Contemporary Novels: Delving into the Stories of Today

A Little Life is a 2015 novel by Hanya Yanagihara that follows the lives of four friends in New York City over the course of several decades.

The Nickel Boys is a 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead that tells the story of two boys who are sent to a reform school in Florida in the 1960s.

Normal People is a 2018 novel by Sally Rooney that follows the relationship between Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron from their teenage years through their university years.

The Friend is a 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez that tells the story of a woman who takes in her friend's Great Dane after his death.

Americanah is a 2013 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that tells the story of a young Nigerian woman who moves to the United States to attend university.

The Overstory is a 2018 novel by Richard Powers that tells the story of a group of activists who are fighting to protect the forests.

The Underground Railroad is a 2016 novel by Colson Whitehead that tells the story of Cora Randall, a slave who escapes from a plantation in Georgia and travels north on the Underground Railroad.

The Hate U Give is a 2017 novel by Angie Thomas that tells the story of Starr Carter, a black teenager who witnesses the shooting of her friend Khalil Harris by a police officer.

To Paradise is a 2022 novel by Hanya Yanagihara that follows the lives of a group of friends in New York City over the course of three centuries.

The Testaments is a 2019 novel by Margaret Atwood that tells the story of two young women who are living in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that has taken over the United States.

The Dutch House is a 2019 novel by Ann Patchett that tells the story of Danny Conroy, a young man who grows up in a wealthy family's sprawling estate.

The Friend is a 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez that tells the story of a woman who takes in her friend's Great Dane after his death.

Americanah is a 2013 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that tells the story of a young Nigerian woman who moves to the United States to attend university.

The Overstory is a 2018 novel by Richard Powers that tells the story of a group of activists who are fighting to protect the forests.

The Underground Railroad is a 2016 novel by Colson Whitehead that tells the story of Cora Randall, a slave who escapes from a plantation in Georgia and travels north on the Underground Railroad.