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.

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.

Live After Life (Kate Atkinson) A woman is reborn into her (almost the same) life repeatedly. However this is no mere sci-fi. It is a splendid, rich tapestry of the human experience, resilience, and family bonds. Set largely in the era of the two World Wars in England.

The Book of Strange New Things (Michael Faber) The indigenous life on another planet requests a missionary. But this is no traditional sic-fi. This genre-bender is surprising, thoughtful, and very much about the human experience.