The Greatest "Fiction, Family" Books Since 1970

Click to learn how this list is calculated.

This list represents a comprehensive and trusted collection of the greatest books. Developed through a specialized algorithm, it brings together 305 'best of' book lists to form a definitive guide to the world's most acclaimed books. For those interested in how these books are chosen, additional details can be found on the rankings page.

Filter by: Genres Dates Countries
Follow on:

Genres

Fiction

Family

The "Family" category of books encompasses stories that revolve around the dynamics, relationships, and experiences of families. These books explore the complexities of familial bonds, including love, loyalty, conflict, and forgiveness. They may focus on different types of families, such as nuclear families, blended families, or extended families, and may cover a range of themes, from coming-of-age tales to domestic dramas. Overall, the "Family" category offers a rich and diverse collection of books that delve into the joys and challenges of family life.

Add additional genre filters

Countries

Date Range

Filter

Reading Statistics

Click the button below to see how many of these books you've read!

Download

If you're interested in downloading this list as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet application, you can easily do so by clicking the button below. Please note that to ensure a manageable file size and faster download, the CSV will include details for only the first 500 books.

Download
  1. 351. Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

    "Anything is Possible" is a collection of interconnected stories exploring the lives and struggles of various residents in a small town in Illinois. The stories delve into the characters' pasts, revealing their secrets, regrets, and the complexities of their relationships. The book explores themes of poverty, trauma, and the human capacity for change, demonstrating that despite hardships and heartbreak, anything is possible.

    The 10801st Greatest Book of All Time
  2. 352. Hunts In Dreams by Tom Drury

    In "Hunts In Dreams," the narrative follows the life of a Midwestern family over the course of a single weekend. The story delves into the complexities and quiet struggles of familial relationships, as each member of the family confronts their individual desires, fears, and disappointments. Set against the backdrop of rural America, the novel paints a poignant portrait of the family's dynamic, exploring themes of love, purpose, and the search for meaning amidst the ordinariness of everyday life. With a blend of humor and melancholy, the book captures the essence of human connection and the bittersweet nature of existence.

    The 10828th Greatest Book of All Time
  3. 353. The Position by Meg Wolitzer

    "The Position" is a novel that explores the impact of a bestselling sex manual, written by a couple, on their four children. The book, published in the 1970s, includes explicit illustrations of the couple and becomes a cultural phenomenon. The narrative, spanning over three decades, delves into the lives of the children, their struggles with their parents' public sexual revelations, and how it affects their own relationships and identities as they grow into adulthood.

    The 10874th Greatest Book of All Time
  4. 354. The Queen of the Tambourine by Jane Gardam

    The novel follows the life of Eliza Peabody, a bored, middle-aged housewife living in a wealthy London suburb. As her life starts to unravel, she begins writing a series of unsolicited letters to her neighbor, Joan, offering unsolicited advice. When Joan disappears, Eliza continues her one-sided correspondence, revealing more about her own life and its gradual descent into madness. The novel is a darkly comic exploration of loneliness, mental illness, and the human need for connection.

    The 10889th Greatest Book of All Time
  5. 355. Model Home by Eric Puchner

    The novel explores the unraveling of an American family's pursuit of the dream in the 1980s as they move to a desert suburb in California where their hopes and aspirations begin to crumble. The narrative delves into the complexities of familial relationships and individual struggles, as the family members confront their own personal disappointments, financial distress, and emotional breakdowns. Their journey is marked by a tragic accident that further exacerbates their turmoil, leading each character to cope in different ways, revealing the fragile nature of their bonds and the illusions of their once-idealized life.

    The 10927th Greatest Book of All Time
  6. 356. The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard

    "The Fates Will Find Their Way" is a haunting narrative that revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a sixteen-year-old girl and the impact it has on a close-knit community. Told through the collective voice of the boys who knew her, the story unfolds in a series of speculative scenarios about her fate, interwoven with the boys' own transitions from adolescence to adulthood. As they grapple with the uncertainties of their own futures, the girl's absence becomes a canvas onto which they project their fears, desires, and the inexorable passage of time, painting a poignant picture of the ways in which a single event can reverberate through many lives.

    The 10939th Greatest Book of All Time
  7. 357. The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg

    This novel explores the complexities of family dynamics, focusing on the Middlestein family, who are grappling with various personal and collective crises, primarily revolving around Edie, the matriarch's, struggle with obesity and its impact on her health and relationships. As Edie's condition worsens, her family's reactions reveal their individual struggles, insecurities, and the ways in which they cope with stress and change. Through a narrative that is both compassionate and unflinching, the book delves into themes of love, loyalty, and the challenges of caring for someone who seems beyond help, all while painting a vivid portrait of contemporary American life and the ways in which personal and familial histories intertwine.

    The 10951st Greatest Book of All Time
  8. 358. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

    In this poignant sequel, readers revisit the complex and compelling world of a prickly yet deeply human protagonist, now grappling with the changes of older age. Through a series of interlinked stories set in a small town in Maine, the narrative delves into themes of love, loss, and the intricacies of human relationships. As the protagonist confronts her own mortality and the evolving lives of those around her, the novel paints a rich and nuanced portrait of a community where personal histories are as rocky and enduring as the coastal landscape, offering a profound exploration of the resilience required to embrace life's second chapters.

    The 11060th Greatest Book of All Time

Reading Statistics

Click the button below to see how many of these books you've read!

Download

If you're interested in downloading this list as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet application, you can easily do so by clicking the button below. Please note that to ensure a manageable file size and faster download, the CSV will include details for only the first 500 books.

Download