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 Poisonwood Bible is a novel that follows the experiences of a missionary family in the Belgian Congo during the 1960s. The story is told from the perspective of the wife and four daughters of the Baptist minister who drags his family into the politically volatile Congo on a mission to save souls. The novel explores themes of cultural arrogance, religious zeal, and the clash of Western and African values, as well as the personal growth and self-discovery of the women in the family as they grapple with the harsh realities of their new life and the fallout from their father's single-minded vision.

Set in the pre-Civil Rights South, the novel explores the story of a young black man wrongfully accused and sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. A local schoolteacher, at the request of the man's godmother, attempts to help the condemned man gain a sense of dignity and self-worth in the final days of his life. The story grapples with issues of racial inequality, justice, humanity, and moral obligation.

Set during the turmoil of World War II, the novel follows the intersecting lives of a blind French girl and a German boy. The girl, living in occupied France, seeks solace in the world of books and the imagination, while the boy, a member of Hitler Youth, is a radio operator for the German forces. Their paths cross in the walled city of Saint-Malo, with the narrative exploring themes of survival, morality, and the human spirit.

Set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi, the story revolves around three main characters: two black maids and a young white woman. The maids, who have spent their lives taking care of white families and raising their children, agree to share their experiences with the young woman, who is an aspiring writer. The book offers a poignant and humorous look at the complex relationships between these women, while also exploring the racial tensions and social changes of the era.

Set in the 1970s, the novel follows a young woman known only as Reno, who moves to New York with dreams of becoming an artist. She becomes involved with an older, established artist who is a member of the city's avant-garde scene. The story also delves into the world of Italian motorcycle racing and radical politics, exploring themes of art, feminism, love, and betrayal. The narrative shifts between Reno's experiences in New York and Italy, and the history of a radical movement in Italy.

This novel is a deeply moving narrative that follows the life of Jess Goldberg, a character navigating the complexities of gender identity and societal acceptance in the latter half of the 20th century. Set against the backdrop of the American industrial landscape, the protagonist grapples with the harsh realities of being a butch lesbian in a world that is unaccepting and often violent towards those who defy traditional gender norms. Through a journey of self-discovery, love, loss, and resilience, the story poignantly explores themes of identity, belonging, and the struggle for rights and recognition within the LGBTQ+ community, offering a powerful reflection on the human condition and the search for authenticity in a conformist society.

This novel tells the story of a young girl growing up in the Dominican Republic during a time of political turmoil. The protagonist and her family experience the fear and uncertainty of living under a dictatorship, as they are constantly surveilled by the government's secret police. Throughout the book, the protagonist navigates her own coming-of-age while also grappling with the larger issues of freedom, oppression, and resistance.

"The Crossing" is a novel set in the late 1930s and early 1940s that follows a young man named Billy Parham and his brother Boyd. The story primarily revolves around their adventures in the United States and Mexico, including their encounters with a wolf, horse traders, and a Mexican outlaw. The narrative explores themes of loss, survival, and the harsh realities of life, set against the backdrop of the American West and the Mexican wilderness.

"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.

Set in early 20th century China, the book tells the story of a young girl who challenges societal norms by refusing to have her feet bound, a painful tradition that symbolizes beauty and status. This decision leads to her being disowned by her family. She then becomes a servant for a wealthy family, where she learns English and eventually moves to America. The novel explores themes of tradition, gender roles, and the struggle for individuality and freedom.

The novel is a captivating portrayal of suburban life in the late 1950s, where conformity and appearance are paramount. It follows the story of a divorced woman who moves into a tight-knit community, challenging the neighborhood's rigid norms and expectations. Her arrival sets off a chain of events that disrupts the seemingly perfect facade of the community, as she forms unlikely friendships and inspires other residents to confront their desires and fears. Through her influence, the characters embark on journeys of self-discovery and transformation, revealing the complexities and contradictions beneath the surface of suburban America.

The novel delves into the complex relationship between a Chinese-American woman and her mother, who carries with her the weight of a tumultuous past from her life in China. As the mother finally reveals her harrowing experiences of survival during wartime, secrets of love, loss, and betrayal, the daughter begins to understand the resilience and sacrifices that have shaped her mother's life. Through this unveiling of family history, the novel explores themes of cultural identity, the immigrant experience, and the enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.

This novel presents a poignant and humorous tapestry of a dysfunctional Southern family through a series of vignettes told from multiple perspectives. The narrative unfolds the complex dynamics of the family, exploring themes of alcoholism, abuse, and the search for love and acceptance. As each character reveals their innermost thoughts and secrets, the story delves into the impact of their shared history on their individual lives, painting a rich and emotional portrait of a family struggling to find healing and redemption amidst their personal and collective challenges.

