The Greatest Canadian, Indian "Fiction" Books Since 1970

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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.

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  1. 26. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

    This historical fiction novel centers around the true story of Grace Marks, a 19th-century Irish-Canadian maid who was convicted of the brutal murders of her employer and his housekeeper. The narrative is told from the perspective of Grace herself, as well as a young psychiatrist who is trying to determine whether Grace is truly guilty. The book explores themes of memory, culpability, and the treatment of women in society.

    The 1937th Greatest Book of All Time
  2. 27. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood

    The novel follows the journey of a young woman who returns to her childhood home in the Canadian wilderness to search for her missing father, accompanied by her lover and another couple. As she explores her past and grapples with her identity, she undergoes a mental and spiritual breakdown, eventually rejecting her previous life and embracing a primal existence in the wilderness. The narrative explores themes of gender, identity, and the clash between modern society and the natural world.

    The 1981st Greatest Book of All Time
  3. 28. The Progress of Love by Alice Munro

    "The Progress of Love" is a collection of short stories that explore the complexities of human relationships, particularly focusing on love. Set in various locations, from small-town Ontario to post-war Italy, the narratives delve into the lives of different characters as they navigate the intricacies of love, loss, and the human condition. The stories intricately weave together themes of memory, time, and the constant evolution of love, showcasing the author's ability to portray the subtleties of everyday life with profound insight and empathy.

    The 2166th Greatest Book of All Time
  4. 29. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

    "Station Eleven" is a post-apocalyptic novel that revolves around the lives of several characters before and after a devastating flu pandemic wipes out most of the world's population. The narrative jumps back and forth in time, exploring the interconnectedness of the characters' lives through their shared memories and experiences. The story also follows a traveling Shakespearean theatre company as they navigate the dangers of a collapsed civilization, emphasizing the importance of art and human connection in times of crisis.

    The 2376th Greatest Book of All Time
  5. 30. Runaway by Alice Munro

    "Runaway" is a collection of short stories that explore the depth of human relationships, the complexities of love, and the consequences of life's unpredictable turns. The stories revolve around women of varying ages and circumstances, each dealing with her own unique situation. Some are escaping from their past or present situations, while others are struggling to find their place in the world. The narratives delve into themes like betrayal, loss, and the often complicated dynamics between parents and children, and husbands and wives.

    The 2378th Greatest Book of All Time
  6. 31. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

    This novel explores themes of love, loss, and the human struggle for identity amidst political unrest. Set in India during the Nepalese movement for an independent state, the narrative follows the lives of a retired judge living in the Himalayas, his granddaughter, and his cook. As the political situation worsens, each character must grapple with their own personal issues, including the judge's regret over his failed marriage and his granddaughter's struggle to find her place in the world. The cook, meanwhile, dreams of a better life for his son in the United States. The narrative weaves together these individual stories to create a poignant tapestry of human resilience in the face of adversity.

    The 2431st Greatest Book of All Time
  7. 32. The Diviners by Margaret Laurence

    "The Diviners" is a novel about a woman named Morag Gunn who grows up in small-town Manitoba, Canada, and becomes a successful novelist. The story follows Morag's life from childhood to adulthood, exploring her relationships, struggles, and personal growth. The narrative delves into themes of identity, memory, and the importance of understanding one's past. The protagonist's journey to self-discovery and acceptance is interwoven with the broader cultural and historical context of Canada in the mid-20th century.

    The 2443rd Greatest Book of All Time
  8. 33. The Great Victorian Collection by Brian Moore

    "The Great Victorian Collection" is a captivating novel that follows the journey of a wealthy collector who becomes obsessed with acquiring a vast collection of Victorian artifacts. As he delves deeper into his obsession, he becomes entangled in a world of deception, greed, and scandal. Set in the backdrop of 1950s London, this thought-provoking and atmospheric tale explores the dark side of obsession and the consequences it can have on one's life.

    The 2619th Greatest Book of All Time
  9. 34. The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh

    "The Shadow Lines" is a novel that explores themes of memory, family, and national identity through the eyes of a young boy and his experiences growing up in Calcutta, India. The narrative is framed by two major historical events: the 1964 Dhaka Riots and the 1942 World War II. The protagonist's relationships with his family and his personal experiences are juxtaposed with these events, highlighting the complexities of identity, memory, and the lasting impacts of historical events on individual lives. The novel also delves into the arbitrary nature of national borders and the shadow lines they draw between people and their histories.

