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You Must Read This "You Must Read This" presents conversations with writers about the books they love to read and recommend.
Special Series

You Must Read This

Writers recommend their all-time favorite books

Monday

A Life-Changing Book With A Fierce, Feisty Heroine

Critics originally described it as a "housewife's choice" when it won the Booker Prize in 1987, but the feisty female protagonist in Penelope Lively's Moon Tiger is a "little wife" to no one. Author Moni Mohsin explains why the unexpected verve of this novel is worth its weight in pages.

A Life-Changing Book With A Fierce, Feisty Heroine

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Thursday

In A Girls-Only World, A Land Of Brainy Beauty

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Opinion

In A Girls-Only World, A Land Of Brainy Beauty

Set amid an imaginary world of harmony, beauty and intellectual thought, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's story Sultana's Dream only had one catch — no men. Author Tahmima Anam explains why it remains one of her favorite feminist pieces.

In A Girls-Only World, A Land Of Brainy Beauty

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Thursday

Our Basest Desires: The Cruel Chaos Of Revolution

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Review

Our Basest Desires: The Cruel Chaos Of Revolution

Robert Stone's characters fall all over the moral spectrum, but between a revolutionary nun, a treacherous spy and an alienated anthropologist, they certainly make for good reading. Author Roland Merullo recommends Stone's A Flag for Sunrise, a rich depiction of Central America in the turbulent '70s.

Our Basest Desires: The Cruel Chaos Of Revolution

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Tuesday

In Wordless Imagery, An Immigrant's Timeless Tale

In Wordless Imagery, An Immigrant's Timeless Tale

In his beautifully illustrated book, The Arrival, Shaun Tan depicts the struggle of immigration — without a language barrier. Author Ruta Sepetys explains how a wordless story can say so much.

In Wordless Imagery, An Immigrant's Timeless Tale

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Sunday

This Miniature Masterpiece Is Quietly Transcendent

The rolling green hills and charming villages of the English countryside have inspired many a contemplative novel. Author Jesse Browner describes why none are quite so lovely as J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country.

This Miniature Masterpiece Is Quietly Transcendent

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Monday

Opinion

In A High, Snowy World, A Quest For Self-Discovery

Author Marc Kaufman recommends this tale of an explorer on the hunt for a rare animal — and something more. The Snow Leopard shows that while we can't always find what we're looking for, we still get what we need.

In A High, Snowy World, A Quest For Self-Discovery

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Thursday

Bold, Beautiful Violence In A Strange, Savage Town

Review

Bold, Beautiful Violence In A Strange, Savage Town

For a writer, each novel is a labor of love. But what about the reader's toil? Author Jesmyn Ward explains why the beautiful and brutal Death in Spring, by Catalan author Merce Rodoreda, is worth its weight in trials and tribulations.

Bold, Beautiful Violence In A Strange, Savage Town

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Monday

Opinion

Tiny Gems: Irish Stories That Sparkle And Charm

The sound of the sea, the smell of rain — what makes Ireland such a magical place? Maybe its writers like Claire Keegan who tease the nuance and grace out of everyday interactions. Author Keith Donohue says each of Keegan's stories is a morsel worth savoring.

Tiny Gems: Irish Stories That Sparkle And Charm

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Tuesday

One Ordinary Day In One Extraordinary Life

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One Ordinary Day In One Extraordinary Life

It's easy to become resentful when life is too mundane or throws an unsavory curveball. Author Monica Ali knows that sometimes we need to get a fresh perspective. For this she insists you read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

One Ordinary Day In One Extraordinary Life

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Monday

Appreciating The Awkward Absurdity Of Adolescence

Opinion

Appreciating The Awkward Absurdity Of Adolescence

What makes a memorable character? It is the one who changes the most throughout the book? The one who makes a personal discovery? Or is it simply the most eccentric who we love? Actor Simon Pegg says that for his favorite literary protagonist, all three apply.

Appreciating The Awkward Absurdity Of Adolescence

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Monday

Review

Immerse Yourself In An Innocent, Ill-Fated Love

In his novel Dream Boy, Jim Grimsley explores the beauty and violence of growing up gay in the rural South. Author Justin Torres offers this devastatingly beautiful novel to anyone who has ever been the target of a bully.

Immerse Yourself In An Innocent, Ill-Fated Love

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Tuesday

Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit

Review

Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit

Love is a many splendored thing ... or is it? Author Eleanor Henderson, once admittedly infatuated with the writings of her teacher, Robert Cohen, insists that you must read The Varieties of Romantic Experience -- his collection of tumultuous tales of love and the struggles that lie therein.

Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit

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Thursday

Love, Betrayal, Humiliation: A Coming-Of-Age Affair

Review

Love, Betrayal, Humiliation: A Coming-Of-Age Affair

Have you ever had an experience so profound, you felt like a different person once it was over? Author Ann Brashares recommends a story of heartbreak that remakes the personality of a young teen: The Go-Between, by L.P. Hartley.

Love, Betrayal, Humiliation: A Coming-Of-Age Affair

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Monday

A Creepy Collection Of Supernatural Delights

Opinion

A Creepy Collection Of Supernatural Delights

Scary landscapes and spirit creatures appear in many ghost stories. But author Alan Heathcock knows that for the best of them, only the writings of Algernon Blackwood will do. These spooky tales will have you shivering with fright and delight.

A Creepy Collection Of Supernatural Delights

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An Artist's Life: Tough, Toilsome And Tiring Times

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Review

An Artist's Life: Tough, Toilsome And Tiring Times

Sometimes you just can't face the world. What to do? Curl up with Joyce Cary's The Horse's Mouth, says author Kate Christensen. This fun, frequently unsavory romp is the perfect escape.

An Artist's Life: Tough, Toilsome And Tiring Times

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