'Station Eleven' is also up there. It's not your typical post - apocalyptic story. Instead of focusing on just the horror of the situation, it looks at how people still find meaning in their lives. It has a unique structure that keeps you engaged, and the characters are very relatable, making it a great read in the 2014 US fiction landscape.
Among the top 100 is 'The Earthsea Cycle' by Ursula K. Le Guin. It focuses on a world of islands and the magic that exists within it. 'The Prydain Chronicles' by Lloyd Alexander is another. It has a young hero on a journey to save his land. 'The Belgariad' by David Eddings is also in the top 100. It's an epic fantasy with a group of heroes on a quest to save the world.
A great choice is 'Pride and Prejudice'. Jane Austen's work is a timeless classic. It's a story of love, misunderstandings, and social class in 19th - century England. The Audible version allows you to enjoy the elegant language while you're on the go.
One top historical fiction book is 'The Kite Runner'. It shows the history of Afghanistan from a personal perspective, covering events from the pre - Taliban era to the chaos that followed. Another is 'The Red Tent', which is set in biblical times and tells the story of Dinah in a very engaging way. 'Cold Mountain' is also a great historical fiction work. It's about a Confederate soldier's journey back home during the American Civil War.
Some of the top 10 speculative fiction books are 'The Stand' by Stephen King. It's a post - apocalyptic epic with a large cast of characters. 'Fahrenheit 451' by Ray Bradbury is another classic. It's about a future society where books are burned. 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline is also a great one. It's set in a future where people escape into a virtual world full of 80s pop - culture references and a big treasure hunt.
The book 'The Sympathizer' was highly rated in 2016 fiction. It's a Pulitzer - winning novel that tells the story of a communist double agent during the Vietnam War. It's known for its complex narrative and deep exploration of identity, loyalty, and the after - effects of war.
There are quite a few. 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair is a significant one. It exposed the political and social ills in the meat - packing industry. 'Native Son' by Richard Wright also has political elements as it deals with race relations in the United States. And 'The Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck, which shows the political and economic hardships faced by migrant workers during the Great Depression.
In 2018, 'An American Marriage' by Tayari Jones was highly regarded. It was a powerful story about a young African - American couple dealing with the husband's wrongful imprisonment. The book really showed the impact on their relationship and on their individual lives.
I think 'The Sense of an Ending' by Julian Barnes was a top pick in 2011 fiction. It's a short but profound novel that delves into the nature of memory and how our past actions can come back to haunt us. The main character is forced to re - evaluate his memories and the events of his youth, and Barnes writes in a very thought - provoking way.
One of the top books in 2014 fiction was 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr. It's a beautifully written novel that tells the story of a blind French girl and a German boy during World War II. The story weaves their two lives together in a very engaging way.
Definitely 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson. It's about the last man on earth who has to deal with vampires (sort of a post - apocalyptic scenario). It's a really tense and gripping read and has been adapted into several movies over the years.