The early 2000s was a time of change. A new century brought new ideas, and that was no different within the book world as well.
In celebration of PEOPLEâs 50th anniversary, PEOPLE staffers are looking back on some of their favorite books of the decade. From novels, memoirs and nonfiction accounts, read on to see some of the PEOPLE staffâs favorite books from the 2000s.
âKitchen Confidentialâ by Anthony Bourdain
What began as an article late chef Bourdain wrote for The New Yorker expanded into this seminal book about the real happenings in restaurant kitchens. A memoir of Bourdainâs years in the industry, and touching upon sex, love and cuisine, this is a must-read.
âThe Blind Assassinâ by Margaret Atwood
Atwoodâs novel begins with the mysterious death of writer Laura Chase in 1945, which her younger sister, Iris, soon relays as just one of many tragedies to plague their family over the years. Told through multiple storylines, the haunting secrets of the Chase family are revealed in this suspenseful and romantic novel.
âWhite Teethâ by Zadie Smith
In the wake of World War II, veterans Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal become unlikely friends, though the families they create come with their own complications. Archieâs marriage to Clara, a younger Jamaican woman, leads their daughter Irie to question her upbringing. Samadâs arranged marriage gifts him with twins, who he attempts to steer toward his Islamic faith. Smithâs stunning debut novel cemented her as one of the best writers of her generation.
âThe Roadâ by Cormac McCarthy
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows a father and son as they walk through a barren landscape after the apocalypse. Armed with nothing but a pistol, a meager supply of food and each other, the pair are tested in this story of survival and love.
âThe Correctionsâ by Jonathan Franzen
Enid has been a wife and mother for nearly 50 years and her family is in disarray. Her eldest son, Gary, is attempting to hide signs of clinical depression, middle child Chip has lost his job in academia, only daughter Denise is having an affair with a married man and Enidâs beloved husband, Alfred, has Parkinsonâs disease. In an attempt to bring everyone back together, Enid calls her family home for one last Christmas together in this seminal novel from Franzen.
âLife of Piâ by Yann Martell
After a devastating shipwreck on the Pacific Ocean, two survivors remain: a 16-year-old boy named Pi and a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Over the 227 days that the pair is lost at sea, they must learn to coexist, as Martell recounts in this acclaimed novel that later became a much-loved film.
âPersepolis: The Story of a Childhoodâ by Marjane Satrapi
This graphic novel follows Satrapi and her childhood in Tehran throughout the Islamic Revolution. Amidst the horrors of war, the girl learns much about her family, her country and herself in this wise and poignant read.
âBee Seasonâ by Myla Goldberg
Growing up with her scholarly father, lawyer mother and spiritual brother, Eliza Naumann never felt like she fit in. But when Eliza qualifies for her districtâs spelling bee, the familyâs dynamics suddenly shift, and Eliza must figure out how to right things once they upend into chaos. An astute coming-of-age tale.
âThe Time Travelerâs Wifeâ by Audrey Niffenegger
Henry DeTamble, a librarian, is gifted with the ability to travel through time. When he falls for Claire, an artist who has a typical lifespan, the two must navigate their love story across decades, which will test them like never before. This sweeping modern classic is also available to stream as a Max series.
âMe Talk Pretty One Dayâ by David Sedaris
One of the humoristâs best-known works, this essay collection covers multiple episodes from Sedarisâ life, including a move to Paris (and his misadventures in the city before learning French), his upbringing in suburban North Carolina, where he tried to get rid of his childhood lisp, and his time working odd â and extremely memorable â jobs in New York.
âConfessions of a Shopaholicâ by Sophia Kinsella
The first book in Kinsellaâs acclaimed series, this novel follows Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist with a serious shopping addiction. When she starts work on a one-of-a-kind story, her job soon leads to a transforming moment in her own life. If you like the book, it might be time for a rewatch of the classic 2009 film too.
âSalt: A World Historyâ by Mark Kurlansky
We may think of salt as just another spice cabinet essential, but this nonfiction book looks at its relevance in our culture. From its history of being used as currency to its vital contributions to trade routes, cities and revolutions, Salt is an informative, yet entertaining examination of a compound we often take for granted.
âThe Night of the Gunâ by David Carr
Journalist David Carr spent his career breaking stories, but turns his considerable skills toward his own life in this moving memoir. The writer reflects on how he went from being an addict to a New York Times correspondent, and through interviews, legal and medical records and years of reporting, Carr presents a one-of-a-kind story about the power of changing our lives.
âThe Glass Castleâ by Jeannette Walls
Wallsâ moving memoir details her unconventional childhood, in which she and her siblings were raised by a father who was an enthusiastic teacher when sober, and the opposite when drunk, as well as a mother who railed against a domestic life. The Glass Castle has also been turned into a film starring Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson.
âThe Namesakeâ by Jhumpa Lahiri
This family saga follows the Ganguliâs, who immigrate from India to Massachusetts. Their son, Gogol, named for the Russian poet, represents the divide between his parentsâ old and new life, in this beloved novel of identity and love.
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