The Corrections Winner of the National Book Award in 2001 and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002. More
A Woman of Substance With her unforgettable heroine Emma Harte, Bradford popularized the rags-to-riches family saga. More
Pilgrim A finalist for the Giller Prize and a Canadian bestseller that surpassed the author’s own impressive sales records. More
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
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
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
The Hours Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award; made into an Oscar-winning film. More
The Stone Diaries Winner of the 1993 Governor General’s Award (Canada) and the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. More
Girl with a Pearl Earring Multimillion-copy global bestseller that won critical acclaim for its beautifully wrought depiction of innocence corrupted. More
One Hundred Years of Solitude This landmark of magical realism sparked a wave of interest in Central and South American literature. More
Barbara Taylor Bradford When I say I have the need to write, I do mean need. More Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Golden Notebook A feminist landmark and the best-known work by Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing. 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
The Bell Jar A haunting classic that chronicles the breakdown of a brilliant, talented, successful young woman. More
Susan Elizabeth Phillips Why do I read? Seriously? I’m supposed to provide an intelligent answer? More Susan Elizabeth Phillips
The Shipping News Highly acclaimed international bestseller; winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. More
Bel Canto Patchett’s critically acclaimed novel that won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. More
Go Set a Watchman This newly discovered novel from beloved author Harper Lee became the bestselling book of 2015. More
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Kundera’s postmodern masterwork; named one of the best books of 1984 (New York Times Book Review). More
Room Winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional prize; made into a major motion picture. More
Tales of the City First book in Maupin’s acclaimed and groundbreaking series documenting San Francisco’s underground and gay culture. More
Our Town Pulitzer Prize–winning drama; hailed by Edward Albee as “The finest play ever written by an American.” 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