    The 2689th Greatest Book of All Time
  10. 35. The Wars by Timothy Findley

    "The Wars" is a historical novel that follows the life of a young Canadian soldier, Robert Ross, during World War I. The narrative explores Ross's experiences in the war, his struggles with his own morality, and the harsh realities of the battlefield. The book also delves into the psychological impact of war on soldiers, as well as the effects of war on animals, which Ross is particularly sensitive to. Through non-linear storytelling, the novel provides a visceral and poignant commentary on the brutality and senselessness of war.

    The 2739th Greatest Book of All Time
  11. 36. Family Life by Akhil Sharma

    Family Life is a poignant, semi-autobiographical novel that follows the experiences of an Indian family that immigrates to America in the late 1970s. Their dream of a better life is shattered when the older son suffers a terrible accident that leaves him brain-damaged. The story is narrated by the younger son, who struggles with the pressures of his parents' expectations, the trauma of his brother's condition, and the cultural dislocation of being an immigrant in America. The novel explores themes of family, love, loss, and the immigrant experience.

    The 2753rd Greatest Book of All Time
  12. 37. Generation X by Douglas Coupland

    The book is a novel that captures the disaffections of young adults growing up in the late 20th century, specifically those born in the late 1950s to the early 1980s. It follows the lives of three friends who have retreated to the California desert to escape the complexities and frustrations of the modern world. Through their stories, the novel explores themes of aimlessness, consumer culture, and the search for authenticity in a society saturated with media and technology. The characters' tales are interspersed with quirky definitions and cartoons that reflect their cynical, yet deeply yearning outlook on life, coining terms and concepts that resonate with a generation struggling to find its identity amidst economic and social uncertainty.

    The 2936th Greatest Book of All Time
  13. 38. Open Secrets: Stories by Alice Munro

    "Open Secrets: Stories" is a collection of eight short stories that delve into the complex lives of women, exploring themes of love, loss, and the secrets that bind and divide people. Set in various locations, from small-town Ontario to Australia, the stories feature characters grappling with their pasts, negotiating relationships, and confronting the mysteries of life. The narrative oscillates between past and present, revealing the profound and often unsettling truths hidden beneath the surface of ordinary lives.

    The 3056th Greatest Book of All Time
  14. 39. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro

    "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage" is a collection of nine short stories that explore the complexities of human relationships. Each story delves into the intricate web of emotions and experiences that define the human condition, including love, hate, friendship, courtship, and marriage. The characters are rendered with depth and nuance, their lives marked by moments of profound change and subtle transformation. The stories are set against the backdrop of rural and urban landscapes, offering a rich, evocative portrayal of life in all its complexities and contradictions.

    The 3069th Greatest Book of All Time
  15. 40. The First Garden by Anne Hébert

    "The First Garden" is a historical fiction novel set in 17th-century Canada. It tells the story of a young woman who is sent to New France (now Quebec) to be a "Filles du roi" or "King's Daughter" - a program where women were sent to marry the men of New France in order to populate the colony. The protagonist struggles to adapt to her new life, facing harsh winters, cultural differences, and the challenges of frontier life while grappling with her feelings for a local trapper. The book explores themes of survival, love, and the clash of cultures.

    The 3375th Greatest Book of All Time
  16. 41. The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth

    Set in the 1980s, the novel follows the life of a group of friends living in San Francisco. The protagonist, a successful yet lonely executive, is persuaded by his former girlfriend to place a personal ad, leading to a relationship with a musician. The narrative delves into their relationship, their friends' lives, and the various complications they face, including issues of love, friendship, sexuality, and death. The unique aspect of this book is that it is written entirely in verse, specifically in sonnet form.

    The 3421st Greatest Book of All Time
  17. 42. The Pegnitz Junction by Mavis Gallant

    "The Pegnitz Junction" is a collection of short stories that delve into the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of life's experiences. The narratives, set in various European locales, explore themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time through the eyes of characters often caught between cultures and histories. The title story, which stands out in the collection, focuses on a young girl's coming-of-age during a train journey, symbolizing the transitions and connections that define the human condition. The stories are marked by their psychological depth, sharp observation, and the author's skillful prose, which captures the subtleties of her characters' inner worlds and the intricacies of their interactions with the world around them.

