to the mythical ones in the Odyssey. While Joyce’s ability to bring a literary classic and its themes into modernity is astounding, the true beauty of this action-packed novel is its writing. Scattered across his paragraphs are intertwining perspectives and puzzles enamelled with pun and alliterations. Joyce’s illustration of the human mind, its processes, and its guardians is impeccable and unmatchable. 

57. A Passage to India by E. M. Foster (1924)

58. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

Is it possible to now think of the Roaring Twenties and not think of The Great Gatsby ? Fitzgerald’s magnum opus has been adapted to the big screen numerous times, and its “green light at the end of the dock” symbolism is perhaps too well-known to all of us. But let’s still go through a quick summary: Nick Carraway moves to West Egg in Long Island and learns about his new, mysteriously well-to-do neighbor, Jay Gastby. Through endless house parties, Nick comes to know this man, his odd past, and his tragic love story with the lady of East Egg, Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald’s tale of sightless dream-chasing is the epitome of something small and yet mighty: with his succinct prose, the extravagance of post-WWI America is stripped bare, revealing the heartlessness underneath it all. 

59. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)

When Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself, she had no idea what a momentous day was in store for her — though of course, much of this book’s momentousness must be attributed to Virginia Woolf’s brilliant prose. But even besides the writing, it’s a fantastic little slice-of-life story: Clarissa Dalloway, an upper-class, middle-aged woman in London, decides to host a party for her fellow society people, and spends most of the day prepping for said party. But what would have been a mundane tale in the hands of a less thoughtful author becomes remarkable in Woolf’s, her stream-of-consciousness narrative shifting ever so subtly between past and present, and rendering Clarissa’s emotions with unprecedented vibrancy.

60. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926)

61. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust (c. 1927)

Composed of seven volumes written throughout a decade, In Search of Lost Time is a long novel detailing the development of the unnamed narrator from childhood to adulthood and his struggles to define himself. Said protagonist desires to be an author but is unsure of how to get there, he is seeing his relationships with his family in a new light while he’s discovering new connections with others. Memory is a recurring theme in this novel, especially the involuntary ones, whereby Proust shows how little details can trigger an outpour of thoughts and emotions. His impressive narrative revolutionized the way novels are written — Proust’s emphasis lies not in creating an airtight and sensational plot, but in exploring with astonishing depth the emotional experiences and development of his protagonist. 

62. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (1929)

This classic Southern gothic novel might seem like a typical family saga, but its grim conditions and dark twists are unlike those of other tales. The story of The Sound and the Fury proceeds as follows: the Compson family are disgraced former aristocrats attempting to adapt now that they’ve lost their money, religion, and elevated reputation. Unfortunately, the four children of the Compson family perpetuate its fatal flaws of greed, selfishness, and outdated values and ideas about the world at large. As the story shifts among them, as well as back and forth in time, it becomes clear that the Compsons are beyond repair — but nevertheless, they continue to press on. With a tragic story on par with Macbeth (from which the book takes its title) and Faulkner’s revolutionary prose, it’s no wonder this story still looms so large in American literature.

63. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

64. I, Claudius by Robert Graves (1934)

When it comes to historical novels, none is as well-celebrated as Robert Graves’s story of the Roman emperor, Claudius. Written in the first person perspective, this novel feigns an autobiography written by the nervous leader. Claudius is unlike his predecessors — he critically examined theirs and the corrupt system’s failures, exposing all the dramatic intrigue and high politics of this lauded empire to the world. He himself is spun into this entangled battle for the throne, although perhaps less willingly that his opponents. If you enjoy the political battles of Game of Thrones , you’ll without a doubt enjoy this novel , which would not only provide you with a good bit of entertainment, but also introduce to you the intricate structures of Roman civilization. 

65. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (1934)

Miller’s sombre novel was not well-received when it was first published — in fact it was banned in the US and not published until the late 1960s, decades after its conception. The basic storyline is simple — it’s a blend of Miller’s memories as a struggling writer in Paris, and fictional elements that he added. Miller focused on his feelings and perceptions, propelling the stream-of-consciousness style of writing that was gaining popularity among writers of the time. What made the book so controversial was its featuring of sexuality, which, along with descriptions of the desperation, the poverty, and the grief present in the lives of those without a clear sense of direction, is part of Miller’s candor. If a book can hold the soul of a writer, perhaps none is as potent as Tropic of Cancer . 

66. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936) 

67. Scoop by Evelyn Waugh (1938)

The controversial author of Brideshead Revisited , Evelyn Waugh also wrote this rip-roaring satire that made waves when it was published in 1938. This time, Waugh’s target is the media, particularly the newspaper industry. As a promising little civil war erupts in the African Republic of Ishmaelia, Lord Copper sends his reporter in the continent to cover it — to hilarious consequences. Wickedly funny and not at all politically correct as it skewers Fleet Street and its overeager occupants, Scoop is a comedy that will never be old news. 

68. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939) 

First, there were ten who arrived on the island. Among the guests of the house in And Then There Were None were Mrs. Rogers, a homely cook; Anthony Marston, a handsome and irresponsible young man; Emily Caroline Brent, an old and religious spinster; Dr. Armstrong, a Harley Street doctor; and Philip Lombard, a soldier with money. Strangers to one another, they nevertheless shared one similarity: they had all murdered in the past. And when people begin dropping like flies and their numbers begin to thin on the island, they begin to suspect that they are the ones being murdered. But who is the murderer in their midst? That’s the question that will leave your head spinning in this timeless example of a mystery novel done right by no other than the Queen of Mystery herself.

Contemporary literature

69. native son by richard wright (1940).

70. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (1940)

Carson McCullers’ debut novel — written when she was only 23! — was an instant classic when it was published. The author’s sheer prodigiousness is astonishing enough, but it is the rich wisdom and gentle insight that makes The Heart is a Lonely Hunter truly remarkable. You’ll probably never meet a protagonist quite as memorable as John Singer, a deaf and nonverbal man who sits in the same café every day. Here, in the deep American South of the 1930s, John meets an assortment of people: the café owner, Biff Brannon; Mick Kelly, a young girl who wants nothing more than to play music; Jake Blount, a desperate alcoholic; and Dr. Copeland, a frustrated and idealistic black doctor. 

John is the silent, kind keeper of their stories — right up until an unforgettable ending that will blow you away, placing The Heart is a Lonely Hunter squarely beside such southern classics as Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird. 

71. The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942)

Albert Camus’ own summary of The Stranger is perhaps the best way to describe this iconic book: “I summarized The Stranger a long time ago, with a remark I admit was highly paradoxical: ‘In our society any man who does not weep at his mother's funeral runs the risk of being sentenced to death.’ I only meant that the hero of my book is condemned because he does not play the game.” And so The Stranger duly opens with Meursault, our hero, learning of the death of his mother. From this point onward, the reader is led in a strange dance of absurdism and existentialism that makes Meursault confront something even crueler than mortality: society’s expectations. 

72. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene (1948)

73. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949)

Big Brother is watching you: both the governmental slogan that has become synonymous with this iconic novel, and the eerie sense you’ll get as you’re reading it. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a landmark work in the dystopian genre for its affecting portrayal of a totalitarian state that strictly controls and surveils its citizens — though of course, few are content with such an existence. Our narrator, Winston Smith, is one such citizen; employed by the “Ministry of Truth” (which actually serves the opposite cause), Winston fully grasps the corruption of the government, yet feels powerless to stop it. Yet what’s most compelling about this book isn’t Winston’s individual experience, but the exceptional detail and social commentary Orwell injects into the story — potently warning readers of a reality that could all too easily come to pass.

74. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (1951)

One of the most iconic coming-of-age novels in literature, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is still a must-read today — and Holden Caulfield is still one of the most recognizable protagonists ever. Told from Holden’s point of view, this classic at first seems like a simple tale about a boy wandering the streets of New York with no plan in mind and nothing to do. Yet any reader who digs deeper will encounter a cry of teenage disillusionment — not to mention a moving story that confronts the reality of growing up. 

75. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952) 

76. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952) 

One of the perennial staples on “Books You Must Read Before You Die” lists, and possibly the best of John Steinbeck's books , East of Eden fully deserves its acclaimed place in American literature today. A family saga that spans generations, it follows two families — the Trasks and the Hamiltons — whose fates desperately entwine in the wild American West. It’s also a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis — particularly the fabled and tragic story of Cain and Abel. Ambitiously epic and thought-provoking, East of Eden is simply Steinbeck at his masterful, astonishing best. 

77. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)

Firemen mean something different in Guy Montag’s world: they start fires. And (every bookworm out there, cover your eyes now) books are the illegal, radical property to be burned. As one such fireman, Guy is in charge of destroying every book remaining… until a series of events occurs in rapid succession, making Guy question the job for the first time. This is one of the most famous books ever written — a revolutionary and fiery work about the cost of censoring knowledge and the beauty of the written world. Just don’t read it next to your stove, because what’s the temperature at which books burn? Well, Fahrenheit 451 . 

78. In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming (1953)

Don’t walk into it expecting a straightforward story: Lammings’ style could be termed impressionistic, and he narrates many of his personal anecdotes and vignettes from the perspective of others. But this experimental effect is often dazzling, and it’s made In the Castle of My Skin one of the most important works of postcolonial literature in history. 

79. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) 

Though William Golding’s Lord of the Flies wasn’t initially well-received and sold poorly, Golding had the last laugh: Lord of the Flies is today one of the must-read books in every school curriculum. Its story about a group of schoolboys who have crashed on a lonely island is enduring not only for its shocking plot developments, but also the way that it reveals the truths of human nature at our basest. Today, it remains one of the most terrifying depictions of how quickly a society can fail — and a reminder of the fragility of the systems that we build to reassure ourselves. 

80. Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (c .1955) 

Lord of the Rings may be one of the most influential series ever written — not least for the way that it basically created the modern fantasy genre as we know it. The towering shadow that J.R.R. Tolkien cast over all fantasy books that followed in its path aside, Lord of the Rings should be read simply because it’s a rollicking good story. So if you also fall under the spell of Middle-Earth as you venture into Mordor with Frodo and his companions, don’t fear: there’s still a prequel ( The Hobbit ) and an origin story ( The Silmarillion ) to go. 

81. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

82. On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957)

On the Road is the example of a good book that didn’t take years and years to produce: Jack Kerouac wrote it all in a mad three-week period in 1951. Decades later, it is regarded as a classic of the postwar Beat movement that captures the heart and soul of an entire generation. You’ll meet Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty: alter egos for Kerouac himself and his friend, Neal Cassady — On the Road is, at its heart, a semi-autobiographical account of Kerouac’s own travels across America. From New York to San Francisco, Sal and Dean tear through the streets  to a jazz rhythm all their own. Do they have any inkling of what they’re going to do with their lives? Heck no — but that’s the charm of On the Road , which will speak to the wanderlust in you, as it has done to millions of other readers since 1957.

83. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (1958) 

As the name of the novel suggests, protagonist Okonkwo might’ve had a good start in his youth as wrestling champion of his clan, but horrid things are waiting on the horizon for him. As he climbs to the top of the social hierarchy, Okonkwo faces tough decisions between his pride and his morality. Things become complicated as white men come in and begin tearing apart the fabric of his society. 

Things Fall Apart is a modern African classic: it’s poignant, nuanced, and moving. Okonkwo is not different from ancient literary heroes — he has virtues, he has gods to please, and he has obstacles to overcome. That’s a thought many wouldn’t have about Africans in the 50s and 60s, and Achebe was amongst the first writers who sought to challenge this. 

84. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)

Set in rural Alabama, this book centers around Scout as her father, Atticus Finch, takes on an important trial. He’s been tasked with defending a black man falsely accused of sexually assaulting a white woman — not an easy case in the South in the 30s. Scout’s innocence may have been shaken by these events, but she comes to ground herself watching Atticus’s passionate defense, something that continues to inspire lawyers to this day. 

85. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) 

Although it takes place in World War II (and was loosely based on Heller’s own experiences), Catch-22 was actually a reaction to the Korean war and McCarthyism. This iconic satire follows Captain Yossarian, a bombardier who, along with his fellow service people, is attempting to navigate the absurdities of war in order to fulfill their service requirements so they can be sent home. Told in a non-linear, third person omniscient with plenty of anachronisms, it can seem a bit much to follow at first, but we promise it’s well worth the effort. This novel has been a staple of anti-war literature for decades, and with its perfectly tuned wit and wisdom, it’s not likely to be going anywhere anytime soon.

86. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (1961)

It’s tempting to describe The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie as gender-bent Dead Poets Society , but that would be doing Jean Brodie a disservice — she predated the Robin Williams film by nearly three decades! Still, the comparison isn’t a bad one: set in Edinburgh during the 1920s and 30s, the novel explores what happens when a young teacher decides to take an active and unconventional interest in the futures of six of her students. Told through the eyes of these students, and full of tantalizing flashforwards, this book is a complicated, nuanced portrayal of mentorship and coming of age.

87. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (1962)

88. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (1962)

Following in the chilling tradition set by 1984 and A Brave New World, Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange is its own terrifying vision of the future. In Anthony Burgess’ dystopia, the world is overrun by juvenile delinquents and ultra-violent gangs in the city. Anarchy reigns on any given day, but when Alex — a sociopathic “droog” who nevertheless longs for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony— is captured and taken in by the authorities, he’ll have to confront what free will really means to him, and what he’d give up himself to keep it. 

89. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1967)

Written at the height of Stalin’s regime, The Master and Margarita is a daring, defiant satire that weaves together the spiritual and the supernatural to create a fantasy world at once chillingly real and utterly unique.

