Which are the best novels ever written? These lists focus on classic novels from around the world, either written in English or that have been translated into English. These are the kind of books that may have featured on your school reading list if you grew up in a country or studied its literature as a student, but may not be familiar with if you didn't.
Possibly the Platonic ideal of a novel remains Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace or his slightly shorter and more tragic work, Anna Karenina. Less well-known in English are the much earlier Asian classics, including the Story of the Stone, from China, and The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady-in-waiting at the Japanese imperial court, in the 11th century.
The Best Russian Novels, recommended by Orlando Figes
They’re among the finest novels ever written, often vast in their scope and ambitious in their subject matter. Some are long, others can be read in an afternoon. They’re also one of the best ways of understanding Russian history. Historian Orlando Figes, author of The Story of Russia, recommends his favourite Russian novels, from the 19th century to today.
The Great American Novel, recommended by Lawrence Buell
Albeit an object of satire and overreach, the ‘Great American Novel’ remains a vital concept in American literature, encouraging writers to capture the essence of national culture and history, argues Lawrence Buell, Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University. He talks us through the origins of the phrase and nominates five novels as contenders.
The Best Novels from Pakistan, recommended by Safinah Danish Elahi
Over the past five years, Pakistani novels have become much more focused on people’s lived experience in Pakistan—rather than just catering to the expectations of an international audience, argues novelist, lawyer and publisher Safinah Danish Elahi. She picks five of her favorite novels from Pakistan, four of them published very recently.
The Best Novels in English, recommended by Robert McCrum
Journalist Robert McCrum spent two years selecting the best novels ever written in English. Here he narrows it down to just five: a perfect introduction to the best fiction the English language has to offer.
The Best Indian Novels, recommended by Radhika Jha
Like all great books, India’s best novels are worth reading not just because of what they show about India, but what they reveal about the human condition. Here Radhika Jha, author of four critically acclaimed books, talks us through five important Indian novels and novelists and explains why it’s so important that fiction isn’t just about personal experience.
Five of the Best European Classics, recommended by David Campbell
Europe may be made up of many cultures but its component parts share an artistic and literary sensibility, says Everyman’s Library publisher David Campbell. Here, he recommends five European classics that everyone should read at least once in their life, including “the greatest novel ever written” and some lesser-known masterpieces.
The Best 20th-Century American Novels, recommended by David Hering
The story of America is not one of a manageable unified nation, says novelist and critic David Hering. It may, however, be the story of America’s dream — which is why many of the best American novels have a distinctly dreamlike quality. He picks out five of the best American novels of the 20th century, from 1905 through to 1987.
The Best 19th-Century American Novels, recommended by Nathan Wolff
In the novels of the 19th century, the United States comes alive with all its contradictions and complications. Nathan Wolff, a professor of English at Tufts and author of Not Quite Hope and Other Political Emotions in the Gilded Age, introduces us to his picks of the best 19th-century American novels, including two works of historical fiction and a memoir that influenced the novel form.
The Best African Novels, recommended by Blessing Musariri
“We are connected to the spirit and it’s an active connection. It’s not somewhere that’s only in the afterlife, it’s here in the present as well. That, I think, is endemic across all African cultures and traditions,” says Zimbabwean novelist and poet Blessing Musariri. Here she recommends some of the best African novels, books that had a big personal impact and have stayed with her.
The Best Modernist Novels, recommended by Michael Clune
Modernist novels emerged as a reaction against modernity but, in their focus on inner consciousness, captured the experience of living life like never before. American writer and critic Michael Clune picks five of the best modernist novels from 1936 up to 2013. Modernist literature is still with us, he explains, because what it was reacting against is still with us.