The first two titles:
Disgrace by J.M. CoetzeeRead about all six of Vida's picks.
A literature professor in Cape Town is accused of sexual harassment and escapes to the South African countryside, where he and his daughter become the targets of a more primal sort of crime. A dark, haunting novel about violence, race, and honor.
A Heart So White by Javier Marías
Javier Marías is a best-seller in Europe, but he remains relatively unknown here. This book, a mystery of sorts, deserves your attention. It starts with a woman killing herself on her honeymoon, and includes playful meditations on prostitution, mistaken identity, and, yes, love.
Vida's second novel, Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name, has just been published by Ecco. She is the co-editor of The Believer magazine.
--Marshal Zeringue