The story begins with the Devil arriving in atheistic Soviet Moscow, though the plot is split between those events and another thread taking place in ancient Jerusalem. As if that wasn’t surreal enough, there’s also a walking, talking black cat in league with the Devil, causing all sorts of trouble. This novel is a vivid portrait of life under Soviet regime, and an important reminder of the need for unfettered artistic expression.

90. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (1967)

What follows is a gripping account of both the investigation as well as the impacts this event has upon the fate of the college itself. It’s a fascinating look into the impact that tragedy can have on ordinary circumstances, and a mystery that will leave you aching for answers that will never come.

91. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1967) 

In this surrealist tale, José Arcadio Buendía flees his city with his wife after committing murder, and is now seeking refuge. Rather than finding life in a new city, he decides to found his own utopia — Macondo. This little town functions in its own odd way, separate from the rest of the world, save for a few interactions via a band of gypsies. But solitude doesn’t necessarily mean peace, as José’s descendants would discover, and neither can that solitude remain forever… 

One Hundred Years of Solitude is an outstanding blend of the fantastical and the real. Marquez’s prose will take you on a magical and sensational journey to discover the complex political developments of Latin America .

92. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1974) 

In this rendition of reality, Earth is at war with the alien-kind called Taurans. In preparation for this drawn out conflict, William Mandella is drafted and enters a rigorous training program, starting first on Earth and then later on a foreign planet. Mandella hopes to survive the training and the war to return to his family, but his life will never be the same again, whether because of the time dilation between the planets, or because of the new lens that he will see life through, after participating in a lengthy and pointless war. 

Hats off to Haldeman for his creativity: he spectacularly spun his experiences as a drafted soldier in the Vietnam war into the moving interstellar story of The Forever War . 

93. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1978) 

94. So Long A Letter by Mariama Ba (1979)

So Long A Letter is a book of letters written by a Senegalese widow, Ramatoulaye Fall, to her friend during the time — four months and ten day, to be exact, as dictated by her religion and tradition — that she mourns her husband. As she explores her own emotions, Ramatoulaye reveals the complexities of the polygamous society that she lived in. Personal, raw, and unexpectedly relatable, this elegant novella extends beyond the illustration of the plight of women in 20th century Africa; Ramatoulaye’s sentiments and wonders are felt by all women. 

95. Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath (1981) 

Sylvia Plath’s Collected Poems collates 274 pieces that she wrote from 1956 to the time of her death. Her poetry is intense and personal; in her writing she explored her relationships with her family and the state of her mentality. At a time where depression and bipolar disorder is hardly talked about as serious conditions, Plath’s verses bring ringing clarity to the detrimental effects that they may have on a person’s life. If you are a lover of poems , if you want to be moved by powerful, intricate images, then you will not want to miss out on this collection of poems. 

96. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie (1981)

Using magical realism as a way to make the notion of common identity more tangible, Rushdie’s novel provides a fascinating inroad into the transition into modernity of a culture that has existed for many centuries. 

97. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982)

Set in early 1900s Georgia, The Color Purple is a striking story about the debilitating conditions of black women during the years of intense segregation. Celie and Nettie grew up in a broken household, and have long been separated and are living disparate lives. Despite the distance between them, they seek solace in one another through letters, and support each other through the abuses of domestic life and social tensions that they undergo as African American women. 

The Color Purple deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Walker’s refusal to shy away from the difficult issues of violence and sexual abuse — problems that she presented from the perspective of the victims in the rawest and most powerful form available.

98. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (1984)

In this philosophical novel, readers follow the “light” life of surgeon and womanizer Tomas. He lives to enjoy himself as much as possible because he believes his experience is a one-time and completely unique thing. In stark contrast to that is the perspective of Tereza, his wife, who’s a photographer who is faithful and puts “weight” on her every decision. Through the couple's struggles to harmonize themselves, with 1960s Czechoslovakia’s internal turmoil rife in the background, The Unbearable Lightness of Being reflects the intellectual rediscovery and transition into postmodernity that Eastern Europe at that historic time. 

99. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987) 

It follows Sethe, a woman who escaped slavery by fleeing to Ohio eighteen years before the novel starts. Still, “Sweet Home,” the picturesque farm that was the scene of her many living nightmares, continues to haunt her. And it’s not the only shadow casted over her life. Sethe’s home is also haunted by the ghost of her baby whose tombstone displays a lone word: Beloved.

Beloved is a suspenseful, heartbreaking, and intimate story. It deserves a spot on all “best books of all time” lists for the way it stands as a monument to the “Sixty Million and More,” as the book’s dedication reads, who lost their lives to the Atlantic slave trade.

100. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

Kazuo Ishiguro is a Nobel Prize-winning author, and The Remains of the Day is a Man Booker Prize winner with a film adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and which received eight Oscar nominations. No big deal, right?

Ishiguro’s impressive novel centres on Stevens, a butler who’s spent most of his life in service at Darlington Hall, a stately home near Oxford, England. When Stevens receives a letter from an old colleague who now lives in Cornwall, he decides to set out on a motoring trip through the West Country to visit her. Along the way, he reflects on England’s past, his own past, and his long-standing career serving Lord Darlington.

101. Angels in America by Tony Kushner (1991)

Angels in America is a two-part play and exploration of homosexuality and the AIDS crisis in America in the 1980s. The plays can be presented together or separately, and have been adapted for Broadway and as an HBO miniseries. 

The story starts with a gay couple living in Manhattan — Prior and Louis. When Louis discovers that Prior has AIDS, he finds himself unable to cope. He leaves Prior to have an affair with Joe, a Mormon, Republican clerk whose valium-addicted, agoraphobic wife is desperate to save their marriage. Several other storylines blossom as the play unfolds, many of which intersect and involve angels and ghosts.

If you need any more convincing of the power behind Kushner’s work, John M. Clum, a playwright and professor of theatre studies has called Angels in America , "A turning point in the history of gay drama, the history of American drama, and of American literary culture.” 

102. The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)

The six protagonists of The Secret History are a group of Classics students studying at a small, elite college in Vermont. Under the guidance of their favorite professor, the students begin to collectively challenge the norms of academia and society as a whole, questioning the way they’ve been taught to see the world. They blur the lines between good and evil, looking for the morally grey around them. But as they start to push the boundaries they’ve always known, their own moral compasses begin to veer, and unspeakable acts follow.

103. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (1995) 

It’s 1975, and India has just declared a State of Emergency. In the midst of this bleak upheaval and political turmoil, the fates of four unlikely strangers intertwine: a courageous widow, a young, uprooted student, and two sailors who have escaped the violence of their native village — who all end up living in one, small apartment as they contend with their uncertain futures.

Just as the title suggests, A Fine Balance does a wonderful job paralleling the realism of the testing, cruel, and corrupt circumstances with compassion, humor, and insight into the power of love and friendship.

104. Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels (1996)

Written by Canadian poet Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces is a two-part novel that begins with an absolutely heart wrenching image: the war has just swept through a Polish city where seven-year old Jakob Beer’s family has just been murdered. The only reason he has survived is because he buried himself under mud until the coast was clear. A Greek geologist eventually comes across Jakob and rescues him — but the man doesn’t actually realize that Jakob is a human until the boy begins to weep.

The first part of the book continues to follow Jakob as he becomes a traveling artist, while the second explores different facets of WWII’s repercussions: it centers around Ben, a Canadian professor whose parents both survived the Holocaust. 

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year, Winner of the Lannan Literary Fiction Award, and Winner of the Guardian Fiction Award, Fugitive Pieces depicts tough subject matters with captivating elements of mystery and evocative prose. 

105. The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (1999)

The World’s Wife is a modern, feminist reflection on many of history’s most well-known figures. Or rather, the great women behind those historical figures. From Mrs. Darwin to Queen Kong and Mrs. Midas, the counterparts of famous men are finally getting their day in the sun! 

Take it from publisher Pan Macmillan: “Original, subversive, full of imagination and quicksilver wit, The World's Wife is Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy at her beguiling best.”

106. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri (1999)

Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of nine short stories, and winner of both the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award.

From marriage problems to the peculiar experience of returning to a home you hardly remember, these stories provide a window into the culturally complex lives of first and second generation immigrants. The thread that weaves the story together is that of adaptation: they portray the lives of Indians and Indian Americans striving to find a connection between their roots and the “new world.”In the title short story, an Indian American family tours the India of their ancestors, accompanied by an interpreter who gets an unexpected insight into the family’s life. 

107. Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001) 

On a hot summer day in post-World War Two England, 13-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses — and misinterprets — a private moment between her older sister Cecilia, and the son of their housekeeper, Robbie Turner. But with the precocious confidence of a young storyteller, Briony begins to weave what she believes she saw into fantasies that have long-lasting and rippling effects on her family. Told in three parts — the latter two during the Second World War and present-day England — Atonement is a brilliant and provocative reflection on the nature of writing itself.

108. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (2002) 

The even-numbered chapters are about an aging war-vet called Nakata, who has an uncanny ability to find lost cats. One of his searches leads him out onto the road for the first time.

Both odysseys are vividly mysterious, and populated with imaginative accomplices and unexpected encounters that are characteristic of Murakami’s distinct and bizarre style .

109. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (2003) 

15 year-old Christopher John Francis Boone hates the color yellow and being touched by others. In fact, he’d much rather spend his time around animals and avoid complicated human emotions. He can also fire off all the countries of the world, their capitals, and every prime number up to 7,057. He thrives on logic, patterns, and carefully laid out rules. 

One day, in an unexpected turn of events, his neighbor’s dog dies. While Christopher is not a fan of plot twists, he decides to take a leaf out of his favorite, deerstalker-wearing detective’s book, and to solve — you guessed it — The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time .

110. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003) 

Set against a backdrop of chaos and tumult — such as the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet military intervention, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime — this story details the unlikely friendship between Amir, the son of a well-to-do-family, and Hassan, the son of Amir’s father’s servant. 

A sweeping tale of family, love, and friendship, it’s not uncommon for someone to clutch their heart or take on a sombre expression when someone brings up The Kite Runner . It’s an emotionally devastating read that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.

111. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)

Zusak’s spectacular humanization of this ominous narrator emphasizes perfectly the inhumanity of war and discrimination in a never seen before lightm despite this commonly-used setting. 

112. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2006) 

“Epic,” “ambitious,” “triumphant,” “masterful” are all adjectives that have widely been used to describe Half of a Yellow Sun — and for good reason! Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s haunting (another adjective for you!) novel is dedicated to retelling a seminal moment in modern African history: the Nigerian Civil War in the 1960s, and Biafra’s struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria. 

Readers are guided through this conflict from the perspectives of three main characters: 13 year-old Ugwu, a revolutionary-minded houseboy who works for a university professor; Olanna, a young woman who’s abandoned her cushy life in Lagos to take up a passionate affair with said university professor; and Richard, a shy Englishman who quietly falls in love with Olanna’s twin sister. 

As the war unfurls around them, Ugwa, Olanna, and Richard are all forced to flee for their lives, facing challenges and struggles that test their spirits, ideals, and trust for one another.

113. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (2007)

Oscar Wao has big dreams: he wants to become the Dominican J. R. R. Tolkien, and to fall in love. But the fukú curse stands in his way, as it has for generations of Waos, dooming his family to ill fates for centuries. 

Told from the perspective of multiple characters, and interspersed with plenty of fantasy and sci-fi references, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao manages to capture a number of themes with warmth and honesty — from heartbreak to loss, and most strikingly, the Domincan-American experience — earning it the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

114. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak (2009)

One takes place in the thirteenth century, detailing the experiences of Rumi when he first met Shams of Tabriz, his mentor.

The other story is set in present day, and is about Ella Rubenstein, an unhappily married woman who’s just landed a job as a reader for a literary agent. One of the books she’s tasked to read is about Shams of Tabriz’s search for Rumi, and the transformation of the latter from an unhappy cleric into a passionate advocate of love. Ella becomes fascinated by the book, and as she reads, she can’t help but feel as though this book landed in her hands for a reason... 

115. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014)

When performing King Lear on stage one night, a Hollywood actor drops dead. Shortly after, civilization begins to collapse. This event is the middleground of Station Eleven , as the book pendulates back and forth between the actor’s early years and a dystopian future in which the world as we know it has changed forever. 

Hauntingly real and spellbindingly imaginative, it charts a theatre troupe called the Traveling Symphony as they roam wastelands and attempt to hold onto what it means to be human.

If you’d rather look at the latest hits, check out the 21 best books written in this century . Also, you might find the Kindle Cloud Reader useful in helping you make a dent to your reading lists. 

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Our expert librarians selected the year's best books for kids, teens, and adults. Explore titles in accessible formats , and learn more about our 2023 picks .

Best Books for Adults 2023

Filter results below, 70 books found, above ground.

Smith delves into the profound shifts in our world today with these poems, fearlessly exploring fatherhood and generational heritage as a person of color. His odes to weathering the journey of parenthood and almost lullabies to his child are telling of a world in progress.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

The greatest pirate story you have not read… yet. Chakraborty forges a nautical masterpiece ideal for fans of Sinbad the Sailor, the Jack Aubrey series, and fantasy set in the historic Muslim world.

Against the Currant

Spice Isle Bakery in Brooklyn's Little Caribbean brings the delicious treats... and murder.

Age of Vice

After a speeding car kills five people late at night in New Delhi, the driver, a shell-shocked servant, is unable to explain the series of strange events that led to the crime.

All the Beauty in the World

More than just a portrait of an iconic NYC locale and its treasures by a former New Yorker staffer who spent a decade as a museum guard, this book is also a memoir about grief, healing, art, and reinvention.

