The Greatest of the Great Books

Since 1986, BookWomen reading groups have selected their annual Great Books—titles that intrigued, inspired, and sparked the best discussions. Here, then, are the Greatest of the Great Books: the 200 titles so powerful they captivated multiple reading groups—the books they simply had to share.

36 Views of Mount Fuji 36 Views of Mount Fuji  History  Cathy N. Davidson
84, Charing Cross Road 84, Charing Cross Road  Literary Collections  Helene Hanff
A Chorus of Stones A Chorus of Stones  Social Science  Susan Griffin
A Map of the World A Map of the World  Fiction  Jane Hamilton
A Thousand Acres A Thousand Acres  Fiction  Jane Smiley
Alias Grace Alias Grace  Fiction  Margaret Atwood
All Passion Spent All Passion Spent  Fiction  Vita Sackville-West
Almanac of the Dead Almanac of the Dead  Fiction  Leslie Marmon Silko
Americanah Americanah  Fiction  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Ancestral Truths Ancestral Truths  Fiction  Sara Maitland
Animal Dreams Animal Dreams  Fiction  Barbara Kingsolver
Annapurna, a Woman’s Place Annapurna, a Woman’s Place  Biography & Autobiography  Arlene Blum
Anything We Love Can Be Saved Anything We Love Can Be Saved  Biography & Autobiography  Alice Walker
Aphrodite Aphrodite  Biography & Autobiography  Isabel Allende
Astrid and Veronika Astrid and Veronika  Fiction  Linda Olsson
Bailey’s Cafe Bailey’s Cafe  Fiction  Gloria Naylor

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