    The 3462nd Greatest Book of All Time
  18. 43. Brown Girl In The Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

    Set in a dystopian future Toronto that has been abandoned by the government and cordoned off from the rest of Canada, the novel follows a young, spirited woman of Caribbean descent who must navigate the perilous, gang-ruled cityscape while harnessing her newfound, ancestral spiritual powers. As she grapples with her identity and the demands of the community that relies on her, she is drawn into a dangerous quest to save her dying grandmother and confronts a malevolent spirit. The story is a rich tapestry of Afro-Caribbean culture, folklore, and tradition, exploring themes of resilience, heritage, and the transformative power of love and family.

    The 3724th Greatest Book of All Time
  19. 44. Memories of Rain by Sunetra Gupta

    The novel explores the crumbling marriage of a Bengali woman and her Greek husband. The narrative alternates between Kolkata, India, and London, England, and spans over a decade, capturing the protagonist's emotional turmoil, her struggle to reconcile her Indian heritage with her Western lifestyle, and her eventual decision to leave her unfaithful husband. The novel is rich in poetic language and imagery, and it delves deep into themes of identity, cultural displacement, and the complexities of love and betrayal.

    The 3757th Greatest Book of All Time
  20. 45. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

    In this humorous and cleverly illustrated children's book, a bear searches for his missing hat, asking various animals along the way if they have seen it. As the bear's frustration grows, readers are left to wonder if the bear will ever find his hat and what might happen when he does.

    The 4016th Greatest Book of All Time
  21. 46. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

    In a land where a ruthless sorcerer has erased the name and history of a once-proud province, a group of rebels fights to reclaim their identity and homeland. The story unfolds in a richly detailed fantasy world where magic and political intrigue intertwine, and the power of memory and the resilience of the human spirit are central themes. The rebels, each with their own personal vendettas and dreams, must navigate complex alliances and confront their own pasts as they strive to restore the name of their province and free it from the grip of tyranny. Their quest is fraught with challenges, as they face not only the sorcerer's formidable powers but also the difficulties of uniting a fractured people under a forgotten banner.

    The 4028th Greatest Book of All Time
  22. 47. Holder of the World: A Novel by Bharati Mukherjee

    The novel explores the life of Hannah Easton, a woman born in 17th century Salem, who gets married to a British adventurer and travels to India. In India, she becomes the concubine of a local ruler and takes on the name "The Holder of the World". The story is narrated by a 20th-century woman who discovers Hannah's story through a virtual reality device. The narrative weaves together the historical and the contemporary, the East and the West, and the real and the virtual, to create a rich tapestry of a woman's life and the cultural clashes she experiences.

    The 4050th Greatest Book of All Time
  23. 48. De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage

    The novel delves into the lives of two childhood friends navigating the treacherous landscape of war-torn Beirut. As the city crumbles under the weight of the Lebanese Civil War, the young men find themselves drawn into the violence and chaos that surrounds them. One chooses the path of emigration, seeking a new life abroad, while the other becomes embroiled in the militia warfare that dominates the streets. Their friendship is tested by the brutality of their environment, as they grapple with the moral complexities of survival, loyalty, and the devastating impact of conflict on the human spirit.

    The 4085th Greatest Book of All Time
  24. 49. Wife by Bharati Mukherjee

    The novel explores the complexities of an arranged marriage through the eyes of a young Indian woman who relocates to New York City after marrying a man she barely knows. Thrust into a foreign culture, she struggles with her identity and the expectations placed upon her as a wife. As she navigates her new life, she faces the challenges of isolation and the pressures of traditional roles, which ultimately lead to a dramatic transformation in her character and worldview. Her journey is a poignant examination of the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, and the personal quest for self-realization amidst societal constraints.

    The 4124th Greatest Book of All Time
  25. 50. Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

    "Fall On Your Knees" is a multi-generational saga set in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, that explores themes of family, love, betrayal, and secrets. The story revolves around the Piper family, specifically four sisters, their father James, and their mother Materia. The narrative weaves through time, revealing the family's complex relationships, the impact of racial and cultural tensions, and the dark secrets that have shaped their lives. This novel is a deep exploration of family dynamics, love, and the power of secrets.

    The 4474th 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