For me, picking a single favorite book is a little bit like picking my favorite child--the question seems terribly unfair, and the answer changes by the hour. But naming my nine favorite books is easy; I came up with this list in the time it took to brew a pot of coffee. These are the ones that found me at the exact right moment, whose characters still whisper in my ear. I've listed them in the order in which they appeared.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
I think of Harriet as an ornery alternative to Nancy Drew. She's misanthropic, misunderstood, and sometimes a little bit mean, but she'll teach you everything you need to know about becoming a writer. Worth rereading as an adult.
The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
This book takes place in Habit, Kentucky, at St. Elizabeth's home for unwed mothers. I can picture it as clearly as my own grandmother's house, even though I've never set foot in Kentucky.
Dubliners by James Joyce
I read this book in college, in Dublin, while wearing my first pair of Doc Martens. It was the one time in my life when I felt like a member of the literati. I still revisit these stories, if only to feel mortified by the notes I jotted in their margins.
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
In the middle of a tense family vacation, a woman takes a walk on the beach...and just keeps walking. Call it aspirational fiction, fantasy, or self-help, but there's a moment every summer when Delia Grinstead is my hero.
Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore
This is tied with Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood for my favorite book about a friendship between girls. This is not a cheerful or heartwarming story, but it captures a particular moment of adolescence so perfectly, it's still my gold standard.
Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
Laurie Colwin kept me company during lonely spaghetti dinners in my first apartment. Her recipes taught me how to cook up a life in New York City, and she still makes me forget that my sauce is from a jar.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Welcome to a lighthearted, funny page-turner wrapped around a bigger question: Are you the kind of parent you thought you'd be before you had kids? If the answer is a resounding no, you must meet Alice.
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
I'm a sucker for a sweeping family saga, especially one involving dysfunction, resentment, and gorgeous real estate. MAINE is as close as I'll come to having an ancestral family home, and the view is breathtaking.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
This acclaimed tragic and transcendent hymn is a masterful depiction of heartbreak, a dark examination of the tyranny of memory, and the limits of human endurance.
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Elisabeth Egan is the author of the debut novel, A Window Opens.
This list was originally published on Off the Shelf, a daily blog that connects great readers with great books.
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