The Hours Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award; made into an Oscar-winning film. More
Emma Donoghue Like many teenagers, I spent more of my summer holidays than I probably should have immersed in the world of The Lord of the Rings. More Emma Donoghue
Barometer Rising The first novel by MacLennan, one of Canada’s most significant novelists of the mid-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
The Bell Jar A haunting classic that chronicles the breakdown of a brilliant, talented, successful young woman. More
The God of Small Things Winner of the 1997 Man Booker Prize, making Roy the first Indian woman to receive the award. More
The Year of Magical Thinking Winner of the 2005 National Book Award for Nonfiction and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. More
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Kundera’s postmodern masterwork; named one of the best books of 1984 (New York Times Book Review). More
Mary Karr I read to save my life, to take communion, to enter a community of fellow sufferers and rejoicers. More Mary Karr
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 Bridge of San Luis Rey The Pulitzer Prize–winning novel of fate, tragedy, and the meaning of the human condition. More
The Wapshot Chronicle Winner of the 1958 National Book Award, it established Cheever as a major American novelist. More
Michael Chabon The first writer that I really fell in love with was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in particular his Sherlock Holmes stories, and the first story that I ever wrote was a Sherlock Holmes story. More Michael Chabon
Room Winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional prize; made into a major motion picture. More
One Hundred Years of Solitude This landmark of magical realism sparked a wave of interest in Central and South American literature. More
The Devil Wears Prada Sensational behind-the-scenes debut novel about the fashion world and the boss from hell. More
Girl with a Pearl Earring Multimillion-copy global bestseller that won critical acclaim for its beautifully wrought depiction of innocence corrupted. More
A Woman of Substance With her unforgettable heroine Emma Harte, Bradford popularized the rags-to-riches family saga. More
The Corrections Winner of the National Book Award in 2001 and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002. More
Pilgrim A finalist for the Giller Prize and a Canadian bestseller that surpassed the author’s own impressive sales records. More
Hilary Mantel I read out of hope and avid curiosity, and in an attempt to live in other times, and inhabit bodies that are not my own. More Hilary Mantel