Translated by Michelle Deeter | Evil comes in all ages in this dark thriller that captivated China.

The Bee Sting

Where did it all go wrong? A patch of ice on the tarmac, a casual favor to a charming stranger, a bee caught beneath a bridal veil—can a single moment of bad luck change the direction of life?

Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America

Julia Lee shares her journey of self-discovery as an Asian, reckoning with the racial hierarchies and challenging the divisions of a society informed by white supremacism in this blunt and passionate memoir.

Black Observatory: Poems

These sometimes absurd and even slightly surreal vignettes form a weird, witty, and engaging collection that often reads like well-crafted short stories. Murray has crafted an introspective work that remains clever while never taking itself too seriously.

Out in the desert in a place called the Palace, a young man tends to a dying soul, someone he once knew briefly but who has haunted the edges of his life.

Chain-Gang All-Stars

A novel in which two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America's own.

The Deep Sky: A Novel

The Earth is dying, and humanity places its hope on a single ship on a journey to a new home. The crew, tasked with birthing a new generation, soon finds themselves off course when a bomb is detonated, and Asuka is the prime suspect. Packed with suspense and an intricately woven plot, The Deep Sky is science fiction writing at its best.

Do a Powerbomb

When a necromancer makes aspiring wrestler Lona an offer she can't refuse, she must team up with her late mother's rival and enter a supernatural wrestling tournament. This heartwrenching story will appeal to both wrestling fans and the uninitiated.

Eight Billion Genies Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1

Art by Ryan Browne | If you could wish for anything in the world, what would it be? When the entire world is randomly gifted magical wish-granting genies, everything turns to chaos. This genre-defying story follows a motley crew just trying to survive in aftermath of "G-Day."

An ambitious, eye-opening, myth-busting, and groundbreaking history of the evolution of the female body. With boundless curiosity and sharp wit, Bohannon covers the past 200 million years to explain the specific science behind the development of the female sex.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

In this homage to classic detective fiction, what happens when a family of killers gets snowed in at a ski resort? Murder, of course.

Everything Is Fine, Vol. 1

Follow a perfectly normal couple living on a perfectly normal street with perfectly normal neighbors, and perfectly normal stories within a perfectly normal police state. So it's all perfectly and completely normal.

A Fever in the Heartland

In the early 20th century, a charismatic conman named D.C. Stephenson became the impetus and architect of plans to bring the Ku Klux Klan out of the shadows and into the heartland of the U.S. This is the gripping story of the vulnerable woman who brought him down.

The Glutton

A historical novel set during the French Revolution is inspired by a young peasant boy turned showman, said to have been tormented and driven to murder by an all-consuming appetite.

The Great Displacement

The untold story of climate migration—the personal stories of those experiencing displacement, the portraits of communities being torn apart by disaster, and the implications for all of us as we confront a changing future.

A Guest in the House

Abby is uneasy in her new role as a stepmother, and as she learns more about her husband's first wife, a strange obsession overtakes her. This visually brilliant and engaging mystery seamlessly blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

When a skeleton is unearthed in a small, close-knit Pennsylvania community in 1972, an unforgettable cast of characters living on the margins of white, Christian America closely guard a secret. What happened? And what role did the town's white establishment play?

The Hive and the Honey: Stories

This collection of seven stories confronts themes of identity, belonging, and the collision of cultures across countries and centuries.

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal

In 1889 Paris, heiress Manuela offers ambitious businesswoman Cora her Venezuelan property in exchange for one last thrilling summer before her impending marriage of convenience.

The Kingdom of Surfaces

Mao writes to escape being "trapped in someone else's imagination," literally shaping poems that challenge empire, cultural plunder, and the ongoing violence Asian people experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, both in the U.S. and her birthplace of Wuhan.

In Victorian London, Tommy, a Scotland Yard detective, and Imogen, a vigilante, have been circling one another since they met. But Imogen is unsure whom she can trust as they could be tied to a string of crimes she and her friends are investigating.

Land of Milk and Honey

High atop an unnamed Alp with the planet’s only breathable air, an aimless chef is hired to cook lavish meals for a mysterious cabal of plutocrats who've got a taste for weird meats—what could go wrong?

Last on His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century

Art by Youssef Daoudi | Bringing to life the story of eminent boxer Jack Johnson, this book follows his epic battles against famed prizefighters and Jim Crow era inequalities. The poetic dialogue and majestically raw illustrations capture the core of Johnson's experiences, both in and out of the ring.

The Last One

Welcome to the RMS Atlantica, a ship unlike any other. We wish you fair winds and calm seas.

Listen, Beautiful Márcia

Translated by Andrea Rosenberg | Márcia is a nurse living in a favela with her loyal boyfriend Alusio and her rebellious daughter Jacqueline, who creates trouble for them by getting involved with the local gang. This story is a gritty and human exploration of Márcia’s struggle to keep her family together.

The Man in the McIntosh Suit

Part film noir and part dizzying romance, this tale follows Bobot, Filipino American farmhand-turned-rogue investigator. With its shifting monochromatic watercolors and an expertly researched Depression-era setting, readers won't be able to put down this immigrant story.

Centered on Hungarian polymath John von Neumann, a prodigy whose gifts terrified those around him, this book shows the evolution of a mind unmatched and of a body of work that has unmoored the world in its wake, confronting us with profound questions we face as a species.

Marry Me by Midnight

In Victorian London, Jewish heiress Isabelle could lose everything unless she marries the right man. She secretly enlists synagogue custodian, Aaron, to research her potential matches but she quickly finds his understated charm irresistible.

The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed

Sana embraces the prospect of an arranged marriage to secure guardianship of her brother. But when an old love unexpectedly returns, she has to make a choice between her head and her heart.

Mrs. Nash's Ashes

With a storm grounding planes, a former child star, a writer, and an old friend's ashes find themselves on an adventurous road trip to the Florida Keys to reunite former lovers. Along the way, they discover a heartfelt wartime love story.

My Murder: A Novel

What if you had the chance to solve your own murder?

The horrifically complicated birth of their first child has left Ana paralyzed, bitter, and struggling with mobility, her relationship with Reid, and resentment for her baby. That's about to change with the words any New Yorker would love to hear—affordable housing lottery.

The New Guy

New to Brooklyn, Hudson and Gavin hit it off in a bar. They have no idea that they’re neighbors and colleagues on the same professional hockey team. Both have their own reasons to stay away, but their attraction to each other is unstoppable.

The Nigerwife: A Novel

Nicole has a picture perfect life in Lagos, until she goes missing and nobody cares. It's up to her estranged aunt to look under the glamorous surface in this glitzy domestic thriller.

No Sweet Without Brine

Manick embraces Black womanhood in poems that reference personal experience, social circumstance, and sources that range from familial diaries to Jet magazine. The resulting collection is a work that makes the personal a universal read.

Our Share of Night: A Novel

Disquieting slow burn of a horror novel set in 1980s Argentina. It starts with the story of a father and his son who is a medium and unfolds into a world of secrets and the occult.

Promises of Gold

Olivarez reps both his Mexican American heritage and Chicago homeland in this bilingual collection that addresses immigration, capitalism, community, and belonging, writing poems that pay homage to love in all its many forms.

If Twin Peaks , The X-Files , and Doctor Who had a baby from The Twilight Zone , you might come close to this madcap, noir sci-fi featuring one of the genre’s more memorable romances. Weaponized nostalgia makes for an unconventional foil for our protagonists.

The Quiet Tenant

“He seemed like such a nice guy.” Don’t they all?

Quiet: Poems

Quiet boldly explores Black interiority, intimacy, and selfhood, navigating the tension between guarding one's inner life and the realization that silence is not protection. The tone of these poems reflects perfectly the often-fraught negotiation between one's internal self and the surrounding world.

Forensic genius Antonia Scott and disgraced detective Jon Gutierrez must come together to catch a killer in this compelling thriller that took Spain by storm.

The Reformatory: A Novel

Like a haunted Nickel Boys , this fictionalized version of true events took the author 10 years to bring to fruition. You’ll be moved by this story of a boy who sees "haints."

Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair

Internet sensation and Handy Ma'am Mercury Stardust has created a comprehensive beginner's guide to basic home repair, including vocabulary, equipment, and processes to tackle over 50 projects (with video links for each).

The Seven Year Slip

Clementine opens the door to her late aunt’s Manhattan condo… and finds herself seven years in the past. Navigating her life between past and present, she tries to reconcile the differences between the sweet guy she meets there and the man he becomes.

Short Film Starring My Beloved's Red Bronco

Combining elegy and fantasy, this collection memorializes a youthful relationship and a former lover's eventual suicide. These wistful, ethereal, and sorrowful poems are both a love letter to the Beloved and also an elegy for an imagined youth free of abuse, homophobia, and fear.

Shubeik Lubeik

In a parallel, modern-day Egypt, djinns and wishes are a reality. But who gets the privilege of using a wish? Can wishes really fix everything? This story shows unique and varied magical experiences in a heartfelt, bittersweet, and humorous epic tale.

Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems

Anastacia-Reneé fearlessly explores the complexities of Black femme lives across time, space, and reality with an unapologetically feminist voice through these poems. This is an eclectic, well-curated archive of Black femme culture-making.

Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook

So much more than a collection of mouthwatering recipes, Start Here is an at-home culinary master class, sharing fundamental techniques, culinary science, and tips for all cooks, from the beginner to the seasoned home chef, to level-up in the kitchen.

Starter Villain

If you always suspected cats ruled the world, well, you weren’t wrong, as Charlie learns when he inherits his estranged uncle’s supervillain business that includes unionized dolphins, space lasers, and a formidable bodyguard.

You may already know Bell for his Pulitzer Prize–winning comics, but you will soon become familiar with his incredibly moving memoir. Through his art, Bell uses his witty yet intimate voice to expose the everyday and institutionalized racism he has experienced.

Thank You for Sharing

It all started at Jewish summer camp, and Liyah can’t let it go. However, after running into her former teenage fling turned enemy, Daniel, they agree to a truce as they work together to promote the Chicago Field museum.

Thin Skin: Essays

Shapland's essays examine vulnerability and how our choices impact people, places, and species far away. Weaving together historical research, interviews, and her everyday life in New Mexico, she probes the lines between self and work, human and animal, need and desire.

This Is Salvaged: Stories

Explores the nature of being a child, parent, friend, sibling, neighbor, or lover and the relationships between self and others. Everyone is unmoored and searching for meaning through one another.

To Be Named Something Else

Phenix's poetry struts across the page in a collection that celebrates a matriarchal lineage rooted in Harlem, with a nod to bodega etiquette and summertime fire hydrants. This exaltation of the quotidian raises common city experiences to poetic heights.

Translation State

It's suitably weird and she writes intergalactic diplomacy very well. Works best if you've read the Imperial Radch trilogy first.

Don't get in a car with a stranger. Yet, she walks the same solitary path every night, waiting to catch a ride with a killer.

Unshuttered: Poems

Smith reanimates the static images of 19th-century photographs of Black men, women, and children in these ekphrastic poems that imagine lives of dignity and totality. The collection creates an intimacy with the past that resonates long after its pages are shut.

Vengeance Is Mine

Translated by Jordan Stump | Hired by a man she vaguely remembers to defend his wife, who’s been accused of a horrific crime, quiet middle-aged lawyer Maître Susane finds unsettling memories coming to the surface while becoming increasingly concerned about her housekeeper’s furtive behavior.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

Solving a mystery isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

We Could Be So Good

In 1950s New York City, two reporters—an Italian American Brooklynite and the Upper East Side-raised son of the newspaper's owner—go from colleagues to roommates, finding friendship and more as they navigate the social norms of the era.

When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era

Beginning with Reagan's war on drugs, Ramsey examines the crack epidemic. He exposes links between the triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement and the consequences we live with today—a racist criminal justice system, mass incarceration, gentrification, and police brutality.

White Cat, Black Dog: Stories

Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, 17th-century French lore, and Scottish ballads, this clever collection of reinvented fairy tales expertly blends realism and the speculative as characters hunt for love, connection, revenge, or their sense of purpose.

This beautiful, meditative work of history puts women of all races—and the landscapes they loved—at center stage and reveals the impact of the outdoors (both nature and sports) on women's independence, resourcefulness, resistance, and vision.

With Love, from Cold World

Asa and Lauren are antagonistic colleagues at a failing winter-themed amusement park in Florida. Things heat up as they are forced to work together over the holidays to brainstorm ways to increase attendance.

Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons

Art by Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha & Nicola Scott | Steeped in Greek mythology, this book tells the formation of the Amazons through rebellious goddesses banding against the patriarchal order of Olympus. This story will entrance readers with its glorious depictions of raw feminine power.

More From Forbes

The 30 best classic novels everyone should read.

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"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison is one of the best classic novels ever written.

Classic books stand the test of time by capturing readers’ attention generation after generation. They focus on themes that people across continents, religious backgrounds, socioeconomic circumstances and education levels can all relate to, such as love and loss. Many classic novels explore familial relationships and how life circumstances can change on a dime. The best classic literature endures because it is well-written and appeals to a wide swath of readers who want to travel to far-away locations, laugh at the improbable, or feel heart-pumping excitement—all vicariously. A list of the best classic novels should transport the reader to times in the past, future or present that give them new things to aspire to and ponder.

Must-Read Classics

The best classic novels remain relevant and accessible decade after decade. Classic literature is not a genre—it encompasses romance , science fiction, humor and any other type of book. Instead, what makes a book a classic is expressing something fundamental about the human condition. These novels are relatable.

