Absalom, Absalom! (William Faulkner) Wow! Epic melodrama unveiled as a mystery about family, race, and pride in the old South. Don’t be intimidated. Jump in and enjoy!

Bleak House (Charles Dickens) Yes, it’s long, but the names, the plot lines, the way it all weaves together – priceless. I couldn’t believe how quickly the pages flew by.

The Brief History of the Dead (Kevin Brockmeier) One of the most original books of all time, drawing on an African tradition that there are two types of death: the one we’re used to, and then the one where everyone who ever knew you is also dead. Great read!

Three Day Road (Joseph Boyden) Canadian Indians as WW1 sharpshooters; as well as their lives before and the return to home afterwards. Touching, eye-opening, beautiful, and tragic.

Cutting for Stone( Abraham Verghese) Brilliant novel set in India, Ethiopia, and the U.S. centered around doctors. A novel of epic proportions. It is stunning.

Lost Nation (Jeffrey Lent) So atmospheric you can smell the wood smoke. Set in the mid 1800s in a rough northern territory peopled by characters with many layers to admire or despise. Lent just needs to write more to make my top 10 writers list.