Best books ... chosen by Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin is the author of the Inspector Rebus novels, one of Scotland’s most popular literary exports. The series finale, Exit Music, will be out in paperback next month. Rankin’s first art-world thril
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Norton, $14). I first read this during high school, because I wasn’t old enough to see the 1971 film at the cinema. I loved the language, story, and structure. I started scribbling stories about my own experiences, so really this is the book that got me writing.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (Harper Perennial, $13). I studied this novel at university and marveled at its conciseness and depth. Spark packs so much into each sentence and scene. It’s also very funny, with moments of tragedy and horror.
Laidlaw by William McIlvanney (Harvest, $15). Again, I read this at university, just as I was beginning to sketch out what would become my first Inspector Rebus novel. McIlvanney brought depth and nuance to the crime story, showing us the effect crime has on those who investigate it.
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.
Players by Jilly Cooper (Ballantine, $23; originally published in the U.K. under the title Rivals). My wife and I moved to France in 1990, and I set out to become a full-time writer. Our first winter we were snowed in, and the only book in the house I hadn’t read was this one. It managed to defrost me with its bawdy, well-researched look behind the scenes at a British television company.
A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell (University of Chicago, $93 for the complete set). I’m cheating, because this is a connected series of 12 novels, which encompass the lifetime of the hero, a novelist not unlike Powell himself. Powell’s prose is exquisite, his characters memorable, and he has a keen understanding of what makes us human.
Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot (Harvest, $9). I studied these poems in high school and come back to them every decade or so. As I grow older, they become ever more meaningful as a meditation on the passing of time and the span of human life. They are opaque, humane, moving, and I look forward to reading them again … in time.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
October 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being released
The Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytelling
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
-
Elizabeth Gilbert’s favorite books about women overcoming difficulties
Feature The author recommends works by Tove Jansson, Lauren Groff, and more
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imagination
Feature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
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