Deb Futter’s Must-Read Books

An elegantly handwritten "must reads" list in a bullet journal, invoking the charm of personalized organization and the joy of reading.

Cover of the book "cutting for stone" by abraham verghese, featuring a silhouette of two individuals running against an orange-hued backdrop, suggesting a sunrise or sunset.“An unforgettable journey into one man’s remarkable life, and an epic story about the power, intimacy, and curious beauty of the work of healing others set in 1960s & 1970s Ethiopia and 1980s America.”Classic literature reimagined: a modern artistic cover redesign for leo tolstoy's 'anna karenina,' highlighting a pivotal moment with evocative imagery.“Acclaimed by many as the world’s greatest novel, Anna Karenina provides a vast panorama of contemporary life in Russia and of humanity in general. In it Tolstoy uses his intense imaginative insight to create some of the most memorable characters in literature.”The image shows the cover of a novel titled "brooklyn" by colm tóibín. the cover depicts a vintage storefront, suggesting the setting of the narrative might be related to a bygone era in brooklyn, new york.“Hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking, Colm Tóibín’s sixth novel, Brooklyn, is set in Brooklyn and Ireland in the early 1950s, when one young woman crosses the ocean to make a new life for herself.”Black and white book cover for 'middlesex' by jeffrey eugenides, featuring a silhouetted ship, smoke trails, a reclining figure, and a cityscape, with a gold seal indicating a pulitzer prize win.“Middlesex tells the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City and the race riots of 1967 before moving out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan.”Cover of "the shadow of the wind," a novel by carlos ruiz zafón, featuring a street lamp and a figure walking through a foggy alleyway, reflecting the book's mysterious and gothic atmosphere.“The international literary sensation, about a boy’s quest through the secrets and shadows of postwar Barcelona for a mysterious author whose book has proved as dangerous to own as it is impossible to forget.”Colorful abstract art on the cover of the national bestseller book "euphoria" by lily king, with accolades and review highlights displayed.“Set between two World Wars and inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is an enthralling story of passion, possession, exploration, and sacrifice from accomplished author Lily King.”A beautifully designed book cover for "snow flower and the secret fan" by lisa see, featuring a delicate fan adorned with cherry blossom motifs, symbolizing the novel's themes of femininity and hidden depths.Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.”A conceptual photo composition for the book "marjorie morningstar" by herman wouk, featuring layered images and text, partially depicting a woman's face and the novel's title.“Rich with humor and poignancy, Marjorie Morningstar is a classic love story, one that spans two continents and two decades in the life of its heroine. This unforgettable paean to youthful love and the bittersweet sorrow of a first heartbreak endures as one of Herman Wouk’s most beloved creations.”Cover of 'the remains of the day' by kazuo ishiguro, depicting a stately manor in a serene setting, hinting at a narrative steeped in dignity and introspection.“In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealized love between the butler and his housekeeper.”A book cover for "pachinko" by min jin lee, featuring an artistic illustration with colorful, decorative elements, and mechanical pachinko machine details.“Pat Conroy has created a huge, brash thunderstorm of a novel, stinging with honesty and resounding with drama. Spanning forty years, this is the story of turbulent Tom Wingo, his gifted and troubled twin sister Savannah, and their struggle to triumph over the dark and tragic legacy of the extraordinary family into which they were born.”“Crossing to Safety has, since its publication in 1987, established itself as one of the greatest and most cherished American novels of the twentieth century. Tracing the lives, loves, and aspirations of two couples who move between Vermont and Wisconsin, it is a work of quiet majesty, deep compassion, and powerful insight into the alchemy of friendship and marriage.”“‘As nearly perfect as any American fiction I know,’ is how Reynolds Price of The New York Times described this classic that has been a favorite of readers, both here and in Europe, for almost forty years. Set in provincial France in the 1960s, it is the intensely carnal story—part shocking reality, part feverish dream —of a love affair between a footloose Yale dropout and a young French girl.”“Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan.”

Black and white drawing of five books standing upright and stacked together in a row.

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