Best 11 Famous Writers Books to Read in 2025
Explore books about famous writers. Discover their lives, struggles and successes in these engaging reads that highlight literary legends.
Ready to embark on a literary journey? We’ve gathered a list of 11 captivating books that shine a spotlight on famous writers, exploring their lives, loves, and the magic within their pages. Our selection focuses on storytelling that brings these literary legends to life, covering a range of genres and time periods. Whether it’s the historical draping of the Jazz Age or the mystical allure of the magical realism, each book promises to offer a unique perspective on the world of famous writers.
On this list:
11 The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
This book gives a glimpse into the world of Ernest Hemingway through the eyes of his first wife. It’s like peering into a celebrity marriage, but with typewriters.
10 Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
Fitzgerald fans will be hooked as it showcases Zelda’s perspective. We love the crazy Jazz Era and her undeniable influence on Scott’s work.
9 Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
A wild ride through the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney. You might start fancying architecture after this one!
8 The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s life and work, this novel cleverly entwines three stories. This makes us want to revisit our Woolf collection pronto.
7 The Master by Colm Tóibín
There’s nothing like living in the shoes of Henry James for a bit. We laughed and cried, as we stumbled through his elegant world.
6 The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
A sprawling family saga with shades of Faulkner. And boy, does Erdrich do it justice. Make sure you have tissues at hand!
5 Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes
This book is part literary critique, part biography, and weaves the fictional with the real. Funny and insightful, Barnes has us chuckling.
4 The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Set in WW2-era Paris, it delves into the lives of librarians and writers. Our inner bookworms couldn’t resist this treat.
3 Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Murakami’s trademark surrealism fills this novel. Cats talk, fish fall from the sky, and you get lost as disoriented as Kafka himself.
2 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Lee nails it when showcasing an intelligent writer’s world. Its heart-wrenching narrative, we think, makes it an essential in any reader’s collection.
1 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
We crown this the best because it’s a tale of books, love, and mystery. The story keeps readers glued with its plot twists. Set in a post-war Barcelona, it captures a world intertwined with literature’s charm. Each character feels like they’ve leapt right out of our very own libraries. And as every book-lover knows, the magic of discovering a hidden gem on the shelf is unparalleled. Its eerie Cemetery of Forgotten Books will linger long after the last page. For anyone who breaths books, this one’s a tale of famed writers that echoes long and true.
