A rundown of our favourite books on the New York Times best books of the 21st century list.
To mark 25 years of the 21st century, The New York Times Book Review recently published a list of the best book of the century, as voted by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers. Notable names included: Stephen King, Roxane Gay, Min Jin Lee and Marlon James.
We’ve LOVED seeing everyone’s favourite book lists pop up and our teetering TBR piles have grown ever higher.
We didn’t want you to miss out on some of our favourites so here are some books we suspect might already be in your top ten, and a few others that we think you’ll love in the New York Times best books of the 21st century list.
This short but perfectly formed book follows Bill Furlong, a coal delivery driver in 1980s Ireland, who uncovers a dark secret while delivering to a convent. His moral dilemma highlights themes of conscience and courage, as he grapples with the choice between personal safety and standing up for what is right.
A woman arrives in Athens in the height of the summer to teach a writing course. Through conversations with people she meets, she reflects on her own life, relationships, and the complexities of human experience. This is classic Cusk: cerebral and delicious.
Reese nearly had it all. Then everything fell apart and three years on Reese is still in self-destruct mode. When her ex, Amy calls to ask if she wants to be a mother, Reese finds herself intrigued. Amy has de-transitioned to become Ames and has discovered he’s going to become a father. Could the three of them form an unconventional family?
Set in a world where clones are created for organ donation, this dystopian novel follows Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth as they grow up in an English boarding school, gradually uncovering the true purpose of their existence and confronting their own humanity. This classic still feels frightening modern.
Alison and Veronica meet amid the nocturnal glamour of 1980s New York: one is a former modelling sensation, the other an eccentric middle-aged proofreader with a meticulous eye. Over the next twenty years their friendship will encompass narcissism and tenderness, exploitation and self-sacrifice, love and mortality.
This satirical novel that critiques the publishing industry's expectations of African American literature follows Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a frustrated writer who pens a parody of exploitative black narratives, only to see it achieve unexpected success, forcing him to confront issues of identity and authenticity. An absolute must-read.
Only Barbara Kingsolver would write a contemporary reimagining of David Copperfield set in Appalachia. Her book follows a young boy named Demon as he navigates a harsh life marked by poverty, addiction, and loss, seeking hope and redemption amidst the challenges of his environment.
This dark, psychological novel about Yeong-hye, a South Korean woman who decides to stop eating meat, leading to severe personal and familial consequences. Her transformation challenges societal norms and exposes deep-seated violence and repression, unravelling her relationships and sanity.
This novella is about Robert Grainier, a labourer in the early 20th-century American West. Through his experiences of love, loss, and hardship, the story reflects the transformation of the American landscape and the human condition, blending historical reality with mythic elements.
Oscar is a Dominican-American nerd cursed by a family curse. The novel intertwines his quest for love and belonging with his family's history of tragedy and oppression under the Dominican Republic's dictatorship, blending magical realism with cultural and historical depth. Oscar is one of the most delightful characters you’ll ever meet.
Blending fiction with autobiography, Lerner explores a writer's life in New York City as he grapples with a potential health crisis, the responsibilities of fatherhood, and the looming threat of climate change.
This is the story of two childhood friends, Elena and Lila, growing up in a poor neighbourhood in Naples. The novel explores their intense, complex relationship as they navigate education, ambition, and social change, capturing the struggles and bonds that shape their lives from childhood to adolescence. We think it might be time for a re-read of this one!
This story follows Olga, a woman who spirals into emotional turmoil after her husband abruptly leaves her. Struggling with rage, grief, and a sense of identity loss, Olga confronts her darkest thoughts and fears, leading to a raw exploration of abandonment and self-recovery.
The final instalment of the Neapolitan Novels, this follows Elena and Lila into adulthood, as their lives remain intertwined through personal and political upheavals.
This book reimagines the lives of young Black women in early 20th-century urban America through a blend of historical research and narrative storytelling. It explores their struggles for freedom and intimacy, highlighting their resistance against societal constraints and their pursuit of radical, unconventional lives.
In this investigative memoir the author goes undercover as a low-wage worker in various jobs across the U.S, exposing the harsh realities of life on minimum wage and the challenges and systemic issues faced by those living in economic instability.
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