11 books to recommend for instant credibility

If you want to earn instant literary credibility, this book is a must. An expansive,  epic novel, Hanya Yanagihara's To Paradise explores three distinct narratives, each set in a different century and an alternate version of America, exploring the elusive concept of utopia. From a reimagined 1893 where social convention differs from our own, to a 1993 Manhattan shaped by the AIDS epidemic, and a dystopian 2093 ravaged by plague, Yanagihara masterfully connects her characters through a shared reckoning with fear, desire, and loss. A decade ago, Hanya Yanagihara's brilliant novel, A Little Life, redefined what a story could be, leaving a lasting impact on readers. For fans who were moved by its power, the 10th-anniversary collector's edition is a must-have. 

Percival Everett, an author celebrated for his fearless intellect and formal innovation, is at his most beguiling in So Much Blue. This novel invites readers into the tightly wound world of Kevin Pace, a man creating a mysterious, monumental painting that nobody, not even his wife, is allowed to see. The canvas, a vast expanse of blue, becomes a physical manifestation of the secrets he guards from his past: a clandestine affair in Paris and a harrowing journey to El Salvador on the cusp of war. With his characteristic precision and wit, Everett orchestrates a powerful collision of memory and self-deception, masterfully exploring how the unexamined past continues to shape the present, and recommending this book is a quick path to establishing your literary authority.

Recommending any Booker-Prize winning book is a surefire way to prove your reliability. Douglas Stuart's debut, Shuggie Bain, won the Booker Prize in 2020, cementing Stuart as one of the most exciting literary authors that has emerged in the past five years. The novel offers a raw and unforgettable look at poverty and unconditional love. Set in Glasgow in the early 1980s, the novel centers on Agnes Bain, a woman abandoned by her husband and descending into alcoholism, and her youngest son, Shuggie. While his siblings flee to save themselves, Shuggie remains, desperately trying to help his mother. Stuart's blistering prose exposes the limits of love, the hollowness of pride, and the sheer ruthlessness of poverty, crafting a story that is both heartbreaking and profoundly moving. If you really want to show you're ahead of the zeitgeist, you could also recommend they pre-order his upcoming third novel, John of John.

Colm Tóibín’s debut novel, The South, is a profound exploration of identity, art, and love that marked the arrival of a major voice in Irish literature. While he's perhaps most widely known for his successful novels Brooklyn and Long Island, The South is a challenging and rewarding read that's a powerful recommendation for anyone seeking a deep and moving literary experience. The story begins with a bold act of self-determination, as Katherine Proctor abandons her life in Ireland for a new beginning as an artist in Spain. There, in the quiet solitude of the mountains, she builds a new existence with Miguel, a man who has fought for his own freedom. However, the past inevitably intrudes, forcing Katherine to confront her relationships and her sense of self, revealing that the ties to her homeland are more complex than she believed.

In the biting cold of 1829 northern Iceland, Hannah Kent’s debut novel, Burial Rites, delves into the final months of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a woman condemned to death for murder. Sent to a remote farm to await her execution, she is met with fear and hostility by the family forced to take her in. Only the young assistant priest, Tóti, is compelled to understand her. As the unforgiving winter descends and the execution date nears, Agnes's story begins to emerge, challenging the family's assumptions and revealing that the truth is far more complex than they could have imagined. Inspired by actual events, making this an intriguing recommendation, Burial Rites is a gripping work of historical fiction that examines perception, reality, and the powerful story of a woman refusing to be silenced. Don’t miss Hannah Kent’s latest non-fiction work, Always Home, Always Homesick.

With its wonderfully candid complexity, Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John is a coming-of-age classic that belongs on any respectful recommendations list. The novel chronicles the unraveling of a once-peaceful childhood, centered around the powerful, inseparable bond between Annie and her mother. But when Annie turns twelve, her world begins to shift. She starts to question the norms of her Antiguan island and challenges authority, all while her once-adoring mother takes on the unfamiliar role of adversary. Kincaid's distinctive voice lends the story a poignant, tragicomic tone as it explores the mystery and pain of growing up and the most frightening of all transformations: the end of childhood itself. Don’t miss the new landmark collection of essays, Putting Myself Together, from Jamaica Kincaid.

From the incomparable imagination of International Booker Prize shortlisted author, Samanta Schweblin, comes a collection of short stories which is a masterclass in unnerving, tightly wound storytelling. A perfect recommendation for anyone who loves reading translated fiction, Good and Evil and Other Stories is a gripping blend of the astonishing, the raw, and the tragic. Each tale is a perfectly constructed snare, drawing the reader in with a simple premise before snapping shut. Whether exploring a mother's return from a lake after seeing something awful yet alluring, or a father haunted by a single moment of distraction, Schweblin's uncanny prose confronts the sinister undercurrents of everyday life.

Hal Ebbott’s debut novel, Among Friends, is a razor-sharp look at the dark side of American wealth and a powerful contender for a list of books that offer instant literary authority. One of Picador’s most exciting hardbacks of 2025, the story follows Amos and Emerson, two friends who have spent thirty years building a life that others envy. Their families are intertwined by decades of close bonds and New York City wealth. However, at a birthday celebration at a country home, long-held rivalries and resentments come to the surface, culminating in a single act of shocking violence that shatters their seemingly perfect world. This compelling novel explores the brittle foundations of friendship and the desperate lengths people will go to in order to keep their secrets hidden and survive when their world collapses.

A gem of a recommendation that the less well-read may not have discovered yet, Helen Oyeyemi’s Mr Fox is a beautiful and immersive exploration of storytelling, imagination, and the labyrinthine nature of love. The novel introduces St John Fox, a celebrated novelist in 1938 who is confronted by a character he created but who, until now, hasn't existed: Mary Foxe. Mary, who challenges her creator to stop killing off his heroines and instead write about love, forces St John to re-examine his craft and his own life. This fascinating novel blurs the lines between reality and fiction, questioning whether a writer can control their own characters and if a happy ending is possible, even for those who write the stories.

Sunjeev Sahota's The Year of the Runaways is a powerful, unforgettable novel that makes an excellent recommendation your friends and family will thank you for, earning praise as the 'Grapes of Wrath for the twenty-first century' (Washington Post). The story centres on a makeshift family of thirteen young men who have fled India to build new lives in Sheffield, England. The narrative sweeps between their pasts in India and their present struggles as illegal immigrants, weaving together the individual stories of Tarlochan, Avtar, and Randeep. Sahota's prose beautifully captures their bold dreams and daily struggles, exploring themes of dignity, circumstance, and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of a better life.

Mary Karr’s 1995 memoir, The Liars' Club, single-handedly revitalized the genre and cemented her status as a master storyteller. Praised by Zadie Smith as a book you'll 'want to forget. . . and won’t be able to,' this modern classic takes readers into Karr's chaotic childhood in a swampy East Texas refinery town. She recounts her life with unflinching honesty and a dark humour, painting a picture of a volatile and defiantly loving family anchored by her mother, a seven times married painter and an outlaw spirit, and her hard-drinking, tale-spinning father. Karr's finely spun prose renders a harsh world with a warmth that makes this heart-stopping and heartfelt book an enduring testament to the power of memory and the resilience of a family's bond.