Some of the best-known authors of classic literature wrote more than a century ago, including Mary Shelley, Daniel Defoe and Miguel de Cervantes, who penned the oldest book on the list. More contemporary authors include Toni Morrison, Alex Haley, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. This list covers 30 books representing the best in literature. While most of these must-read classics are older, a few are just a couple decades old and have already become beloved by multiple generations.

Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian-born novelist and poet, poses at his home on the campus of Bard College in ... [+] Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., where he was a professor. He wrote one of the best classic books, "Things Fall Apart."

30. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (1958)

Nigerian author Chinua Achebe’s first novel explores the colonization of Africa through the eyes of Okonkwo, a young Igbo man whose world changes for the worse as his culture is eradicated. The book deals with themes of decolonization, nationalism and family, which remain relevant today.

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You can read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

29. Native Son by Richard Wright (1940)

The author of the acclaimed memoir Black Boy first published this novel about Bigger Thomas, a young Black man in Chicago who accidentally kills a white woman, then commits another murder to cover up the crime. The book deals with racism and classism, forcing Bigger to confront the consequences of his violent acts.

You can read Richard Wright’s Native Son by ordering through publisher HarperCollins .

28. Roots by Alex Haley (1976)

Before the hugely successful Roots miniseries came Alex Haley’s bestselling novel, which follows Kunta Kinte, a man brought from Africa to America to be enslaved. The book also follows his descendants, including Haley. Roots reckons with the U.S.’s shameful history of slavery and examines how it continues to impact race relations centuries later.

You can read Alex Haley ’s Roots by ordering through publisher DaCapo Press .

The film adaptation of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1976.

27. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (1962)

Ken Kesey’s novel, which became an Oscar-winning film starring Jack Nicholson, follows what happens when a rebellious patient named Randle Patrick “Mac” McMurphy is sent to a psychiatric hospital ruled by the iron will of Nurse Ratched. The book is told from the perspective of an observant (and supposedly mute) Native American patient.

The book questions the wisdom of authority amid an era of deinstitutionalization, and it sparks questions about individualism and who deserves power. You can read Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

26. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967)

The precursor to modern-day young adult novels , The Outsiders presents the conflict between teenage gangs from differing socioeconomic backgrounds: the wealthy Socials (Socs) and the blue-collar Greasers. One of the Greasers, Ponyboy, narrates the book, which perfectly captures the pain, confusion and frustration of being a teenager. It also explores dysfunctional families and friendship ties.

You can read S.E. Hinton ’s The Outsiders , which she published when she was only 18, by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

25. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

Like so many Jane Austen novels, Pride and Prejudice relies on humor and a relatable protagonist to critique social norms of the day, including marriage, the class system and morality. This work of historical fiction tells the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, who nearly remain estranged due to their pride and prejudices.

Some famous quotes from the book include, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” and “My good opinion once lost is lost forever.” You can read Jane Austen ’s Pride and Prejudice by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

24. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Frankenstein is one of the most influential novels ever published. Its gothic and romantic elements combine with the science fiction-style plot for a book that appeals to all types of readers. Scientist Victor Frankenstein’s experiments yield a man made of others’ parts—or is he a monster?

The book is a classic man vs. nature tale, raising questions about morality as well as mortality and what we owe those we leave behind. You can read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by ordering through publisher Dover Publishing .

23. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952)

A searing depiction of the psychological and societal consequences of racism, Invisible Man follows an unnamed Black protagonist as he navigates the world in both the South and the North, where he suffers from “invisibility”—not a physical condition but one rendered when others willfully fail to see him. The societal observations hold true today.

You can read Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

President Bush, left, presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to author Harper Lee, the elusive ... [+] author of best-seller "To Kill a Mockingbird," one of the best classic books.

22. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)

Another book dealing with the entrenched racism in the United States, To Kill a Mockingbird follows attorney Atticus Finch, a white lawyer who defends a Black man, Tom Robinson, charged with raping a white woman. The book is told through the eyes of Scout, Atticus’s 8-year-old daughter, offering a child’s perspective on harsh societal realities.

You can read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by ordering through publisher Hachette Book Group .

21. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)

J.D. Salinger gave voice to teenage angst and anger in this tome about Holden Caulfield, a rebellious teen recently expelled from boarding school. Holden rails against the phonies while struggling to connect with others despite his loneliness. The book is a classic coming-of-age tale turned on its head, since Holden doesn’t mature.

You can read J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye by ordering through publisher Hachette Book Group .

20. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (1605)

The phrase “tilting at windmills” comes from Miguel de Cervantes’ novel about a man who decides to become a knight-errant in order to live out his fantasies—which he has a difficult time separating from reality. It pokes fun at outdated beliefs and embraces the value of all people rather than just the upper class.

You can read Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" was a Broadway play starring James Franco, Chris O'Dowd, Leighton ... [+] Meester and Jim Norton in 2014.

19. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937)

Farm workers Lennie and George deal with their tough lot in life by dreaming of purchasing a farm. Lennie’s intellectual disability presents additional challenges. John Steinbeck questions the validity and wiseness of pursuing a dream in a nation that, the author argues, doesn’t value everyone equally.

You can read John Steinbeck ’s Of Mice and Men by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

18. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

Joseph Heller’s insightful book about war coined the phrase “catch-22.” It describes the inescapable situation that pilot Yossarian finds himself in when he pretends to have mental issues to get out of flying missions—but his scheming proves his sanity because who would want to fly dangerous missions? The book explores why war is hell.

You can read Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 by ordering through publisher Simon & Schuster .

17. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez (1967)

Colombian author and Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia-Marquez uses magical realism to trace the evolution of the town of Macondo as experienced by generations of the Buendiá family. Garcia-Marquez plays with the constructs of time and the supernatural to probe themes like love and family.

You can read Gabriel Garcia-Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude by ordering through publisher HarperCollins .

16. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937)

A brilliant combination of love story, remembrance of coming of age, and critique of American gender roles and race relations, Zora Neale Hurston’s dialogue is written in dialect, giving the characters believability. Her insights on masculinity and femininity continue to be discussed by scholars almost a century later.

You can read Zora Neale Hurston ’s Their Eyes Were Watching God by ordering through publisher HarperCollins .

Sir Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Reeve during the filming of "The Remains of the Day" in 1992.

15. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

British author Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel listens in on a longtime servant recounting the events of his life with a former colleague, offering a post-war critique of British manners and dignity. The novel, which won the Booker Prize, asks where you should aim your focus, on the past or on the future.

You can read Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

14. My Antonia by Willa Cather (1918)

During the Great Migration, orphan Jim and immigrant Antonia move west, where they become pioneers on differing life paths. Cather’s novel was one of the first to center the American West and make it a character of itself in a book, which also features the author’s thoughts on women’s rights.

You can read Willa Cather ’s My Antonia by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

13. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

The four precocious March daughters (Jo, Amy, Meg and Beth) use their talents to help their mother while their father is away. They come of age with a purpose and goals. The book plays with the 1800s idea of domesticity and explores different paths to love.

You can read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

12. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (1945)

A sharp takedown of religion using irony and wit, Brideshead Revisited follows Charles Ryder’s obsession with the family who owns the Brideshead estate. He is especially drawn to classmate Sebastian, who appears to be gay but never confirms it. Their relationship has been the subject of endless literary speculation.

You can read Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited by ordering through publisher Hachette Book Group .

11. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

When middle school boys become stranded on an island with no supervision, anarchy reigns and paranoia follows. The tale has become a touchstone for the unfortunate tendencies of human behavior, exploring themes of groupthink and the end of innocence.

You can read William Golding’s Lord of the Flies by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

Actress Sofia Boutella and executive producer/director/co-writer Ramin Bahrani discuss the TV ... [+] adaptation of "Fahrenheit 451" in 2018.

10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)

With the recent rise of book bans , Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel couldn’t feel more relevant. It predicts a future where books are illegal and any found are burned by fire fighters, including one who grows a conscience and begins fighting censorship. Book burnings in Nazi Germany and the McCarthy hearings in the U.S. inspired the plot.

You can read Ray Bradbury ’s Fahrenheit 451 by ordering through publisher Simon & Schuster .

9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982)

Sparking not one but two hit movie adaptations , The Color Purple is Alice Walker’s meditation on race and gender dynamics through the eyes of Celie, a poor Black woman navigating a nightmarish upbringing and abusive marriage in the 1900s. It won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.

You can read Alice Walker ’s The Color Purple by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719)

After British sailor Robinson’s years of adventuring, his boat crashes on a remote island, where he learns to survive by his wits and using nature. He battles the elements, cannibals and loneliness. Defoe’s book spawned the realistic fiction genre and was an early bestseller.

You can read Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

7. harl tte’s Web by E.B. White (1952)

The wise spider Charlotte teaches prized pig Wilbur lessons about life and found family in this beloved, insightful children’s book. Charlotte’s Web earned a Newbery Honor and remains one of the most popular kids novels for its enduring themes of sacrifice and compassion.

You can read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web by ordering through publisher HarperCollins .

Actors Richard Dempsey, Sophie Wilcox, Jonathan R. Scott and Sophie Cook in a scene from "The Lion, ... [+] the Witch and the Wardrobe," part of the BBC television serial "The Chronicles of Narnia."

6. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950)

Another classic children’s tale, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a Christian parable wherein mighty lion Aslan must sacrifice himself to end the endless winter brought on by the evil White Witch. It’s the first in a series of books about the Pevensie children and others set in the magical land of Narnia.

You can read C.S. Lewis ’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by ordering through publisher HarperCollins .

5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)

Emily Brontë helped birth the gothic novel with this story of the doomed love between Catherine and Heathcliff, whose tortured life amid the moors culminates in avenging those who kept them apart by acquiring the home of Thrushcross Grange from Catherine’s husband. The novel illustrates the good and evil living inside all of us.

You can read Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

4. Middlemarch by George Eliot (1871)

Subtitled “A Study of Provincial Life,” this novel follows the lives of characters in the fictional town of Middlemarch over a three-year period that includes a clear-eyed look at real-life British events. George Eliot’s characters address gender roles, political reform, self-interest vs. idealism and more.

You can read George Eliot’s Middlemarch by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

3. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (1920)

Set in New York’s high society during the Gilded Age, The Age of Innocence became the first novel written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. It follows May and Newland as they ready to marry, a match thwarted by May’s scandalous cousin Ellen. The novel explores class expectations, reputation and social mores.

You can read Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)

One of the greatest fantasy novels ever, The Hobbit is nominally a children’s book but appeals to people of all ages. It is a classic quest novel: Bilbo Baggins sets off on a journey with the wizard Gandalf to help some dwarves get their homes back from a fierce dragon named Smaug.

The critically lauded book earned the Carnegie Medal and has been adapted into hit movies . You can read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit by ordering through publisher Simon & Schuster .

"The Bluest Eye" author Toni Morrison attends the Carl Sandburg literary awards dinner at the ... [+] University of Illinois at Chicago Forum on October 20, 2010.

1. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (1970)

Any of Toni Morrison’s novels could easily make the list, but her first, delving into issues of race, socioeconomics and socialization, is unrivaled. The story of Pecola, a Black girl growing up during the Great Depression who’s abused by her father, is both heartbreaking and so believable it hurts.

You can read Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye by ordering through publisher Penguin Random House .

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The 10 Best Book Reviews of 2020

Adam morgan picks parul sehgal on raven leilani, merve emre on lewis carroll, and more.

The pandemic and the birth of my second daughter prevented me from reading most of the books I wanted to in 2020. But I was able to read vicariously  through book critics, whose writing was a true source of comfort and escape for me this year. I’ve long told my students that criticism is literature—a genre of nonfiction that can and should be as insightful, experimental, and compelling as the art it grapples with—and the following critics have beautifully proven my point. The word “best” is always a misnomer, but these are my personal favorite book reviews of 2020.

Nate Marshall on Barack Obama’s A Promised Land ( Chicago Tribune )

A book review rarely leads to a segment on The 11th Hour with Brian Williams , but that’s what happened to Nate Marshall last month. I love how he combines a traditional review with a personal essay—a hybrid form that has become my favorite subgenre of criticism.

“The presidential memoir so often falls flat because it works against the strengths of the memoir form. Rather than take a slice of one’s life to lay bare and come to a revelation about the self or the world, the presidential memoir seeks to take the sum of a life to defend one’s actions. These sorts of memoirs are an attempt maybe not to rewrite history, but to situate history in the most rosy frame. It is by nature defensive and in this book, we see Obama’s primary defensive tool, his prodigious mind and proclivity toward over-considering every detail.”

Merve Emre on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ( The Point )

I’m a huge fan of writing about books that weren’t just published in the last 10 seconds. And speaking of that hybrid form above, Merve Emre is one of its finest practitioners. This piece made me laugh out loud and changed the way I think about Lewis Carroll.

“I lie awake at night and concentrate on Alice,  on why my children have fixated on this book at this particular moment. Part of it must be that I have told them it ‘takes place’ in Oxford, and now Oxford—or more specifically, the college whose grounds grow into our garden—marks the physical limits of their world. Now that we can no longer move about freely, no longer go to new places to see new things, we are trying to find ways to estrange the places and objects that are already familiar to us.”

Parul Sehgal on Raven Leilani’s Luster ( The New York Times Book Review )

Once again, Sehgal remains the best lede writer in the business. I challenge you to read the opening of any  Sehgal review and stop there.

