To Kill a Mockingbird Much-loved Pulitzer Prize–winning classic, voted by librarians across America as the best novel of the twentieth century. More
The Shipping News Highly acclaimed international bestseller; winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. More
The Golden Notebook A feminist landmark and the best-known work by Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing. More
The Bridge of San Luis Rey The Pulitzer Prize–winning novel of fate, tragedy, and the meaning of the human condition. More
Bel Canto Patchett’s critically acclaimed novel that won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. More
A Woman of Substance With her unforgettable heroine Emma Harte, Bradford popularized the rags-to-riches family saga. More
Room Winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional prize; made into a major motion picture. More
Susan Elizabeth Phillips Why do I read? Seriously? I’m supposed to provide an intelligent answer? More Susan Elizabeth Phillips
One Hundred Years of Solitude This landmark of magical realism sparked a wave of interest in Central and South American literature. More
The Stone Diaries Winner of the 1993 Governor General’s Award (Canada) and the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. More
The Bell Jar A haunting classic that chronicles the breakdown of a brilliant, talented, successful young woman. More
Tess of the d’Urbervilles Major nineteenth-century English novel that challenged the sexual morals of late Victorian England. More
Their Eyes Were Watching God One of the most widely read and acclaimed novels in the canon of African-American literature. More
Our Town Pulitzer Prize–winning drama; hailed by Edward Albee as “The finest play ever written by an American.” More
Barbara Taylor Bradford When I say I have the need to write, I do mean need. More Barbara Taylor Bradford
Jane Eyre Brontë’s masterpiece of Gothic romance; a milestone title in the history of British feminist literature. More
Just Kids Legendary artist Patti Smith’s critically acclaimed memoir; winner of the National Book Award. More
Go Set a Watchman This newly discovered novel from beloved author Harper Lee became the bestselling book of 2015. More
The God of Small Things Winner of the 1997 Man Booker Prize, making Roy the first Indian woman to receive the award. More
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Pulitzer Prize winner; considered one of the classic works of creative nonfiction of the late twentieth century. More
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn An American classic called “one of the books of the century” by the New York Public Library. More
Heather O’Neill A book that influenced me and why: A Season in the Life of Emmanuel by Marie-Claire Blais More Heather O’Neill