Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors A multimillion-copy benchmark of adventure/survival nonfiction. More
Anthony Doerr We are all mapmakers: We embed our memories everywhere, inscribing a private and intensely complicated latticework across the landscape. More Anthony Doerr
Social Change: The Harper Brothers and The American Civil War Literacy became both a predictor of and influence on the American Civil War, being one of the disparities between North and South. More
The Kon-Tiki Expedition This classic, inspiring tale of daring and courage has been translated into sixty-five languages. More
The Woman in White One of the earliest works of detective fiction, this story caused a sensation with readers at the time. More
John Eldredge I write for the same reasons I read—for pleasure, for wonder, but mostly to sort things out. More John Eldredge
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Pulitzer Prize winner; considered one of the classic works of creative nonfiction of the late twentieth century. More
A Prayer for Owen Meany Irving’s beloved coming-of-age tale that ranks among the most cherished of American classics. More
Bleak House Dickens’s tenth novel, often considered his finest; significantly influenced the development of mystery novels. More
Seven Years in Tibet A landmark in travel writing, it has been translated into fifty-three languages. More
Love and War in the Apennines The early life story of a man who would become one of Britain’s best-loved literary adventurers. More
Doctor Zhivago Collins was the first to publish this epic romantic drama by the Nobel Prize winner in English. More
A Christmas Carol Dickens’s beloved classic of the meaning of Christmas that has inspired countless adaptations. More
Bernard Cornwell The most magical phrase I knew as a child was “Once upon a time” because those four words meant a story was coming. More Bernard Cornwell
The Hunt for Red October Clancy’s debut novel launched a spectacular career and introduced the world to a new hero, Jack Ryan. More
The Bridge of San Luis Rey The Pulitzer Prize–winning novel of fate, tragedy, and the meaning of the human condition. More
Jane Eyre Brontë’s masterpiece of Gothic romance; a milestone title in the history of British feminist literature. More
Master and Commander First book in O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series, widely regarded as the greatest series of historical novels ever written. More
Herman Melville and Moby-Dick Harper & Brothers turned down Herman Melville’s first book, Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life, and it was released to strong sales by another publisher. More
The 42nd Parallel The first volume of the “brilliantly original” (Alfred Kazan) U.S.A. trilogy, a landmark of modernism. More
Our Town Pulitzer Prize–winning drama; hailed by Edward Albee as “The finest play ever written by an American.” More