“You may know of the hemline theory—the idea that skirt lengths fluctuate with the stock market, rising in boom times and growing longer in recessions. Perhaps publishing has a parallel; call it the blurb theory. The more strained our circumstances, the more manic the publicity machine, the more breathless and orotund the advance praise. Blurbers (and critics) speak with a reverent quiver of this moment, anointing every other book its guide, every second writer its essential voice.”

Constance Grady on Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall ( Vox )

Restoring the legacies of ill-forgotten books is one of our duties as critics. Grady’s take on “the least famous sister in a family of celebrated geniuses” makes a good case for Wildfell Hall’ s place alongside Wuthering Heights  and Jane Eyre  in the Romantic canon.

“[T]he heart of this book is a portrait of a woman surviving and flourishing after abuse, and in that, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall feels unnervingly modern. It is fresh, shocking, and wholly new today, 200 years after the birth of its author.”

Ismail Muhammad on Anna Wiener’s Uncanny Valley ( The Atlantic )

Muhammad is a philosophical critic, so it’s always fun to see him tackle a book with big ideas. Here, he makes an enlightened connection between Wiener’s Silicon Valley memoir and Michael Lewis’s 1989 Wall Street exposé, Liar’s Poker.

“Like Lewis, Wiener found ‘a way out of unhappiness’ by writing her own gimlet-eyed generational portrait that doubles as a cautionary tale of systemic dysfunction. But if her chronicle acquires anything like the must-read status that Lewis’s antic tale of a Princeton art-history major’s stint at Salomon Brothers did, it will be for a different reason. For all her caustic insight and droll portraiture, Wiener is on an earnest quest likely to resonate with a public that has been sleepwalking through tech’s gradual reshaping of society.”

Hermione Hoby on Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs ( 4 Columns )

Hoby’s thousand-word review is a great example of a critic reading beyond the book to place it in context.

“When Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs  was first published in 2008, the then-governor of Tokyo, the ultraconservative Shintaro Ishihara, deemed the novel ‘unpleasant and intolerable.’ I wonder what he objected to? Perhaps he wasn’t into a scene in which the narrator, a struggling writer called Natsuko, pushes a few fingers into her vagina in a spirit of dejected exploration: ‘I . . . tried being rough and being gentle. Nothing worked.’”

Taylor Moore on C Pam Zhang’s How Much Of These Hills Is Gold ( The A.V. Club )

Describing Zhang’s wildly imaginative debut novel is hard, but Moore manages to convey the book’s shape and texture in less than 800 words, along with some critical analysis.

“Despite some characteristics endemic to Wild West narratives (buzzards circling prey, saloons filled with seedy strangers), the world of How Much Of These Hills Is Gold feels wholly original, and Zhang imbues its wide expanse with magical realism. According to local lore, tigers lurk in the shadows, despite having died out ‘decades ago’ with the buffalo. There also exists a profound sense of loss for an exploited land, ‘stripped of its gold, its rivers, its buffalo, its Indians, its tigers, its jackals, its birds and its green and its living.’”

Grace Ebert on Paul Christman’s Midwest Futures ( Chicago Review of Books )

I love how Ebert brings her lived experience as a Midwesterner into this review of Christman’s essay collection. (Disclosure: I founded the Chicago Review of Books five years ago, but handed over the keys in July 2019.)

“I have a deep and genuine love for Wisconsin, for rural supper clubs that always offer a choice between chicken soup or an iceberg lettuce salad, and for driving back, country roads that seemingly are endless. This love, though, is conflicting. How can I sing along to Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker, and Merle Haggard knowing that my current political views are in complete opposition to the lyrics I croon with a twang in my voice?”

Michael Schaub on Bryan Washington’s Memorial ( NPR )

How do you review a book you fall in love with? It’s one of the most challenging assignments a critic can tackle. But Schaub is a pro; he falls in love with a few books every year.

“Washington is an enormously gifted author, and his writing—spare, unadorned, but beautiful—reads like the work of a writer who’s been working for decades, not one who has yet to turn 30. Just like Lot, Memorial  is a quietly stunning book, a masterpiece that asks us to reflect on what we owe to the people who enter our lives.”

Mesha Maren on Fernanda Melchor’s Hurricane Season ( Southern Review of Books )

Maren opens with an irresistible comparison between Melchor’s irreverent novel and medieval surrealist art. (Another Disclosure: I founded the Southern Review of Books in early 2020.)

“Have you ever wondered what internal monologue might accompany the characters in a Hieronymus Bosch painting? What are the couple copulating upside down in the middle of that pond thinking? Or the man with flowers sprouting from his ass? Or the poor fellow being killed by a fire-breathing creature which is itself impaled upon a knife? I would venture to guess that their voices would sound something like the writing of Mexican novelist Fernanda Melchor.”

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The New York Times Best Sellers - July 14, 2024

Authoritatively ranked lists of books sold in the united states, sorted by format and genre..

This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only.

• Combined Print & E-Book Fiction

21 weeks on the list

by Kristin Hannah

In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America.

• Apple Books
• Barnes and Noble
• Books-A-Million

New this week

ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK

by Chris Whitaker

Questions arise when a boy saves the daughter of a wealthy family amid a string of disappearances in a Missouri town in 1975.

3 weeks on the list

THE HOUSEMAID IS WATCHING

by Freida McFadden

The third book in the Housemaid series. Dangers lurk in a quiet neighborhood.

by Elin Hilderbrand

Nantucket residents are alarmed when a home, recently sold at an exorbitant price, goes up in flames and someone goes missing.

51 weeks on the list

THE HOUSEMAID

Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters.

• Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction

2 weeks on the list

by Anthony S. Fauci

The physician-scientist and immunologist chronicles his six decades of public service, including his work during the AIDS crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.

14 weeks on the list

THE ANXIOUS GENERATION

by Jonathan Haidt

A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.

9 weeks on the list

THE DEMON OF UNREST

by Erik Larson

The author of “The Splendid and the Vile” portrays the months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War.

THE SINGULARITY IS NEARER

by Ray Kurzweil

A look at the potentially positive and negative aspects of biotechnology, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.

29 weeks on the list

FRIENDS, LOVERS, AND THE BIG TERRIBLE THING

by Matthew Perry

The late actor, known for playing Chandler Bing on “Friends,” shares stories from his childhood and his struggles with sobriety.

• Hardcover Fiction

4 weeks on the list

by Michael Crichton and James Patterson

The Big Island of Hawaii comes under threat by a volcano at the same time a secret held by the military comes to light.

RESURRECTION

by Danielle Steel

After a shocking discovery and the onset of a global health crisis, a successful blogger begins to see new possibilities while staying in France.

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• Hardcover Nonfiction

6 weeks on the list

WHAT THIS COMEDIAN SAID WILL SHOCK YOU

by Bill Maher

The host of “Real Time With Bill Maher” gives his take on a variety of subjects in American culture and politics.

• Paperback Trade Fiction

62 weeks on the list

12 weeks on the list

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES

by Sarah J. Maas

After killing a wolf in the woods, Feyre is taken from her home and placed inside the world of the Fae.

A NOVEL LOVE STORY

by Ashley Poston

A literature professor winds up in a town from her favorite romance series and encounters a bookstore owner with an irritatingly sexy mouth.

THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET

The second book in the Housemaid series. The sound of crying and the appearance of blood portend misdeeds.

• Paperback Nonfiction

297 weeks on the list

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE

by Bessel van der Kolk

How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery.

54 weeks on the list

EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE

by Dolly Alderton

The British journalist shares stories and observations; the basis of the TV series.

174 weeks on the list

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

by David Grann

The story of a murder spree in 1920s Oklahoma that targeted Osage Indians, whose lands contained oil. The fledgling F.B.I. intervened, ineffectively.

220 weeks on the list

BRAIDING SWEETGRASS

by Robin Wall Kimmerer

A botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation espouses having an understanding and appreciation of plants and animals.

• Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous

DEMOCRACY OR ELSE

by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor with Josh Halloway

240 weeks on the list

ATOMIC HABITS

by James Clear

18 weeks on the list

WORLD TRAVEL

by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever

THE NEW MENOPAUSE

by Mary Claire Haver

7 weeks on the list

GOOD ENERGY

by Casey Means with Calley Means

• Children’s Middle Grade Hardcover

449 weeks on the list

by R.J. Palacio

A boy with a facial deformity starts school. (Ages 8 to 12)

263 weeks on the list

by Alan Gratz

Three children in three different conflicts look for safe haven. (Ages 9 to 12)

THE MISFITS: A ROYAL CONUNDRUM

by Lisa Yee. Illustrated by Dan Santat

Olive is sent to Reforming Arts School and teams up with a group of crime-fighting outcasts. (Ages 8 to 12)

61 weeks on the list

THE SUN AND THE STAR

by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

The demigods Will and Nico embark on a dangerous journey to the Underworld to rescue an old friend. (Ages 10 to 14)

The friends Frank and Stanley give a vivid account of the Pearl Harbor attack. (Ages 8 to 12)

• Children’s Picture Books

THE YELLOW BUS

by Loren Long

The life span of a yellow school bus. (Ages 3 to 6)

448 weeks on the list

DRAGONS LOVE TACOS

by Adam Rubin. Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

What to serve your dragon-guests. (Ages 3 to 5)

23 weeks on the list

BLUEY: SLEEPYTIME

by Joe Brumm

Bingo wants to do a big girl sleep and wake up in her own bed. (Ages 4 to 8)

399 weeks on the list

THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU WILL BE

by Emily Winfield Martin

A celebration of future possibilities. (Ages 3 to 7)

388 weeks on the list

THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT

by Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Problems arise when Duncan’s crayons revolt. (Ages 3 to 7)

• Children’s & Young Adult Series

LEGACY OF ORÏSHA

by Tomi Adeyemi

Zélie Adebola fights to bring magic back to the land of Orïsha. (Ages 14 to 18)

144 weeks on the list

A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER

by Holly Jackson

Pippa Fitz-Amobi solves murderous crimes. (Ages 14 and up)

798 weeks on the list

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney

The travails and challenges of adolescence. (Ages 9 to 12)

115 weeks on the list

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY TRILOGY

by Jenny Han

A beach house, summer love and enduring friendships. (Ages 12 and up)

731 weeks on the list

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS

by Rick Riordan

A boy battles mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)

• Young Adult Hardcover

34 weeks on the list

by Lauren Roberts

Forbidden love is in the air when Paedyn, an Ordinary, and Kai, an Elite, become romantically involved. (Ages 14 and up)

Adena is on her own in Loot, after Paedyn is selected for the Purging Trials. (Ages 14 and up)

13 weeks on the list

THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE

Annabel Price's mother was presumed dead, until she reappears during the filming of a documentary about her disappearance. (Ages 14 to 17)

DIVINE RIVALS

by Rebecca Ross

Two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection. (Ages 13 to 18)

THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US

by Tricia Levenseller

Alessandra plots to kill the Shadow King and take his kingdom for herself. (Ages 13 to 18)

Weekly Best Sellers Lists

Monthly best sellers lists.

10 of the Best Books about Literature

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

What are the best books about there  about literature – whether trivia books, introductions to English literature , or handy guides to some of the most pressing questions about the study of literature? Well, look no further than this list of ten of the best books about English literature – and other literatures, for that matter.

Disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate, we get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

We’ll admit we’re kicking off with a rather partisan choice, since Tearle is the founder-editor of  Interesting Literature . But  The Secret Library  is a treasure-trove of trivia for the literature-lover.

Christopher Booker, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories . 

A monumental, weighty tome that shows how all fictional narratives from folk tales to novels and films follow essentially seven basic plot forms, such as ‘overcoming the monster’ ( Beowulf , Jaws ). Riddled with typos, but if you can put up with them, this book is illuminating and entertaining.

Gary Dexter,  Title Deeds: The Hidden Stories Behind 50 Books .

An engaging book full of fascinating information about some of the world’s classic books, and the stories behind how they came to be called what they’re called. (We’d also recommend  Why Not Catch-21?: The Stories Behind the Titles ,  an earlier book on the same theme as  Title Deeds and just as much fun.)

B. Ifor Evans, A Short History Of English Literature .

Now sadly out of print, this delightful little Pelican paperback from 1950 is available via Amazon from second-hand sellers. It runs through poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction prose from the Middle Ages to the present day in chronological chapters. Great if you want to get a brisk overview of English literature in all its many forms. Sadly, owing to its publication date, it stops in the mid-twentieth century; but we can hardly blame Evans for that.

Terry Eagleton,  The English Novel: An Introduction .

If you’re more specifically interested in the history of the novel and how this form has developed in English literature, this is an engagingly written and frequently very witty introduction to the English novel, from Defoe to James Joyce.

Eagleton sticks to the canonical figures of English fiction – Daniel Defoe , Jonathan Swift, Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, Jane Austen , Sir Walter Scott , Charles Dickens , and so on – but has something illuminating to say about each novelist, and does a good job of summarising often very disparate aspects of the novels he discusses. Eagleton also features in our pick of the best books offering an introduction to literary theory .

Michael Schmidt, The Lives Of The Poets .

A vast book, which provides some useful information about most major poets since the Middle Ages. It’s a biography of several hundred individuals, and majestically grand in scale, but very readable. It does have some glaring omissions – no Edward Lear? – and Schmidt is fond of making provocative statements about certain poets, but somehow that makes it all the more fun.

John Sutherland, Lives of the Novelists: A History of Fiction in 294 Lives . 

A huge compendium of miniature biographies about writers of fiction from John Bunyan to the present day,  Lives of the Novelists  is entertaining, surprising, amusing, and often gripping – as when Sutherland is telling us about the curious and rather disgusting origins of the title of Jacqueline Susann’s  Valley of the Dolls , or giving us a whistle-stop tour of Stephen King’s career, or telling us about how prolific (and successful) Edgar Rice Burroughs was.

