What are the 10 most influential books of recent years?

• The list of The New York Times It features three Latin American authors: Roberto Bolaños, Fernanda Melchor and Hernan Diaz | Main photo: Jose Daniel Ramos @danielj2511

The American newspaper The New York Times recently published a list of the 10 most influential and significant books of recent years.

The list was based on a survey that the media outlet sent to novelists, literary critics and poets, who were asked to select the best titles from January 1, 2020 to the present.

Among the personalities who participated in the questioning were Stephen King, Sarah Jessica Parker, James Patterson, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Elin Hilderbrand, Min Jin Lee, Jonathan Lethem and Jenna Bush Hager.

He New York Times She explained that the purpose of the list is to inspire readers to discover new books and return to those they have enjoyed in recent years.

The selection included the book The great friend, Written by Elena Ferrante, a pseudonym behind the author of the literary piece. In addition, the list includes Latin American authors such as Roberto Bolaño, Fernanda Melchor and Hernán Díaz

The 10 most influential books of recent years

1. The great friendby Elena Ferrante

The text tells the story of two girls growing up in a poor and violent neighborhood in Naples, Italy: Elena, a diligent and responsible young woman, and her charismatic friend Lila, whose intellectual potential is limited by her family’s lack of resources.

Throughout the novel, Ferrante touches on deep themes such as art, politics, social class and gender through the complex and competitive relationship between the two friends. This relationship becomes the core of the story as they both grow into complicated adults.

The Neapolitan saga was originally published in Italian in 2011. However, in 2018 the streaming platform MAX (then HBO) released a series based on the literary title.

Photo: courtesy

2. The warmth of other suns, Isabel Wilkerson

The book presents an intimate and moving account of the migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West of the United States between 1915 and 1970.

In the note of The New York Timesjournalist Dwight Garner noted that this book stands out as one of the most vital and readable works in recent history.

The author argued that this migration was possibly the most underrated story of the 20th century, due to its vast extent and lack of leadership.

3. In the court of the wolfby Hilary Mantel

“It was difficult to choose the books for my list, but the first and easiest choice I made was In the Wolf Court,” she told The New York Times writer Lev Grossman.

In the court of the wolf is a historical novel that inaugurates the acclaimed trilogy regarding Thomas Cromwell, advisor to King Henry VIII.

Published in 2009, the work received the Booker Prize and is known for its meticulous historical research and immersive narrative.

“We see the past the way we see stars, dimly, through a thin, blurry veil of atmosphere, but Mantel was like an orbiting telescope: she saw history coldly, harshly, and absolutely clearly,” Grossman added.

4. The known worldby Edward P. Jones

According to journalist Dwight Garner, this novel, which revolves around an African-American farmer, shoemaker and former slave named Henry Townsend, is a “human epic” and an “impressive feat” of American fiction. The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004.

For Garner, when Henry becomes a plantation owner with his own slaves, a significant moral shift occurs for the reader.

The journalist highlighted that Jones is a self-confident narrator and that in The known world That confidence creates a spell. He adds that although it is a long novel, it moves with agility and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

5. The correctionsthe Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen published his novel in 2001 The correctionsa satire that deals with themes such as mental health, self-help and instant gratification.

The novel is characterized by its narrative structure, which shifts from one character to another, allowing the reader to see different perspectives and develop sympathies for each of them. This approach has been highlighted by literary critics for its keen observation of human weaknesses and Franzen’s ability to maintain a loving gaze toward his characters.

This work by Franzen remains relevant and remains a point of reference in contemporary literature, which has been confirmed by literary critics in various reviews and analyses, as mentioned by The New York Times in their articles.

6. 2666by Roberto Bolaño

It is a 900-page novel that tells a story set in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, Mexico, and follows several characters.

2666 tells the story of a group of academics who investigate an American writer, a philosophy professor, a police officer and a journalist.

Bolaño died in 2003 and this posthumous novel is considered one of his masterpieces.

Photo: EFE

7. The Underground RailroadColson Whitehead

It is a novel written by the American Colson Whitehead that addresses the issue of slavery in the United States.

The underground railroad won Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the work combines historical fiction with elements of magical realism to tell the story of Cora, a young slave seeking her freedom.

The book has been praised not only for its literary value, but also for its relevance and ability to resonate with contemporary debates regarding race and social justice.

8. Austerlitzthe WG Sebald

Austerlitz is a novel by German author WG Sebald, published in 2001, which explores themes such as memory, identity and the impact of the Holocaust.

The work follows the story of Jacques Austerlitz, a historian obsessed with architecture who discovers as an adult that he was a Jewish child taken to England on a Kindertransport to escape the Nazis.

The book stands out for its reflective tone and its ability to interweave historical facts with fiction, creating a rich and moving narrative.

9. Never leave meby Kazuo Ishiguro

Never leave me is a novel written by British-Japanese Kazuo Ishiguro and was published in 2005.

The story follows the lives of three friends, Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, who grow up at a boarding school called Hailsham. As the characters move through adolescence and adulthood, they discover the dark purpose of their existence and confront fundamental questions regarding life, love and ethics.

According to The New York TimesThis title is a reflection on morality and sacrifice, which invites the reader to question the limits of science and ethics.

10. Gileadde Marilynne Robinson

The novel was published in 2004 by American author Marilynne Robinson, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2005. The work is presented as a letter from an elderly pastor named John Ames to his young son, written in the small town of Gilead, Iowa, in 1956.

Gilead highlights the ability to explore the complexities of love and grace in the midst of the everyday. The novel is a celebration of life and human connections, inviting readers to contemplate life’s most fundamental questions with a renewed and hopeful eye.

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