100 books like The Riddles of Epsilon

I think this novel did more to open white minds to the needless social harm of racism than any other book. It’s almost unparalleled success in reaching American readers of all ages, in my view, places it at or very near the top of the list of great American fiction.

Though not Harper Lee’s intent, her literary and commercial blockbuster remains an enduring tutorial for writers like me:  writers preoccupied with storytelling and the voices telling it. Sometimes, after a long writing session, I read a random chapter of Mockingbird to relax and to keep myself modest.

I highly recommend this book. It is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that delves deeply into themes of identity, gaming culture, and social justice. The story follows Kiera Johnson, a high school student who secretly develops a virtual reality game called SLAY, designed to celebrate Black culture.

The writing is exceptionally well-crafted, and the characters are richly developed, making it a gripping read that resonates on multiple levels. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary young adult fiction with a strong, empowering message.

This book left me utterly speechless; words alone cannot capture the depth of my admiration and love for it. As a long-time fan of Stephen King’s work, I had stopped reading his recent novels because I felt they didn't measure up to his earlier masterpieces. However, when my daughter recommended it to me, insisting I would love it, she was absolutely right.

I devoured all 598 pages over a single weekend. The story captivated me from start to finish, rekindling my appreciation for King's unparalleled storytelling. I was especially drawn to the characters Charlie and Radar, the dog, whose journey and relationship added layers of emotion and intrigue to an already gripping narrative. This isn't just a book; it's an experience that will stay with me for a long time. 

This is a delightful children’s book set in the captivating Victorian era. It follows the adventures of Wilson, a charming Dalmatian dog. Throughout the story, young readers are taken on a journey with Wilson as he diligently performs his duties to keep his family safe. The combination of historical elements with the heartwarming experiences of a faithful pet adds a special touch to the narrative.

Told from Wilson’s perspective, the book not only engages children but also offers an enjoyable read for adults, especially those sharing the story with young ones. The portrayal of Wilson’s roles and responsibilities provides an enriching learning experience about the past, making it a cherished read for all ages.

Nellie McClung, one of the “famous five,” is a well-known name in Canadian history for her role in fighting for the vote for women. But it turns out she was also a eugenicist. This book does a great job of knitting those two elements together and explaining not just why so many early feminists also believed in eugenic principles but how those principles were part of the same thinking. One of the challenges in understanding eugenics is answering the question of how it was that ideas, which we find repugnant today, had such power a hundred years ago. Devereux’s Introduction is one of the best things I have read to help grapple with that question.

John Grodzinski was a career army officer in the Canadian military and a professor of history at the RMC. He is also a personal friend of many years. His subject, Sir George Prevost, is one of the neglected heroes of the War of 1812. He was neglected at the time, as the attention of the Government in London was far more engaged by Napoleon than President Madison; neglected thereafter in favour of more glamorous subjects. But it was Prevost’s defensive plans and actions that preserved Canada from the American invasions of 181. Much went wrong as well as right thereafter, and Prevost took the blame. John Grod’s book provides a thoroughly balanced look at what actually happened and why. Having myself been in command of a theatre of military operations far from home, I understand the stresses and strains, and the loneliness of command that Prevost knew all too well.

We all need rock stars to idolize, and mine is Alice Munro, a Canadian writer whose books are mostly short story collections about the quietly intense lives of farmers and townspeople in rural Canada.

I’m from a generation of writers who learned about writing through the stories of Alice Munro, Anton Chekhov, and Raymond Carver, among others. Choosing my favorite Munro book is a challenge—for decades I read them all over and over—but if I had to, I’d say it’s Dance of the Happy Shades.

No one understands better what it’s like to be an adolescent girl than Alice Munro, and no one is more gifted at portraying it, particularly in the stories “An Ounce of Cure” and “Red Dress—1946,” with such generous characterizations and courageous honesty.

I instantly fell in love with this book's MC, Rowena. She’s just so stinking relatable, and when her world starts to spiral into a dark hell, a la Black Mirror, she has to decide who she is going to believe in order to save herself and her baby girl.

The whole time I read this one, I wondered what I would do. Who would I believe if I were her? I love that feeling of being suspended in dread and the unknown as I read a thriller. This one delivered that for me.

Nobody for my dollar moves between front story and back story better than the Canadian author Alice Munro, whose 2013 Nobel Prize was recognition not only for the brilliance of her career but also for the possibilities of the short story as a form.

The final story in the collection Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, “The Bear Came Over the Mountain,” is among the most lasting fiction I’ve read, a meditation on memory and its limitations, as well as the compromises people make to help those they love and have hurt.

I love the way there is a mystery within a mystery. A group of actors is staging a play for the benefit of the passengers on a transcontinental train trip across Canada. The protagonist, who is undercover and posing as a waiter, befriends the lead actor and takes a page out of Hamlet, using the play to pressure the villain into making a mistake and incriminating himself. Accurate details about working as a waiter lend a sense of ‘David versus Goliath’ to the storyline.