Packed full of biographical trivia, this book is a very diverting way to spend a week learning about the lives of some of Anglophone fiction’s most famous names. John Sutherland is one of the best authors of books about literature, so he actually features on this list twice…

John Sutherland, The Literary Detective: 100 Puzzles in Classic Fiction (Oxford World’s Classics) . 

This is Sutherland’s trilogy of ‘puzzle’ books, in which he asks interesting questions about the more troubling aspects of the plots of classic novels, and then proceeds to find solutions to them. The titles of the three books in this original trilogy give a sense of the sort of questions Sutherland likes to ask: Is Heathcliff a Murderer?: Great Puzzles in Nineteenth-century Fiction (World’s Classics) , Can Jane Eyre Be Happy?: More Puzzles in Classic Fiction (Oxford World’s Classics) , and   Who Betrays Elizabeth Bennet? (Oxford World’s Classics) .

Sutherland has since written several more such books – the one on Shakespeare co-authored with Cedric Watts,  Oxford World’s Classics: Henry V, War Criminal?: and Other Shakespeare Puzzles , is also worth checking out.

Christopher Fowler, The Book of Forgotten Authors . 

This recent book introduces us to a range of authors, including many popular novelists, whose names may once have been well-known to the reading public, but are now largely forgotten. Who knew that Thomas Burke, the British author of the collection of short stories  Limehouse Nights , also published a book called  For Your Convenience  (1937), which included a map of London’s public urinals, ‘noting in particular their sexual possibilities’?

Or that Keith Waterhouse, who is now remembered solely for  Billy Liar , also worked on a doomed musical of  Andy Capp ?  The Book of Forgotten Authors  is a mine of interesting and amusing literary trivia of this sort, as the title implies. You’re likely to finish reading Fowler’s entertaining and enlightening jaunt through the bookshelves of yesteryear with a significantly enlarged ‘to read’ list – if you can still track down any of these out-of-print wonders.

James Wood,  How Fiction Works .

An accessible introduction to key aspects of fiction from one of the most celebrated living critics of the novel. It includes chapters on narrative voice, realism, and character, among others.

Wood is particularly good at saying  why a piece of fiction is good (and why other pieces of fiction aren’t good), and his gentle but informed focus on the technical details of writing prevents his value-judgments from ever reading too much like ‘This is good because I like it.’ Wood is also a mean finger-drummer, as demonstrated in this video .

If you enjoyed this pick of the best books about books and literature, check out our pick of the best books about Shakespeare  and our eight best books about language and words . We’ve also picked our must-have poetry anthologies here.

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15 thoughts on “10 of the Best Books about Literature”

Reblogged this on cjheries .

All wonderful suggestions. Thanks so much for sharing! If you’re ever interested in some great book reviews and musings, be sure to follow! Thanks!!!

• Pingback: The Booketry » 10 of the Best Books about Literature

Reblogged this on Kentucky Mountain Girl News and commented: KMGN: This is a very interesting article. I put a link to my Delicious account. Hope it is helpful to you.

Reblogged this on First Draft and commented: I got James Wood, “How Fiction Works” on the way from my public library, because of this article.

I want the second and last ones!

• Pingback: Saturday Miscellany – 3/21/15 | The Irresponsible Reader

Ordered the Eagleton book. Thanks for the information! His seems to be quite the prolific polymath.

Great list! I love reading books about books. Foster’s How to Read Novels like a Professor was great as well.

Reblogged this on Zezee with Books .

I haven’t read any of these before, but The Library Detective looks really interesting. I’m going to look into it as soon as possible.

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As a companion of sorts to James Wood’s book, I would recommend Charles Baxter’s “The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot”.

• Pingback: The Best Books about Shakespeare | Interesting Literature
• Pingback: October 7 in Literature: Edgar Allan Poe Dies | Interesting Literature

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Make Your Own List

The Best Fiction Books » Poetry

The best american poetry, recommended by elisa new.

New England Beyond Criticism: In Defense of America's First Literature by Elisa New

With the help of a good anthology and a heaping dose of American classics, anyone can be converted to being a lover of poetry. Elisa New , Harvard scholar and host of the PBS series Poetry in America , recommends her favorite American poets, from Emily Dickinson to Elizabeth Bishop.

Interview by Eve Gerber

The Cambridge History of American Poetry by Alfred Bendixen & Stephen Burt (eds.)

The Emily Dickinson Archive by Emily Dickinson

Lunch Poems by Frank O'Hara

Geography III: Poems by Elizabeth Bishop

The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth Century American Poetry by Rita Dove

1 The Cambridge History of American Poetry by Alfred Bendixen & Stephen Burt (eds.)

2 the emily dickinson archive by emily dickinson, 3 lunch poems by frank o'hara, 4 geography iii: poems by elizabeth bishop, 5 the penguin anthology of twentieth century american poetry by rita dove.

Y ou proselytize for poetry as a professor at Harvard and through Poetry in America , a multi-platform program that includes online courses and an intensely-entertaining television series. What inspires you to be such a spirited self-described “poetry evangelist”?

Your television series  Poetry in America  throws off what you’ve called “the scholarly harness.” Tell us about this approach to poetics.

The series endeavors to enhance the experience of poetry using tools that are unique to TV. When I taught Langston Hughes to students, to relay how he was influenced by jazz and blues, I brought a clumsy cassette player to class. When I taught Edna St Vincent Millay, to convey how she embodied ‘the new woman,’ I brought in 1920s magazines so students could see how she wore her hair and her hemlines.

Television allows us to portray the world of a poem in a multimedia way, mixing in images and music. And when a poem holds itself aloof from the world, television allows us to empty our screens and give words new vibrancy. The toolkit of television gives viewers an intellectual and emotional immersion in poetry that is quite magical. It’s wonderful to be part of the reemergence of smart small screen entertainment.

What characteristics classify a poem as American, by your lights?

The Cambridge History of American Poetry is your first title. Tell us about it.

This forbidding-looking tome weighs about five pounds; it makes quite a doorstop. As a person who teaches survey courses, I know students love surveys. We love sampling. When you asked me to make this list, I was thinking about a reader with an appetite for learning more about poetry. Such a reader might enjoy a smorgasbord of fascinating stuff about American poetry—like this book.

There is no better scholarly compendium than The Cambridge History of American Poetry . In its pages, one finds many of the best critics of the last thirty years, absolute authorities, in fine form, distilling their classic takes. For instance, Ed Folsom, who is the editor of The Walt Whitman Archive , covers Whitman. This book also includes emerging scholars and scholar-poets. The sheer variety of topics is stunning. Maybe you’re interested in “Poets of the South”, or in the weird world in which Edgar Allan Poe published, or in poetry’s role in the emergence of first-wave feminism. It’s nice to have a book full of so many nuggets.

While the writers are mostly from the academy, they put away the apparatus of scholarly argument and write really brilliantly. It’s a pleasure to read. You might want to start at the beginning and read all the way through, but I just like to dip in to it whenever I’m wrestling with a poem from a period I might not know that much about.

It’s an interesting fact that some of the best critical work these days comes out in books like the The Cambridge History of American Poetry . Many of the best critics understand that books purchased as reference works are probably going to have more readers than scholarly monographs; the critics give books like this the best that they’ve got.

The editors of this volume note in their introduction that W S Merwin said “We have what might be thought of as a gene pool of poetry by now.” What does he mean?

Next you name an open-access website, the  Emily Dickinson Archive .

The Emily Dickinson Archive is a feat of scholarly effort and a cutting-edge digital project. It’s like Costco, an enormous warehouse for her enormous body of work.

Dickinson never willingly published anything. Fewer than a dozen of her poems saw print in her lifetime. She didn’t ask for them to be printed; friends did. She wrote nearly 1,800 poems, often working on many poems at one time, like a painter working on a bunch of canvases or a gardener tending flowers.

You can now buy the collected works of Emily Dickinson, from her  Poems: As She Preserved Them   to collections of her  Letters and even her  Envelope Poems , but it’s better to experience Emily Dickinson through this archive. You can read each poem in her distinctive handwriting, with distinctive punctuation. We no longer live in a world with much handwriting. But penmanship is a form of self-presentation that writers once thought about while crafting their work. Dickinson’s poems work as visual, as well as verbal, art. So this archive allows you to experience her work more fully than would an ordinary anthology.

“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only way I know it. Is there any other way?” You feature an excerpt of this quote of Dickinson’s at the start of your American Poetry series. Why?

The City Lights Books edition of Frank O’Hara’s Lunch Poems  is your next choice. Why?

I chose two books that deliver a reader into a style and worldview that is completely its own. Great poets create not just a set of discrete poems that say something about the world in which we abide, but a way of looking at the world encoded in their style.

Frank O’Hara’s Lunch Poems are so much fun. He wrote them during his lunch breaks. What is lunch break? It’s a part of our day when we’re alive and jazzed and hungry for more, probably hungry for lunch, but also hungry for a little leisure, a little stimulation outside the office.

O’Hara writes these poems in a casual voice that’s characteristically his. He called them ‘I do this, I do that’ poems. You follow him around New York City and watch his imagination hunger after and take satisfaction in things. It’s like entering into intimacy with an extraordinary human being.

O’Hara was part of the New York School of poets, allied with Abstract Expressionist painters of the 1950s and 60s. He was known as “a poet among painters” who often wrote poems in the Cedar Tavern while listening to artists argue and gossip. He was also a critic of mid-century art and a curator at the Museum of Modern Art. All of which is a preface to asking: what is poetry’s place in America’s art ecosystem?

Poetry and other arts have been essential to each other at times in their development, including during the moment of Modernism. Modernists were reimaging the form of art, with Cubism, mobiles, and fresh poetic forms. At O’Hara’s height, during the 1950s, avant-garde poets and painters discovered each other and became friends.

Elizabeth Bishop’s Geography III , published in 1977, is the fourth collection you selected. Why?

As I noted, I thought my list should have two volumes of poetry that allow you to enter not just a poet’s work but a poet’s world. The work of Elizabeth Bishop is its own world, that has its own mesmerizing power.

She has become, for many American poets, the 20th-century progenitor. She is the person in the American poetry gene pool who manages to talk about feelings, including uncomfortable feelings, at the deepest registers. Her poetry is highly emotional, she shows a fidelity to experience, an honesty that is not exhibitionistic.

Geography III  was Elizabeth Bishop’s last book. There isn’t a poem in it that isn’t great.

The canon of American poetry—Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Dickinson, all the way back to Phyllis Wheatley, it seems for every Robert Lowell there’s an Amy Lowell—has a remarkable degree of gender parity. What does the remarkable prominence of female American poets tell us?

Women were cheap. A lot of early American women poets who published did so for very little money; they were happy to appear in print. So, there were economic reasons why American women were published.

The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth Century American Poetry , edited by Pulitzer-winning US Poet Laureate Rita Dove, is your final selection.

People who don’t know a lot about poetry, including whether they like it, need a great anthology, that is not so heavy to carry it around. For years I’ve used David Lehman’s  Oxford Book of American Poetry . But Rita Dove’s Penguin Anthology of Twentieth Century American Poetry brings readers right up to the poets of today; there isn’t another anthology that does that. She devotes about half of its pages to recent poets.

To save room for the poets of today, Dove made the radical decision to reduce selections from the early twentieth century to some representative examples. Rita Dove has a great instinct for the best poetry to lead readers to other poems. What Robert Frost and Wallace Stevens poems prompt readers to find more? Rita Dove chooses them with real skill.

Dove thinks of American poetry as telling the story of who we think we are as Americans. That definition leads Dove to include many poets who were not included in major anthologies before, poets who may not have had access to publication because of their race or class. This anthology offers a more complete picture of American poetry. It’s very compelling and Dove’s introduction is unpretentious and fun to read.

This book generated a lot of dialogue. What is poetry’s agenda, beyond aesthetics?

Limiting the poems given prominence to those that fulfill certain aesthetic criteria leaves to the side too much great work. Readers don’t only read poetry to admire craftsmanship. Poems help us understand who we are, they help us understand our culture. Like Dove, I think of poetry as having a much broader set of functions than simply achieving formal excellence. That is why I value this book.

Poetry reading is on the rise in America, according to a recent survey by the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Poetry is an art form that is perfect for our digital world. It is accessible, not only though the books I’ve named, but also through websites like the Poetry Foundation . One can have an intense intellectual experience, a deeply pleasurable experience, sometimes a deeply personal experience, with a small portable work of art. Many poems fit into five minutes of spare time. Isn’t it better to read a poem than the your 40th blog of the day? What else refreshes our senses and our sense of the world—and fits on our phone?

February 12, 2019

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Elisa New is the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature at Harvard University. She is the author of  The Regenerate Lyric: Theology and Innovation in American Poetry ( 1992),  The Line's Eye: Poetic Experience, American Sight  (1999), and  Jacob's Cane   (2009) .   Her latest book is  New England Beyond Criticism: In Defense of America's First Literature   (2014). Most recently, she is the creator and host of the PBS television series  Poetry in America .

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• The Top 10 Moscow Novels...

10 Moscow Novels That Every Muscovite Initiate Should Read

Moscow’s rich history and innumerable paradoxes has inspired some of the greatest novels in Russian literary history. More than a simple backdrop to these extraordinary narratives, Moscow is an integral character in the stories. From glamorous 19th century ballrooms to desolate suburban apartment blocks, and the metro that runs beneath them, we’ve picked 10 of the top Moscow novels that will give you a literary passport to this extraordinary city.

