30 of the Best Contemporary Fiction Books Everyone Should Read

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You are reading: Best contempory fiction books

These contemporary fiction books will give you plenty of options to add to your lifetime reading list. these are some of the best modern novels, and many of these realistic books straddle the line between literary fiction and popular fiction, making them compelling, easy-to-read, and debatable books.

Looking for the best contemporary fiction books to add to your list of books to read in life? This list of contemporary novels will help you narrow down your own list of modern must-read books.

I’ve written about my reading wish list before and have tips for putting together your own book wish list. while you may not read every book on this list, the contemporary fiction list goes hand in hand with the others in my series on books for your lifetime reading list.

how to use these wish list book lists

I firmly believe that a “reading wish list” or a “must read list for life” (if you don’t like the term wish list) is personal.

Instead of following a prescriptive set of classics defined by someone else, I believe readers should choose books that pique their interest, often beyond entertainment value.

this, to me, is what makes a wish list book. I try to add books to my list that arouse some intellectual and cultural curiosity. I like to use a reading journal to keep track of the books I add to my reading wish list.

A wish list book may not be the easiest to read, or one that I take advantage of to snuggle up with a book, but it is one that stretches my thinking, understanding and/or empathy. sometimes it’s purely literary and sometimes what I’m looking for is a broader cultural or political understanding.

Whatever your reasons for adding a book to your wish list, use these lists as a starting point. You can also check out my tips on how to create a book wish list that will actually get done. And be sure to share your own wish list books in the comments!

If you need a book or two to get started, take the quiz for a personalized recommendation, then check out the full list below.

how I created these book lists

There is no science to putting these lists together; any list like this could include countless books.

my point here is that you think about the books you really want to add to your list of must-read for life. They don’t all have to be classics! I tried to create my own wish list with books from all genres.

The list of fiction books includes popular, realistic and well-reviewed books set in modern times; If these aren’t the kind of books you’re drawn to, create your own lifetime reading list of books from the genres you enjoy.

choosing must-read books from the 20th and 21st centuries

Some of the books on my list are award winners (which sometimes get mixed reviews among regular readers, but are always up for debate), some are books I’ve considered for my own reading list, and some are just books. which I love.

some of the books I have included have had (or are having) a cultural moment (discussions on the subject, literary trends, film adaptations, social or political movements) that have kept them in focus and made them candidates for a must-read wish list.

two examples from recent years: a man named ove and eleanor oliphant is completely fine.

These two quirky solitaire novels follow some recent trends. Will they stand the test of time and be books we’ll be talking about years from now? it’s hard to say, but for now, they epitomize the recent literary trend toward “enlightened” books with an overall positive story that leaves the reader feeling good.

Even awards are getting on board with this light-hearted literary trend, if the recent Pulitzer Prize winner less is any indication. would we add them to our wish lists in 10 or 20 years? time will tell. but many of these books have received so much attention and debate that I would venture to say they are modern classics.

what is contemporary fiction? and, defining the genres

some notes on these lists:

My definitions of gender are rough. I’m defining “contemporary fiction” here as realistic books set in the last thirty years or so, but some may be slightly older or take place over several decades. Overall, I’ve looked at what I consider to be some of the best books of the late 20th and 21st centuries.
For the other lists, some books cross genres as I’ve defined them, but I’ve tried to put most of the books in one list, so you have more to choose from for your own wish list.
I’ve read a lot of these, but when I haven’t read the book yet (or don’t have a nice own review and summary), I’ve included the editor’s summary in italics.

30 of the best modern books that everyone should read

Related: 11 Irresistible Books How Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

related: 11 devastating books like a small life

Buy this list at the bookstore.

others in the series of reading wish lists:

50 books on my reading wish list
30 20th century classics written by women for your reading wish list
30 historical fiction novels for your reading wish list
30 middle grade books for your reading wish list
30 Memoirs and Nonfiction Books for Your Reading Wish List
how to create a reading wish list that will really end

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