Girl with a Pearl Earring Multimillion-copy global bestseller that won critical acclaim for its beautifully wrought depiction of innocence corrupted. More
Room Winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional prize; made into a major motion picture. 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
Go Set a Watchman This newly discovered novel from beloved author Harper Lee became the bestselling book of 2015. More
Pilgrim A finalist for the Giller Prize and a Canadian bestseller that surpassed the author’s own impressive sales records. More
Our Town Pulitzer Prize–winning drama; hailed by Edward Albee as “The finest play ever written by an American.” More
To Kill a Mockingbird Much-loved Pulitzer Prize–winning classic, voted by librarians across America as the best novel of the twentieth century. More
Lauren Weisberger A book that influenced me and why . . . Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume was incredibly influential to me as a child. More Lauren Weisberger
Susan Elizabeth Phillips Why do I read? Seriously? I’m supposed to provide an intelligent answer? More Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Caroline Overington I read to observe the world as it is seen by others; to walk the planet as strangers do; to breathe a story that is not my own. More Caroline Overington
Barbara Taylor Bradford When I say I have the need to write, I do mean need. More Barbara Taylor Bradford
Shilpi Somaya Gowda At every stage of life, since being a kid with a flashlight under the covers, reading has always been my favorite activity. More Shilpi Somaya Gowda
The Golden Notebook A feminist landmark and the best-known work by Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing. More
Tales of the City First book in Maupin’s acclaimed and groundbreaking series documenting San Francisco’s underground and gay culture. More
The Shipping News Highly acclaimed international bestseller; winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. More
Just Kids Legendary artist Patti Smith’s critically acclaimed memoir; winner of the National Book Award. More
The Hours Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award; made into an Oscar-winning film. More
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Kundera’s postmodern masterwork; named one of the best books of 1984 (New York Times Book Review). More
The Bell Jar A haunting classic that chronicles the breakdown of a brilliant, talented, successful young woman. More
The Corrections Winner of the National Book Award in 2001 and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002. More
Bel Canto Patchett’s critically acclaimed novel that won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. More
The Wapshot Chronicle Winner of the 1958 National Book Award, it established Cheever as a major American novelist. More
One Hundred Years of Solitude This landmark of magical realism sparked a wave of interest in Central and South American literature. More