PEOPLE Picks the Best Books of the 2010s, From “Swamplandia! ”to “Being Mortal”

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

When Natalia, a young Balkan doctor, is trying to understand her grandfather's mysterious death, she looks to his beloved copy ofThe Jungle Book – and discovers a surprising legend that she never knew before. Natalia learns more about her family, and their secrets, in this spellbinding novel.

‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Groff’s acclaimed novel details the 24-year marriage between Lotto, whose acting career whisks him away from the Florida town where he grew up and Mathilde, an art gallerist who harbors devastating secrets from her past. The duo’s love and creative partnership have always been admired, but there’s more to their relationship than meets the eye.

‘There There’ by Tommy Orange

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Orange’s novel, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, follows multiple members of Native American communities, including Jacquie Red Feather, a recovering alcoholic, Dene Oxedene, who is grieving the loss of his uncle and Orvil, a teen eager to learn more about his history.

‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Ava Bigtree grew up on Swamplandia, her family’s theme park and home in the Florida Everglades. When her mother suddenly falls ill — leaving Ava’s father distraught, her sister seeking questionable romantic partners and her brother abandoning the family — Ava embarks on her own mission, in this bestselling read.

‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Henrietta Lacks was a Southern tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her consent. Called HeLa cells, they soon became a landmark discovery in modern medicine, and were a crucial element in developments like the polio vaccine and in vitro fertilization. The person these cells were taken from, however, remained unknown for years. Skloot’s book follows the Lacks family as they learned what happened to their relative, and opens important questions about bioethics, medical testing and its impact on humans.

‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

This Booktok sensation tells the story of Evelyn Hugo, an aging Hollywood actress who is opening up about her life for the first time to young journalist Monique Grant. Throughout their conversations, Evelyn reveals the truth of her life off-screen, as well as her many marriages, which leads Monique to discover that their lives hold a breadth of curious similarities.

‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist, is given an exciting assignment that takes her on a luxury cruise. Her pleasant trip, however, is interrupted when Lo witnesses a woman being thrown overboard — only to wake up the next morning and learn that all of the ship’s passengers are accounted for. Lo embarks on a thrilling investigation in this unsettling mystery novel.

‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

This Pulitzer Prize-winning book documents the history of cancer, including centuries of medical discoveries, breakthroughs and treatments. Described as “a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist,” Mukherjee’s writing examines the disease with care and precision.

‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Wilkerson’s stunning account of the Great Migration — in which six million Black Americans left the South for northern and western cities between 1917 and 1970 — is an informative and deeply-researched book. Told through the perspectives of three figures from the era, including Ida Mae Gladney, George Starling and Robert Foster, the book examines a chapter of American history through an analytical and personal lens.

‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Gawande, a practicing surgeon, examines aging and death through the lens of his own personal experiences. Looking back at stories from his family and patients, as well as the evolution of end-of-life care, this moving book a thought-provoking and introspective look at our mortality.

‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Photographer Sally Mann has long been renowned for her images, but in this ambitious memoir, she’s turning her lens toward her own family. As Mann looked through her family’s documents and pictures, she uncovered a history of “deceit and scandal” and “clandestine affairs,” per the memoir's description. This book is a culmination of her findings and reckons with the artist's own legacy.

‘White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America’ by Nancy Isenberg

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

Isenberg’s history of the American class system utilizes rhetoric, policy, literature and scientific theory to examine the stratification of our country. A pivotal conversation-starter.

‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

In 1862, while the Civil War rages on, Willie Lincoln, the son of president Abraham Lincoln, is on his deathbed in the White House. In this moving novel, Saunders reimagines what happens to Willie after he dies, when he’s stuck in a state of purgatory, living amongst ghosts and searching for what will become of his soul.

‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

‘The Tiger’s Wife’ by Téa Obreht, ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff, ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange, ‘Swamplandia!’ by Karen Russell, ‘The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware, ‘Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, ‘Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawande, ‘Hold Still’ by Sally Mann, ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ by George Saunders, ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

When poet and musician Patti Smith moved to New York City in the ‘60s, she was a struggling artist trying to make ends meet. Soon, she met photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and the two artists formed a unique creative partnership. Smith pays tribute to their one-of-a-kind bond in this National Book Award-winning memoir.

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