The book follows the lives of two Jewish cousins, one a skilled escape artist and the other a talented artist, before, during, and after World War II. They create a popular comic book superhero, which brings them fame and fortune. However, their success is complicated by personal struggles, including the escape artist's attempts to rescue his family from Nazi-occupied Prague and the artist's struggle with his sexuality. The narrative explores themes of escapism, identity, and the golden age of comic books.

The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of one of Hollywood's most enduring and enigmatic icons, Marilyn Monroe. It reimagines her life from her troubled childhood as Norma Jeane Baker through her rise to stardom and her tragic demise. The book delves into the complexities of her inner life, exploring her relationships, her struggles with fame, and her quest for love and identity. It presents a psychological portrait that blends fact with speculation, capturing the dichotomy between the public persona of the blonde bombshell and the private experiences of a woman both blessed and cursed by her beauty and allure.

The novel follows the life of a convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict who escapes from prison and flees to India. Settling in the bustling city of Mumbai, he assumes a new identity and immerses himself in the local culture, forming a close bond with the people in a slum. As he navigates his new environment, he becomes entangled in various criminal activities, including running a free health clinic, working for the Bombay mafia, and fighting in Afghanistan. Throughout his journey, he grapples with love, forgiveness, and his quest for redemption, all while exploring themes of good and evil, friendship, and the complexities of the human spirit.

The novel follows the life of twin brothers born from a secret union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon in Ethiopia. Their mother dies during childbirth and their father disappears, leaving them to be raised by two doctors at the mission hospital where they were born. The story spans several decades and continents, and explores themes of love, betrayal, medicine, and the complexity of family ties. One of the brothers, a gifted surgeon, flees to America after a political revolution in Ethiopia, while the other remains and struggles with the challenges of practicing medicine in a developing country.

"The Great Believers" by Rebecca Makkai is a powerful novel that tells the story of two interconnected groups of people: a group of gay men in 1980s Chicago during the height of the AIDS epidemic, and a woman in 2015 who is searching for her estranged daughter in Paris. The novel explores themes of love, loss, friendship, and the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis. Makkai's writing is both heartbreaking and hopeful, and she skillfully weaves together the two timelines to create a poignant and unforgettable story.

This novel revolves around a true event during the Spanish Civil War, where a nationalist soldier spares the life of a famous poet who was about to be executed. The story is told from the perspective of a journalist who becomes obsessed with the incident and embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about what happened. As he delves deeper, he discovers the complexities of heroism, history, and memory, and is forced to question his own understanding of these concepts.

"The Tiger's Wife" is a captivating novel that weaves together the lives of a young doctor and her grandfather in war-torn Balkans. As the doctor embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind her grandfather's mysterious death, she unravels a tapestry of folklore, superstition, and family secrets. Through her exploration, she uncovers the extraordinary story of the tiger's wife, a woman believed to possess the power to communicate with animals. This beautifully written tale explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of storytelling.

The novel is a fictional memoir of a Chinese soldier who is captured during the Korean War and spends several years in American POW camps. He struggles to survive in the brutal conditions and navigate the political rivalries among the prisoners, while holding onto the hope of repatriation and the fear of being labeled a traitor by his own country. The narrative explores themes of loyalty, survival, and the human cost of war.

In this introspective novel, a diary washes ashore on a remote Canadian island, bridging two disparate worlds. The journal, written by Nao, a troubled Japanese teenager, chronicles her life, her contemplation of suicide, and her relationship with her great-grandmother, a Zen Buddhist nun. The diary is discovered by a novelist, who becomes engrossed by Nao's story and is compelled to unravel the mysteries of Nao's fate and her own connection to the young girl. As the novelist reads, the boundaries between writer and reader, past and present, fiction and reality blur, creating a meditation on time, loss, and the intricate threads that connect human lives across the globe.

"A Spare Life" is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the lives of conjoined twin sisters, Zlata and Srebra, as they navigate the complexities of their shared existence in war-torn Macedonia. Told through the eyes of Zlata, the narrative delves into themes of identity, freedom, and the pursuit of individuality, as the sisters grapple with their physical and emotional bonds. With lyrical prose and a powerful portrayal of sisterly love, this novel offers a unique and compelling perspective on the human experience.

The novel follows two intertwined narratives. In the first, set in 1908, a Jewish immigrant is wrongfully accused of anarchism and murdered by the Chicago Chief of Police. In the second, set in modern times, a writer from Eastern Europe is investigating the century-old murder, leading him on a journey across Eastern Europe and eventually back to the United States. The narratives explore themes of love, immigration, and the pursuit of the American dream.