Day of the Oprichnik – Vladimir Sorokin

Sorokin’s striking novels have gained him substantial international recognition as an author. His novel Day of the Oprichnik , set in 2028, is both a disconcerting side-step from a recognizable Moscow and potentially more ominously, a nod to it. We experience Sorokin’s dystopian world through the eyes of one of the ‘oprichniks’ (a term dating back to the days Ivan the Terrible), who seek out enemies of the reinstated Tsar, raping and pillaging to keep the population in a state of perpetual control and fear. Sorokin’s rendering of the world is as its darkest, and the carnivalesque prose is packed with pithy comments and oddly archaic statements that strike you in their direct delivery. This is a novel that focuses on the interplay of power and the grotesque normalization of violence in service to a higher ruler.

The Lady with the Dog – Anton Chekhov

Vladimir Nabokov cited this as one of the greatest shortest stories ever written. Dmitri Gurov, the central character. is a Moscow banker trapped in a loveless marriage. He distracts himself by engaging in frequent adulterous trysts. Whilst holidaying in Yalta, his attention is caught by a lady, Anna Sergeyevna, walking her dog on the sea-front. He resolves to make her acquaintance and a brief love affair ensues before Gurov returns to Moscow, expecting to quickly forgot the event. Astonishingly, he finds himself unable to shake the memory of Anna and comes to the realization that he is falling in love for the first time. This is simple, but beautifully written prose; Chekhov is, after all, the unequivocal master of the short story. His seamless economy of words reaches deep into the inner turmoil of his characters in just a few short pages. Gurov is tangibly bitter towards the Moscow society, its customs and its restrictions. Anna and Yalta, who remain constant in his thoughts provide a reverie from his claustrophobic reality. Although some have voiced their frustrations at a novel focusing so much on the potentially selfish actions of an adulterous middle-aged man, Chekhov reveals, through third-person narrative, the futility of reason and sense of fate in the face of love.

The Time: Night – Lyudmila Petrushevskaya

This novel is a heart wrenching, intimate portrayal of struggle one woman endures as she battles to survive in poverty-stricken circumstances. The Time: Night is a novel framed as the manuscript left behind by Anna, a woman striving to keep her family together whilst latching onto her role as a the self-sacrificing ‘babushka’ to her errant children and her grandson Timur. The novel is set in the bleak post-soviet apartments of Moscow, and the atmosphere is tangibly impregnated with despair. Petrushevskaya’s work is beautifully written, undulating from torrid streams of consciousness to poetic reflection to neurotic panic. Petrushevskaya’s sharp wit and sardonic social commentary help lift the bleak narrative and create a truly unique and insightful perspective on the desperate nature of one family’s existence.

Anna Karenina – Tolstoy

Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is a novel that delights in contrasting diametric opposites, from Levin and Kitty’s marriage and Anna and Vronsky’s love affair to the spatial opposition of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Moscow is full of glamorous balls, elegant fashions and handsome officers. Moscow is where Anna and Vronsky see one another for the first time, and Moscow is where the novel ends. The text is ambitious and labyrinthine, creating a rich mosaic of human emotion that defies judgement of human actions. However you feel about Tolstoy’s treatment of his heroine, he does an exceptional job of representing the minutiae of contradictory and complex motivations that govern human behaviour.

The Master and Margarita – Bulgakov

Bulgakov’s masterpiece reaches past the concrete reality of an identifiable Moscow to an evanescent world beyond it. The novel follows a series of inexplicable and utterly hilarious events that ensue when the Devil arrives in fervently atheistic soviet Russia. Bulgakov satirizes the materialistic nature of Muscovite society to gesture to the spiritual void beneath it. Characters include a motley demonic band of individuals, and a droll-humoured cigar-smoking cat, wreaking havoc around town in a series of wickedly funny skits. From a magic show featuring a temporary decapitation, to a magical scene in which the eponymous Margarita flies over Moscow on a broomstick completely naked, there is no end to Bulgakov’s incredible imagination. Those familiar with the opening scene will be delighted when they visit modern day Moscow’s Patriarch Ponds, where a cautionary sign will advise you that it is ‘forbidden to talk to strangers’.

Night Watch – Sergei Lukyanenko

Night Watch was translated into English after the phenomenal success of the films based on Lukyanenko’s pentology of novels. This novel is the first in the series, a gripping sci-fi fantasy that explores the supernatural underworld lurking just beneath the surface of our everyday world. Lukyanenko’s novel reflects a trend for fantastical or allegorical fiction which is currently prevalent in Russia. In Night Watch, a supernatural race of primeval humans must ally either with agents of Dark or Light. The main protagonist, Anton, finds himself caught in the middle of this tumultuous battle and drawn into a world of moral incertitude. This is (in the most non-cliché terms) a really griping page-turner.

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Moscow-Petushki – Venedikt Erofeev

This is a slight cheat, as the majority of the narrative takes place during a train journey between Moscow and Petushki, a suburban settlement that appropriates a utopian-like quality in the mind of Venichka, the drunken protagonist. There are many who believe that Erofeev’s work is untranslatable, replete as it is with cultural references to classical poems, the orthodox faith and slurred streams of consciousness. Nevertheless, we believe it would be a pity to miss out on insight into the darkly witty, tremendously sad and sparkling mind of Erofeev. His prose-poem allows us to be simultaneously privy to Venichka’s internal dialogue, the external dialogue of his accompanying passengers and to the author himself. Erofeev plays with all readerly expectations through Venichka, the proverbial holy fool who, through his tangled commentary on everything from Marx to Pushkin to vodka slowly unveils his authenticity as a character.

Red Square – Martin Cruz Smith

This is the third novel in the Investigator Renko series, following on from the incredibly popular Gorky Park and Polar Star . Red Square does not actually refer to the Moscow location but rather a missing avant-garde painting that recently resurfaced in the illegal black-markets of 1990’s Russia. Renko is shown as an individual awash in a sea of corruption, attempting to cling to the law in an atmosphere of rapid and unprecedented change. Red Square provides an in-depth insight into the emerging capitalism taking hold of Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, its setting an interesting comparison of Russia and cultural trends in Munich and Berlin during this tumultuous period. As ever, Cruz Smith’s writing is engaging and darkly funny.

Envy – Yuri Olesha

Olesha’s 1927 novel is a slapstick examination of the tussles between a smug sausage mogul and the drunken no-hope he chances upon in the gutter one day. If that’s not the kind of scenario to secure your interest then be assured that this is a much over-looked, brilliantly-rendered and vigorously delivered poetic feat. Although Olesha only wrote one book, it seems he put all his genius into it. As with Moscow-Petushki , Envy succeeds in being simultaneously lyrical and satirical; Olesha’s wry social commentary bubbles up from the pages with incredible energy. There are some fantastically disgusting descriptions that are utterly absurd and also oddly believable. This novel probably won’t suit every taste but if you have a penchant for the avant-garde then look no further.

Metro 2033 – Dmitry Glukhovsky

This is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the Moscow metro system. The sprawling stations take on ideologies and statehoods of their own after a nuclear disaster above-ground forces survivors into a subterranean world where rifle cartridges are currency and men fight both against intangible threats and one another. Artyom, the young protagonist of the novel, has never experienced fresh air, seen grass or been exposed to natural light. His fellow inhabitants at VDNKh raise anaemic pigs on waste products and grow mushrooms for food, eking out a precarious existence in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. After meeting an enigmatic figure called Hunter, Artyom takes on an epic quest to reach the mythical city of Polis, navigating the various perils that ensue as he traverses the claustrophobic, cramped conditions of life in the metro. Metro 2033 is ultimately a study of the human psyche and man’s irrepressible desire to survive no matter what that means. With this comes a bleak insight into the moral and physical degradation of people when they are pushed to their absolute limits.

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20 Best Books Like A Gentleman in Moscow (Political Fiction)

In A Gentleman in Moscow , a Bolshevik tribunal sentences Count Alexander Rostov to live in a hotel attic across from the Kremlin. Political and historical events also pervade the pages of these 20 similar books. Let’s dive right in!

About A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

It is 1922 when a Bolshevik tribunal sentences Count Alexander Rostov to an attic in a hotel across the street from the Kremlin. 

His crime: writing a poem.

Alexander experiences and observes decades of key events in Russian history in the attic at the Hotel Metropol. 

With a strong sense of setting and insightful, inspiring prose, A Gentleman in Moscow showcases modern Russian history and its cruelty while keeping the heart of friendship and human connection. 

These similar 20 political and historical fiction books will transport you to a time and place full of moving characters and unique histories!

About Amor Towles

Amor Towles was born in Boston and received his MA in English from Stanford University. An award-winning American novelist of several notable books, including Rules of Civility , The Lincoln Highway, and A Gentleman in Moscow , Towles specializes in writing moving characters in difficult time periods to explore the emotional journeys they experience among the politics of the setting.

Towles lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children. His second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow , has been picked up for a television series starring Ewan McGregor.  

You can find all of Amor Towles’s novels here !  

20 Best Political Fiction Books Like A Gentleman in Moscow

The kitchen boy: a novel of the last tsar by robert alexander.

The final days of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov are crafted and told through the lens of Leonka, the Romanovs’ kitchen boy, who vows he is a witness to the royal family’s violent murders. 

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar takes place in St. Petersburg in 1917 and offers insight into Russia’s class through the Bolshevik Revolution. Fans of A Gentleman in Moscow will appreciate the heart this novel brings to the table and the well-developed main character. 

The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin

This award-winning novel tells the tale of a Russian artist, Anatoly Sukhanov, who analyzes his past through dreams and navigates the consequences of trading artistry, morals, and a sense of self for wealth and politics. 

A Gentleman in Moscow and The Dream Life of Sukhanov feature unforgettable main characters and lyrical prose. You can get this dark and moving political fiction novel here !

Lampedusa by Steven Price 

Italian aristocracy in the 1950s is on display in this novel about Giuseppe Tomasi, a writer prince who struggles to leave a legacy of worth behind before he runs out of time in Sicily. 

With gorgeous depictions of characters and heart-wrenching truth, Lampedusa will move readers. Whereas A Gentleman in Moscow is about a fictional Russian Count, Lampedusa is about an actual historical Italian prince and writer. 

Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly

Against the backdrop of the Russian revolution and the first World War, three women navigate their ever-changing lives. 

Sofya is a cousin of the Romanovs, Varinka is the daughter of a fortune teller whose family has ties to leaders of the Bolshevik uprisings, and Eliza Ferriday longs for social justice but holds no power to help. 

Together, these three characters lead readers on an emotional journey through multiple countries in a historical setting where lives were lost and forever changed. 

You can get Lost Roses here !

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

Florence, 1550s. 

The young duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici marries the ruler of Ferrara and fights for her survival at every turn in the everchanging and tumultuous court. 

Maggie O’Farrell brings Renaissance Italy to life in this political fiction novel about a girl who must deliver an heir in an unfamiliar court upon a foreign political stage. 

You can get The Marriage Portrait here !

Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov

A political fiction novel full of humanity and compassion, much like A Gentleman in Moscow , Grey Bees follows a Ukrainian beekeeper who is one of the last residents in Little Starhorodivka. 

The village is in the “Grey Zone ” in Ukraine, the no man’s land between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists. As the war rages on, beekeeper Sergey Sergeyich encounters a cast of characters in his pursuit of protection and care for his bees in a land horrified by war.  

You can get this bestselling novel by Ukraine’s most famous novelist, Andrey Kurkov, here !

The Woman of a Thousand Names by Alexandra Lapierre

Based on the true story of Russia’s Mata Hari, The Woman of a Thousand Names follows the beautiful and elusive aristocrat as she survives war and revolution.

You can get this complex and female-driven political novel here ! 

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

Two secretaries are spies in The Secrets We Kept , a political novel set in the 1950s during the Cold War. 

While tasked with smuggling and publishing Doctor Zhivago , a banned love story by Pasternak out of the USSR, Sally and Irina work together to inspire Soviet Russia’s hearts with a moving love story to bring about change. 

You can get this award-winning debut novel by Lara Prescott here !

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

All the Light We Cannot See follows two main characters, Marie-Laure, a blind French girl who must flee Nazi-occupied Paris in the 1940s, and Werner Pfennig, an orphaned German boy, as they cross paths and navigate survival in a world and country torn apart by war. 

You can get this atmospheric and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel here ! 

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Banished and abandoned by her family for getting pregnant, American girl Charlie St. Clair travels to London in search of her cousin Rose, who went missing during the war in Nazi-occupied France. 

Meanwhile, Eve Gardiner is a former spy who struggles with a betrayal that happened during the Great War. When Charlie St. Clair arrives on her doorstep, the past comes to light, and the two must work together to reveal the truth and Rose. 

You can get The Alice Network here ! 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 

The events of Pachinko occur across several decades, during both the Japanese occupation of Korea and World War II, and are a backdrop for many of the problems the main characters face. 

This historical and political novel follows Sunja, a young girl who gets pregnant with a married wealthy man before leaving for Japan with a kind and sickly minister. Over the years and throughout historical events, Sunja’s children grow and change. 

You can get this profoundly moving novel here ! 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah follows two sisters in 1939 France as the Nazis invade and occupy the country, changing their lives and relationships forever. 

Vianne Mauriac must make difficult decisions to protect her family after her husband leaves for the Front and the Nazis occupy her home. 

Isabelle, Vianne’s younger sister, falls in love only to be betrayed before joining the Resistance and throwing herself into dangerous situations to save the people around her. 

In a powerful and courageous novel, The Nightingale delivers a heart like A Gentleman in Moscow . 

