At a moment in cultural history dominated by the shallow, the superficial, the quick fix, Marilynne Robinson is a miraculous anomaly: a writer who thoughtfully, carefully, and tenaciously explores some of the deepest questions confronting the human species. . . . Poignant, absorbing, lyrical...Robinson manages to convey the miracle of existence itself.” Merle Rubin, Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Incandescent . . . magnificent . . . [a] literary miracle.” Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly (A)
“Rapturous . . . astonishing . . . Gilead is an inspired work from a writer whose sensibility seems steeped in holy fire.” Lisa Shea, Elle
“Lyrical and meditative . . . potently contemplative.” Michele Orecklin, Time
“Perfect.” Jeremy Jackson, People(four stars)
“Major.” Philip Connors, Newsday
“You must read this book. . . . Altogether unlike any other work of fiction, it has sprung forth more than twenty years after Housekeeping with what I can only call amazing grace.” Anne Hulbert, Slate
“So serenely beautiful and written in a prose so gravely measured and thoughtful, that one feels touched with grace just to read it.” Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
“There are passages here of such profound, hard-won wisdom and spiritual insight that they make your own life seem richer. . . . Gilead [is] a quiet, deep celebration of life that you must not miss.” Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor
“Gilead is a refuge for readers longing for that increasingly rare work of fiction, one that explores big ideas while telling a good story. As John Ames might point out, it's a remarkable thing to consider.” Olivia Boler, San Francisco Chronicle
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis follows a family through generations from small town Alabama to Philadelphia in the 80s as they struggle, succeed and learn to care for each other. Mathis joins us to talk about how long it took her to write this book, keeping joy in hard stories, how real events and culture […]
“Schwalbe has done something extraordinary: made a personal journey public in the most engaging, funny, and revealing way possible. It was a true meditation on what books can do.” — Discover alum Edmund de Waal (The Hare with Amber Eyes) on 2012 Discover pick The End of Your Life Book Club. Will Schwalbe talks to Discover Great New Writers about using books as conversational shorthand, how reading is doing something, and wanting to continue the conversation about books.
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Lila (a 2014 National Book Award finalist) on the benefits of loneliness, how characters come to her, and the most important advice she gives to aspiring writers.
Here are fifty incredible literary works destined to become classics (in no particular order!). Many are Pulitzer Prize winners, but there are a few dark horses. If your favorite literary masterpiece has not been included, fret not, the comments section awaits! Tell us about any we’ve missed, any you disagree with, or any you think are […]