From ‘the most powerful book critic in the English-speaking world’ () comes an inspiring and beautifully illustrated selection of the life-changing books that none of us should missVanity Fair

‘Why do we love books so much?’

For legendary literary critic Michiko Kakutani, books have always been an escape and a sanctuary, the characters of some novels feeling so real to her childhood self that she worried they might leap out of the pages at night if she left the book cover open. In , she offers a personal selection of over 100 works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, with passionate essays on why each has had a profound effect on her life.Ex Libris

From Homer’s to and Margaret Atwood’s to Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, covers a rich and vast range of classics, old and new, that will help build a well-rounded reader and citizen of the world. With gorgeous illustrations by lettering artist Dana Tanamachi that evoke vintage bookplates leafed between Kakutani’s inspiring essays, points us to our next great read – and proves an unmissable reminder of why we fell in love with reading in the first place.The OdysseyThe Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.The Handmaid’s TaleEx LibrisEx Libris