When we are asked to name a classic novel, most of them always refer to “to kill the mockingbird” or any of James Hemmingway’s masterpieces. But I am going to break something for you. All the modern books which are getting released in this decade are masterpiece-worthy books. The new yorkers in their interview mentioned how hard it is for them to choose the top 10 bestselling books of the year since there have been a lot of talented authors in modern times.
In this article, I have curated the top 10 best modern books of all time. These books are going to blow. One day your grandsons will come and ask you about the classics which are going to be mentioned in this article. The following books are compulsory for you to have in your book rack. So isn’t this exciting? After enormous research, I have dug down the following articles. This pandemic is the right time to explore these must-read books.
1. The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
This book was released in 1996 and became very popular in recent times. The Complete Maus won a Pulitzer award for this extraordinary story. The story is about a young Jewish survivor who escapes from the deadly dictator Hitler’s regime. He takes us to the bleak heart of the holocaust through fierce cartoon portrayed stories. He brings nexus through mice and cats. The former is the Jews and the latter is the Nazis.
The paperback of this book is 19 dollars on amazon. It has 295 pages which were published by Pantheon in 1996. You will get an idea of the concept of stoicism and a face on compassion.
2. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a top-class author who stirs our emotions through his writing. She rose to fame for her first two books- We Should All Be Feminists and Half of a Yellow Sun. it made an impact on the US and UK audience.
The 588 pages book is about a young couple who falls deeply in love. Ifemelu decides to move to America. She is a fierce, talented, and very beautiful woman who faces a huge backlash in America only for one reason- She is black. After fifteen years later, destiny makes them reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion for love.
3. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
It is not very often we find authors from third-world countries making their way through the best authors of modern times. Kazuo Ishiguro is a haunting work of speculative fiction where she makes her readers question their sanity and morality.
She makes us realize the worth of what it is to have a human body. Kazuo has won a Booker Prize as well as the Nobel Prize in literature for her extraordinary writing. The movie is about three students Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy who were studying at Hailsham, a boarding school in the English countryside. Years after they meet to share the past for which they realize some new gift they have. What would it be?
4. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis is yet another graphic novel that has made it to my top 10 modern books on the all-time list. This book was listed in the San Francisco Chronicle as well as the Los Angeles Times Bestseller.
The story is about the perspective of how it would be to grow up during the Iran Islamic revolution. It is more like a fictional biography. Tehran is an only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears. She witnesses the Islamic revolution and the narrator will take us through her world of tragedy.
5. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
‘Midnight’s Children’ by Salman Rushdie is a story from the lens of a young boy from India, who was born when India got independence from the British. It is fascinating to know how the little boy telepathically shares the same birthday and time with over 1000 children at that time.
This book is considered to be the iconic masterpiece from India. It is also going to be adapted as a new Netflix adaptation of a TV series. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation.
6. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Winner of the Premio Strega and the Prix Médicis Étranger awards, Umberto Eco released this fascinating novel back in 2014. She became famous for this book; it is her first debut novel where she takes us to the Franciscan Abbey during 1327 which made her bag Italy’s most prestigious award. You will see the talent of the author when she can take us to a new era.
The book is 592 pages long with great character development plots. It is sort of a detective story. A wealthy Italian abbey is suspected of heresy and Brother William of Baskerville has arrived at the spot to investigate the situation. The findings of ruthless deaths were found by the teachings of Aristotle. This is the best medieval book of all time.
7. White Teeth by Zadie Smith
This fascinating novel made the whole world’s spotlight turn to Zadie Smith. Right after the hit of this book, he was constantly compared by the critics from Charles Dickens to Salman Rushdie to John Irving and Martin Amis.
The story is about Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal, veterans of World War II who are finding it very hard to live through England’s transformation. The theme of the book is set against London’s racial and cultural tapestry where through comedy, Zadie takes us to a comedy of daily existence.
8. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Do you know what makes this book stand out? One is the magnificent winning of the awards and the other is the beautiful storytelling style of Jesmyn. The story revolves around a small family who goes through a journey in rural Mississippi.
She throbs with her emotions through life, grief, and love. Jojo is a young boy who is still trying to figure out what it is to be a man. He does not have a proper father figure since his father and grandfather went to prison and were absent for his entire childhood. Years later he gets to meet his father. Rich with Ward’s distinctive, lyrical language, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a majestic and unforgettable family story.
9. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
If you have not read Elena’s Neapolitan series of novels, you are missing out on something great in your life. The story is about a lifelong friendship between two women from Naples who go through a lot of hardships. It is a great book on the portrayal of friendship, love, and disaster.
This 331-page book was published by Europa Editions in 2012. Now, what is it very common when there are breathtakingly written novels? Well, yes this book is adapted into an HBO TV series. John Waters, the famous director after reading this series says that she is the best angry writer of all time.
10. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
‘Norwegian Wood’ by Haruki Murakami is considered to be a fan favorite. The fascinating fact about this novel is, before it reached the worldwide audience, Norwegian Wood was already a bestselling book in Japan where it sold a whopping four million copies. Later it was translated and it reached the world audience.
Toru, a serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is drawn to the ground when the tragic death of their best friend occurred. This made Toru get into a fiercely independent sexually liberating young woman. The book is just 298 pages and it is highly recommended.
