Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread

Pulitzer Prize winner and influential The New York Times literary critic Mitiko Kakutani, in a richly illustrated collection, presents the most important books of our time—and explains why everyone should read them.

Why are books so important? Mitiko Kakutani, a critic of world renown, is convinced: literature can bring people together regardless of cultural differences, national borders, and historical epochs. Reading helps you understand the lives of people unlike us, and share their joys and losses. In “Ex Libris,” Kakutani writes about more than 100 books: texts that shaped her life, key works of contemporary literature, and books that help you better understand the world we live in today.

In this collection of essays, readers will discover books by current authors, revisit classics worth reading again, and also meet the most significant works of nonfiction, biographies, and memoirs. Don DeLillo, Elena Ferrante, William Gibson, Ian McEwan, Vladimir Nabokov, and Jorge Luis Borges—nonfiction about medicine, politics, and the digital revolution; children’s and young adult books—just a small part of what the book contains.

Illustrated with stylish author’s drawings reminiscent of old ex libris prints, the book helps readers navigate the boundless world of literature and better understand what’s happening within it. “Ex Libris” is a real gift for everyone who loves reading.