10 Best Books of the 21st Century

The New York Times has been gradually revealing its picks for the best 100 books of the 21st century, and the complete list is now here. More than 500 writers, critics, and others weighed in, with Italian author Elena Ferrante (a pseudonym) getting top honors for My Brilliant Friend of 2012. "Reading this uncompromising, unforgettable novel is like riding a bike on gravel: It's gritty and slippery and nerve-racking, all at the same time," reads the Times explanation. The top 10 on the list:

1. My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante; translated by Ann Goldstein (2012)
2. The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson (2010)
3. Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel (2009)
4. The Known World, Edward P. Jones (2003)
5. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)
6. 2666, Roberto Bolaño; translated by Natasha Wimmer (2008)
7. The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead (2016)
8. Austerlitz, W.G. Sebald; translated by Anthea Bell (2001)
9. Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro 2005
10. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)

Read the full list, going back to No. 100—Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson in 2007—along with brief descriptions of each book and explanations of why they made the cut. (More books stories.)