"The Book of Fame" by Lloyd Jones is a captivating novel that delves into the lives of the 1905 All Blacks, New Zealand's first national rugby team. Through a series of interconnected stories, the book explores themes of fame, identity, and the impact of sport on society. It offers a unique perspective on the players' journey to international recognition, their struggles, triumphs, and the lasting legacy they leave behind. With its lyrical prose and rich characterization, this book is a celebration of both rugby and the human spirit.

"The Old Drift" by Namwali Serpell is a sweeping and ambitious novel that spans generations and continents, exploring the intertwined lives of three families in Zambia. Set against the backdrop of colonialism, technological advancements, and political upheaval, the story delves into themes of love, power, and identity. From the early days of the British settlers to the rise of an experimental town and the emergence of a new generation, Serpell weaves a rich tapestry of characters and narratives, offering a thought-provoking exploration of history, race, and the impact of human actions on the world.

The novel unfolds as a faux memoir, structured around a grandson's conversations with his dying grandfather, revealing a tapestry of secret histories and hidden truths. The narrative spans the grandfather's adventurous life, from his involvement in hunting Nazis during World War II to his personal and emotional battles on the home front. The story delves into themes of love, loss, and the impact of secrets through the lens of a family's complex dynamics, set against the backdrop of mid-20th-century America, blending historical events with the fantastical elements of space exploration and model rocketry.

The book chronicles the divergent paths of two Bengali brothers whose lives are marked by a tragic event during the tumultuous 1960s in Kolkata. The younger brother becomes involved in the Naxalite movement, leading to his untimely death, while the elder brother, a scientist, migrates to America, carrying the weight of grief and responsibility. The narrative spans across generations, exploring the themes of political activism, family ties, and the immigrant experience as it delves into the enduring effects of loss and the search for identity amidst the crosscurrents of history and culture.

The novel is a poignant story of a young Ojibway boy, Saul Indian Horse, who is torn from his family and placed in a residential school in Northern Ontario, Canada. Within the harsh and oppressive environment aimed at eradicating his culture and identity, Saul finds salvation in the form of ice hockey. His extraordinary talent on the ice becomes a means of escape and a source of pride. However, as he grows and moves through the ranks of the hockey world, he continues to battle the racism and the lingering effects of his painful past. The story is a powerful exploration of Canadian history, the resilience of the human spirit, and the healing power of sport.

"The Impressionist" is a captivating novel that follows the life of a mixed-race boy named Pran Nath. Born in India during the British Raj era, Pran's fate takes a dramatic turn when he is mistaken for the son of a wealthy British aristocrat. As he navigates through various identities and encounters, Pran's journey becomes a reflection of the complexities of race, class, and colonialism. With vivid prose and a keen exploration of identity, this book offers a thought-provoking exploration of one man's quest for belonging and self-discovery in a rapidly changing world.

Set in a remote Irish village, the novel unfolds through the eyes of a young man who, during a transformative summer, witnesses the arrival of electricity and the changes it brings to the community. As the village buzzes with anticipation and skepticism, the protagonist also encounters personal growth and the complexities of love, as he is drawn into the lives and stories of the local inhabitants. The narrative is a poignant exploration of progress and tradition, the power of memory, and the bittersweet nature of coming-of-age, all set against a backdrop of lyrical landscapes and the whimsical charm of rural Ireland.

"Red at the Bone" is a multi-generational novel that explores the lasting impact of past decisions on the present and future. The story begins at a 16-year-old girl's coming-of-age ceremony in Brooklyn and then delves into the past, revealing the complex histories of her parents and grandparents. The narrative is a powerful exploration of identity, ambition, love, and the ways in which history and personal circumstances can shape a family's life.

"The Little Red Chairs" is a novel that explores the impact of a charismatic stranger who arrives in a small Irish village, claiming to be a healer and spiritual leader. The community, particularly a local woman named Fidelma, is drawn to him, but his mysterious past soon catches up with him, revealing his true identity as a war criminal. The revelation shatters the village and leads Fidelma on a harrowing journey across Europe, seeking redemption and healing in the aftermath of profound betrayal and violence. The novel delves into themes of evil, forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption, set against the backdrop of international conflicts and human rights abuses.

"Twelve Bar Blues" is a multi-generational tale that spans across time and continents, intertwining the lives of characters from New Orleans to London and Africa. The narrative explores the roots and evolution of jazz music through the life of a legendary cornet player, his granddaughter who is in search of her roots, and an Englishman obsessed with the history of jazz. The book delves deep into the themes of love, identity, race, and music, presenting a vibrant portrayal of the jazz age and its cultural impact.