Best books ... chosen by Yann Martel
Yann Martel is the author of the novel Life of Pi, winner of the 2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Beatrice and Virgil, his third novel, was published last month by Spiegel & Grau.
The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati (David R. Godine, $18). A sober and luminous novel about a man who waits his whole life for his life to start. You read it and then you want to run out and act.
The Gift by Lewis Hyde (Vintage, $15). A work of nonfiction that looks at the meaning of gift-giving, of giving without seeking monetary reward in return. I read it—and wished damn money didn’t exist.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (Prestwick House, $4). Forget what you think you know about the story. It starts as a fairly conventional gothic horror story—until you get to the last chapter. There, you find one of the greatest descriptions in literature of the battle between good and evil in the human heart. We are all good Dr. Jekylls, and the moral question put to each of us by the novel is the same: What will you do with the evil Mr. Hyde lurking in you?
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Anchor, $11). A remarkably evenhanded account of the colonization of Nigeria by the British. It’s a subtle, poignant story about the tragic clash between two civilizations that met and showed each other their worst sides.
The Divine Comedy by Dante, as translated by John Ciardi (New American Library, $19). From 14th-century Italy, one of the great allegories of world literature. Nothing stuffy or boring about it. It’s a moral map of the world Dante lived in, filled with evil characters but also the possibility of redemption.
Property by Valerie Martin (Vintage, $14). Property is about the insidious nature of injustice, how a system that is corrupt perverts not only its victims but also its victimizers. In this case, the injustice is slavery in the American South in the early 19th century. Manon Gaudet owns Sarah, but slavery owns Manon’s soul. A searing and gripping tale.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Millet: Life on the Land – an 'absorbing' exhibition
The Week Recommends Free exhibition at the National Gallery showcases the French artist's moving paintings of rural life
-
Scientists are speeding up evolution
Under the radar Proteins can evolve in minutes
-
Crossword: August 29, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War II
Feature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short stories
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationships
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
Aysegul Savas' 6 favorite books for readers who love immersive settings
Feature The Paris-based Turkish author recommends works by Hiromi Kawakami, Virginia Woolf, and more
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of war
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Thomas Mallon's 6 favorite books from the 80's and early 90's
Feature The author recommends works by James Merrill, Calvin Trillin, and more