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

The most remarkable racing horse in American history connects people across centuries in Horse by Geraldine Brooks. 

The novel rotates through four points of view: Jarret, the 19th-century horse’s enslaved handler; Martha, a gallery owner in the 1950s; Jess, an osteologist studying the horse’s skeleton; and Theo, a historian and recent graduate who comes into possession of a discarded horse painting in 2019. 

A Pulitzer Prize-winning author writes this complex and thought-provoking novel about race full of rich detail that A Gentleman in Moscow fans will enjoy. 

You can get Horse by Geraldine Brooks here !

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

A birthday party for Mr. Hosokawa, an influential and powerful businessman, is taken over by terrorists in the political fiction novel Bel Canto . 

As the novel progresses, humanity shines through on both sides, and bridges are built between terrorists and hostages as understanding and relationships form between both groups. 

Both Bel Canto and A Gentleman in Moscow feature humbled characters and the beauty of small things that lead to lasting human connection. 

You can get Bel Canto here !

The Underground Railroad by Colston Whitehead 

In pre-Civil War Georgia, Cora tries to escape slavery using the Underground Railroad. In this own voices novel by Colston Whitehead, the Underground Railroad is not a metaphor but an actual network of tracks, tunnels, engineers, and conductors that lead Cora from state to state, where she encounters harrowing experience after harrowing experience. 

Winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a National Book Award, The Underground Railroad by Colston Whitehead looks at the horrors of history and racism that continue to bleed into the present. 

You can get this complex novel here !

Mikhail and Margarita by Julie Lekstrom Himes 

It’s the 1920s and 1930s when Mikhail Bulgakov watches as his poet friend is abused, arrested, and outlawed. Simultaneously, the secret police are on Bulgakov’s trail as he falls in love with Margarita, an opinionated and strong woman. 

Inspired and on the brink of arrest, Bulgakov writes a critical novel about criticism of power that captivates, challenges, and puts him at certain risk. 

You can get this historical political fiction novel here !

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

With a strong and likable main character, The Four Winds is a historical novel about a woman living during the Great Depression. She navigates living in Texas after the Dust Bowl and the prospect of moving to California for a risky, unknown future. 

Lyrical prose and rich details make The Four Winds a sweeping read for fans of A Gentleman in Moscow !

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

By the same author of A Gentleman in Moscow , The Lincoln Highway takes place in 1954. It follows young Emmett Watson, a recently released inmate who goes on a road trip with his brother Billy after two juvie escapees hideaway in the warden’s car, dragging Emmett into a plan involving his future and New York City. 

Another character-driven novel by Amor Towles, The Lincoln Highway is bittersweet with a full cast of characters. You can get this coming-of-age novel here ! 

Advise and Consent by Allen Drury

First published in 1959, Advise and Consent is considered a major impactful political fiction novel. 

The book follows the United States Senate and the conflicts that arise after the United States President makes a controversial choice for Secretary of State, who needs to be confirmed into office by the Senators. 

Allen Drury’s novel explores the motives, debates, and scandals between political figures in Washington, D.C. 

You can get this award-winning classic political fiction novel here ! 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Four stories and narratives intertwine in Salt to the Sea , a young adult novel about the ill-fated German ship Wilhelm Gustloff shot down by Soviet torpedoes in 1945. 

Aboard the refugee ship are Lithuanian nurse Joana, Polish Emilia, Prussian Florian, and German soldier Alfred, whose lives all connect in many ways, for better or worse. 

This haunting, character-focused novel lends itself to readers interested in forgotten war events. It will move fans of A Gentleman in Moscow .

You can get Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys here !

Final Thoughts

These 20 political fiction books , like A Gentleman in Moscow, feature striking characters full of wit, sympathy, emotion, and heart that will take readers to a place of historical importance while keeping the feeling of humanity alive. 

Travel through an array of global political events through this list and find your next favorite read!

What is the point of A Gentleman in Moscow ?

A Gentleman in Moscow navigates humanity in a time of political upheaval, highlights the importance of personal growth, comments on the role of government, warns against the poison of power, and touches on the inability to stop time and change.

Is A Gentleman in Moscow being made into a TV series?

A Gentleman in Moscow is being made into a TV series on Showtime.

Is A Gentleman in Moscow worth reading?

A Gentleman in Moscow was a finalist for the 2016 Kirkus Prize in Fiction & Literature, a New York Times bestseller, and received high reviews from several literary journals, including Kirkus Book Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. A Gentleman in Moscow continues to be a staple in political fiction, considered one of the best in the genre.

Is A Gentleman in Moscow based on a true story?

A Gentleman in Moscow pulls from historical events, and the Metropol hotel is real. Still, the Count and most characters are fictional.

Is political fiction a genre?

Political fiction is a genre in literature that includes books featuring commentary on political events, systems, and theories. Political fiction frequently offers insight and criticism of society or fictionalizes a society to build up the theme and analysis. It is common for political fiction and historical fiction to go hand and hand.

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Hardcover fiction

1. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

2. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $30) Two worlds collide when a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp.

3. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $29) A woman upends her domestic life in this irreverent and tender novel.

4. Funny Story by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two opposites with the wrong thing in common connect.

5. The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (William Morrow: $30) Twists abound in this locked-room murder mystery.

6. The Women by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Press: $30) An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.

7. Table for Two by Amor Towles (Viking: $32) A collection of stories from the author of “The Lincoln Highway.”

8. Good Material by Dolly Alderton (Knopf: $28) A story of heartbreak and friendship and how to survive both.

9. Same as It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo (Doubleday: $30) A long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.

10. The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl (Random House: $29) An adventure through the food, art and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris.

Hardcover nonfiction

1. The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne (Penguin Press: $30) The actor-director’s memoir of growing up in Hollywood and Manhattan.

2. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (Penguin Press: $30) An investigation into the collapse of youth mental health.

3. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer’s guidance on how to be a creative person.

4. The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson (Crown: $35) An exploration of the pivotal five months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the start of the Civil War.

5. On Call by Dr. Anthony Fauci (Viking: $36) A memoir by the doctor whose six-decade career in public service has spanned seven presidents.

6. An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster: $35) The historian weaves together memoir and history in recounting the emotional journey she and her husband embarked on in the last years of his life.

7. The Wager by David Grann (Doubleday: $30) The story of the shipwreck of an 18th century British warship and a mutiny among the survivors.

8. The Singularity Is Nearer by Ray Kurzweil (Viking: $35) The inventor and futurist explores how technology will transform the human race.

9. Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hanna (Ecco: $30) A memoir by the original riot grrrl and frontwoman of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre.

10. Somehow by Anne Lamott (Riverhead Books: $22) A joyful celebration of love from the bestselling author.

Paperback fiction

1. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19)

2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury: $19)

3. Beach Read by Emily Henry (Berkley: $16)

4. Happy Place by Emily Henry (Berkley: $19)

5. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (Forever: $18)

6. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See (Scribner: $19)

7. Wellness by Nathan Hill (Vintage: $19)

8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman (Penguin: $18)

9. Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18)

10. Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley: $19)

Paperback nonfiction

1. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)

2. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)

3. The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi (Metropolitan Books: $20)

4. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton (Harper Perennial: $19)

5. The White Album by Joan Didion (FSG: $18)

6. World Travel by Anthony Bourdain, Laurie Woolever (Ecco: $22)

7. How to Sit by Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax Press: $10)

8. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (Amber-Allen: $13)

9. How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax Press: $10)

10. The Eater Guide to Los Angeles by Eater (Abrams Image: $20)

More to Read

The week’s bestselling books, July 7

July 3, 2024

The week’s bestselling books, June 30

June 26, 2024

The week’s bestselling books, June 23

June 19, 2024

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Paranormal romance books, explained: Why this supernatural genre has readers swooning

You can say a lot of things about the “Twilight” books and movies , but you can’t say they didn’t make an impact . The campy romance ushered in a renewed interest in paranormal love stories (and fan fiction ). 

The paranormal romance genre exists a bit at the fringes. It has a diehard fan base, of course, but you likely won’t find swoon-worthy supernatural creatures as the next Reese’s Book Club pick. 

It’s also much more than vampires and werewolves. Here’s what makes the genre so alluring to readers.

What is paranormal romance?

Paranormal romance falls under the broader romance category and, as the name suggests, contains otherworldly characters or elements in a recognizable world. While romantasy (a portmanteau of “romance” and “fantasy”) is usually fully fantastical, paranormal romance is set closer to reality. 

As such, the paranormal details often have an element of absurdity – a ghost, alien, witch or fairy showing up in a non-magical society. In some stories, a human character falls in love with a paranormal one, like a werewolf or a vampire. In others, both characters exist in a paranormal context. 

Even still, recent releases are blurring the lines between paranormal romance and romantasy. New releases have monsters and dragons, typical of strict fantasy novels. Some play with contemporary romance tropes, says Niah Freed, a BookTok influencer.

“People are taking more risks when it comes to paranormal romance,” Freed says.

Diverse human characters are among those updates as well. Freed, who has been a paranormal romance reader since she was in middle school, noticed older books often centered around a “shrinking violet” white, female protagonist who needs a hunky male (insert paranormal character here) to save her. Newer releases are more diverse, featuring strong-willed leads of color or queer storylines.

“People are more receptive about wanting to have characters that are layered and that are able to feel and be multifaceted,” Freed says.

Why you should read paranormal romance

Escapism is a key draw for the paranormal romance genre. 

“It lets (readers) explore a romance perhaps that they wouldn’t have been able to experience in our world,” says Lizzy Mason, publicity director at Entangled Publishing . “One of the main elements that I love about romantasy and paranormal romance is that it usually has such an unputdownable, immersive reading experience.” 

Themes of empowerment – female agency, self-actualization and choice – also make the genre enticing.

And for romance readers, it’s an easier genre to ease into than diving headfirst into fantasy, says Ashley Doliber, the senior director of marketing strategy at Entangled Publishing.

“Oftentimes those stories, at least traditionally, are set in our modern world so it feels recognizable and feels a little bit more like your daily life,” Doliber says. 

“Vampires are hot,” Freed also jokes. “I’m positive that’s probably the reason I picked up my very first one. It was not deep.”

Freed is a fantasy reader. She loves a book that takes her outside of reality and stretches her imagination. Paranormal romances do just that. But it’s not just a genre for romance or fantasy lovers, says Freed. She’d recommend the genre to any type of reader. Because it’s so established, there’s something for everyone.

Common paranormal romance tropes

Like its peers in the broader genre, paranormal romances often follows romance tropes, but with fantastical twist. 

There’s the “fated mate” or “true mate” trope, where a character has one match just for them. It makes for a comforting read, Freed says, knowing “no matter what I do, or what happens, this person is always going to love me.”

But sometimes, pairings start a little rockier. You may see the “enemies to lovers” or even “friends to lovers” tropes. They’re not as common in paranormal romance as they are in classic romance, but newer books lean on them more, Freed says.

There’s often one “alpha” or more dominant character, typically in werewolf stories (though the shoe can certainly fit with other paranormal duos). It may go hand-in-hand with the “touch her and you die” trope, where the alpha character will do anything to protect their lover. 

Perhaps most beloved by readers is the “outsider” trope. These supernatural creatures exist on the outskirts of society, either because they can’t relate to others or because they’ve been pushed there – that changes when they find love and unexpected community.

“That probably really resonated with me when I was 12 and 13,” Freed says. “It still does and probably always will.”

Best paranormal romance books

“Twilight” by Stephanie Myers is one of the most well-known paranormal romances, but that doesn’t mean it has to be your first foray into the genre. Here are some reads that Freed, Mason and Doliber recommend:

• “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood 
• “Dark City Omega” by Elizabeth Stephens
• “Mating the Huntress” by Talia Hibbert
• “Two Scoops of Hellfire” by Kimberly Lemming 
• “Angels' Blood” by Nalini Singh
• “Dark Lover” by J.R. Ward
• “The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy” by Megan Bannen 
• “Witchful Thinking” by Celestine Martin 
• “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas
• “Payback's a Witch” by Lana Harper
• “Even Though I Knew the End” by C.L. Polk
• “The Wren in the Holly Library” by K.A. Linde
• “Sweet Nightmare” by Tracy Wolff

Try cozy mystery next: How this genre combines crime with comfort

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1 hr 26 min

BONE-CHILLING BRYAN KOHBERGER DETAILS EMERGE/ Best of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

A new book claims Bryan Kohberger is not a random spree killer, but rather, he had one target in mind the night he allegedly killed four college students in their home off-campus in Moscow, Idaho. Author Howard Blum claims investigators believe in a non-targeted attack, the killer would have stopped at the first door inside the house, and it would have been instinctive to go into the first rooms after gaining entry, but that isn't what happened. Investigators point to the two surviving roommates, Dylan Mortenson and Bethany Funke, as proof that Kohberger is after a specific target.  Listen as Nancy Grace and her panel discuss the points Howard Blum uncovers during his own investigation of the evidence submitted to a grand jury.  Joining Nancy Grace Today:  Howard Blum - Author: "When The Night Comes Falling, A Requiem for The Idaho Student Murders;" Instagram: howard_blum_author /X: howardblum    Brian C. Stewart - Trial Attorney and Managing Partner at Parker & McConkie,  https://www.parkerandmcconkie.com    Dr. Angela Arnold – Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA. Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital Chris McDonough  – Director At the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective; Host of YouTube channel: “The Interview Room” Joseph Scott Morgan – Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, “Blood Beneath My Feet,” and Host: “Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;” Twitter/X: @JoScottForensic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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