This novel follows the life of Marietta Cook, a tall, resilient African American woman from the Gullah community in South Carolina, as she endures the hardships and complexities of the American South. Through her journey, we witness her strength and determination as she raises her twin sons, contends with racial and social challenges, and strives to maintain her cultural heritage. The narrative, rich with Gullah dialect and traditions, paints a vivid portrait of a woman's struggle for survival and dignity against a backdrop of historical events that shape her community and the nation.

"Cantora" is a poignant coming-of-age novel that follows the life of a young Chicana girl growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in a California border town. As she navigates the complexities of her bicultural identity, she is also confronted with the challenges of family dynamics, love, and loss. The protagonist's journey is marked by her passion for music, which becomes both a source of solace and a means of self-expression. Through her experiences, the novel explores themes of cultural heritage, personal growth, and the pursuit of one's dreams against the backdrop of social and political change.

"Deacon King Kong" by James McBride is a novel set in 1969 Brooklyn, where a drunken Deacon Sportcoat shoots a drug dealer named Deems Clemens in the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project. The shooting sets off a chain of events that brings together a cast of characters from the neighborhood, including a young drug dealer, a church-going widow, a corrupt cop, and a group of elderly church women. Through their perspectives, McBride explores themes of race, religion, and community in a vibrant and humorous tale.

"The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois" is a multi-generational family saga that explores the complexities of race, identity, and history through the experiences of Ailey Pearl Garfield. As a young woman, Ailey is haunted by the legacy of her family's slave-owning past and struggles to reconcile her own sense of self with the expectations of her community. Along the way, she uncovers the stories of her ancestors, including the famed civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois, and grapples with the enduring impact of racism in America. With lyrical prose and a rich cast of characters, Honoree Fanonne Jeffers' novel is a powerful meditation on the enduring power of love and the search for belonging in a divided world.

The book is a poignant tale of two French sisters during World War II who face the brutal German occupation of France in their own unique ways. While one sister joins the Resistance, risking her life to save others, the other struggles to maintain her family's home and protect her daughter, showcasing the resilience and strength of women under the shadow of war. Their paths are fraught with danger, moral complexity, and heartbreaking sacrifices, as they each fight for love, freedom, and survival against the backdrop of a world torn apart by conflict.

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.

In a world where political intrigue and divine destinies intertwine, a young woman born with a scarlet mote in her eye is marked by the gods for a unique destiny. Trained in the arts of love and espionage, she navigates the complex web of courtly life in a realm where sensuality and pain are intertwined. As a pawn and a player in the game of thrones, she uses her unique gifts to uncover secrets and protect her homeland, all while serving a mysterious patron whose motives are as enigmatic as the unfolding divine plan. Her journey is one of self-discovery, loyalty, and betrayal, set against a backdrop of opulence, ritual, and power struggles, where love can be both a weakness and a formidable weapon.

The novel is a poignant tale of a young African girl's harrowing journey through the brutalities of slavery. After being captured from her village, she endures the middle passage and is sold into slavery in the American South. There, she forms a bond with another girl, and together they escape in search of freedom. The story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring hope for a life beyond the chains of enslavement, set against the backdrop of historical events in the 18th century.

The novel is a fictional account of the life of notorious abolitionist John Brown, told from the perspective of a young, freed slave named Henry Shackleford. Disguised as a girl for his own safety, Henry becomes a member of Brown's motley family of abolitionist soldiers, and finds himself in the historic 1859 raid on the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry. The book blends historical facts with imaginative storytelling, providing a humorous yet poignant exploration of race, religion, and identity in America.

The book follows the life of Octavian, a young African American boy raised in a strange and secretive environment in Revolutionary-era Boston. He is brought up as part of a philosophical experiment by a group of rationalist scholars who seek to determine the intellectual capacity of Africans. As he matures, Octavian realizes the true nature of the experiment and the oppressive reality of his existence. His journey of self-discovery leads him to question the very foundations of the society that treats him as an object of study rather than a human being. As the American Revolution unfolds around him, Octavian is drawn into the chaotic struggle for independence, identity, and survival, challenging the notions of freedom and what it means to be a traitor to a nation built on the paradox of liberty and slavery.

This novel is a rich tapestry of family history and Mexican and American cultures, told through the eyes of a young girl, Lala Reyes, during her annual road trips to Mexico City. The narrative weaves through generations, focusing on the complexities of family dynamics, identity, and the search for one's place within two cultures. Central to the story is the symbolic caramelo rebozo, a striped shawl inherited from Lala's grandmother, which serves as a metaphor for the blending of traditions, histories, and the colorful stories that make up Lala's heritage. Through vivid storytelling, the book explores themes of memory, storytelling, and the immigrant experience, offering a poignant look at the bonds that tie families together across borders and generations.