Taylor Larsen is the author of Stranger, Father, Beloved.
There are certain books that hit me just the right away. Books I took the time to reread and made me want to become a writer. These books are special, and some of them don’t have the readership I think they deserve. Some are by very famous authors, but these are the books that aren’t mentioned often, the hidden gems.
Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One of the most powerful and perfect descriptions of passionate love and obsession, Garcia Marquez’ tale is short and sweet and tells the tale of a priest who falls in love with a young girl affected by rabies. Talk about taking risks, this book shows just how obsessed two people can be with one another and the true power of lust.
The Laws of Evening by Mary Yukari Waters
Yukari Waters was honored with a prize for this excellent story collection, but I am still shocked that more people haven’t read her. I would call it a perfect story collection—each piece is flawless, subtle, and powerful. When this book came out years ago, I bought it for everyone I knew for Christmas and I teach her stories all the time. This is a real masterpiece.
About This Life: Journeys on the Threshold of Memory by Barry Lopez
This book of essays could be categorized as travel writing, but like most great books, it defies exact genre characterization. The word I would use to describe this book is rich. Lopez covers an astonishing amount of ground in this collection—his essays explore everything from life in Hokkaido Japan to his desire and attempts to bury all “roadkill” he sees on his road trips in the US. He has a deep reverence for animals. His point of view is always unique and his sadness at the cultural traditions falling out of practice is poignant. He fights for dignity in his quiet way and observes the world and people with an insight so deep it feels revelatory on each page.
Nine Inches by Tom Perrotta
Tom Perrotta is obviously quite accomplished and many of his novels and stories are widely read. This story collection needs to be read more. It is so rare to read a story collection in which all the stories are strong, and I devoured this book as if I were eating candy—I couldn’t stop reading it. This is a true accomplishment and it deserves as wide an audience as his other works, such as Little Children and The Leftovers.
Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town by Elyssa East
I was blown away by the pure sophistication of this book. East manages to weave together memoir, discussions of art, historical research of a very specific time and place, in with a murder mystery. The different elements come together like magic, and I found myself scratching my head in wonder at East’s deep insights into the world around her and the strange location that is Dogtown, adjacent to Gloucester Massachusetts.
Fat Girl: A True Story by Judith Moore
This book killed me. I don’t read a ton of memoir but stumbled upon this book many years ago and was immediately gripped by its deep honesty and her narrative style that is totally immersive. It is a compact book that reflects on self-hatred and agony, and it does so without apology. Weight obsession in our culture has never been examined in such a deep and personal way.
The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
For once, a book that is free or irony and misery, but instead explores a simple love story in a seaside town in Japan. It shows the vulnerability of love and first experiences of sensuality. This gorgeous short novel shows the beauty inherent in nature and in people.
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Thank God this book is so widely read and admired. I have taught it to students probably a hundred times and still enjoy reading it after all that reading and analysis. Students who don’t like reading at all found themselves completely hooked and riveted by this journey into slavery and racist norms that persisted in the 1970’s. It’s just really a masterpiece in so many senses of the word.
The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley
How do I love thee, Loney, let me count the ways…I was totally obsessed with this book for all of 2016. It’s maudlin tone, its offbeat sense of humor, the fantastically described setting, the cast of characters—all of it delighted me in a way I can’t begin to describe. I recommended it to some people and they did not have the same reaction I did, though they respected and enjoyed it. I think you have to have a deep love for dark classics and creaky old houses to enjoy this book. You also have to have a truly bizarre sense of humor.
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
Whoa! What a unique writer and a unique book! I was constantly surprised while reading this and Oyeyemi’s rich characters were a delight to explore. I am fascinated by books that analyze race in a sophisticated manner, and she certainly does.
After Dark by Haruki Murakami
Here again we have an ultra-famous author, but this book isn’t mentioned as one of his jewels, and I think it should be. This novel is short and sweet and contains many of the elements he explores in his longer novels: enigmatic girls, unexpected violence, and the mysteries of love. But here they are presented in a totally unique way by exploring the relationship between sisters: one awake and awkward and one mysteriously asleep and beautiful.
