A year into the pandemic, readers know more than ever: the act of picking up a book can be transformative. When lockdown orders swept the U.S. beginning in March 2020, many turned to books to help escape – or confront – the unknown. Some readers favored light distraction, while others flocked to narratives that tackled pandemics head-on. Virtual book clubs kept readers connected, and rallying cries to support independent bookstores echoed around the Internet. While we were confined to our homes, books kept us going and allowed us to discover new worlds without going anywhere. To reflect on a year of reading in isolation, TIME asked nine fan-favorite authors to share the books that have brightened their days, provoked them or simply helped carry them through.
Time: 9 authors on the books that got them through a year of the pandemic
A man reads a book while standing on line for free COVID-19 anti-body testing at Bellevue Hospital on August 19, 2020 in New York.
