- Musical Instruments That Nearly Disappeared From History - October 20, 2025
- 28 Must-Read Books Recommended by Nobel Prize Winners - October 20, 2025
- 18 Books That Completely Changed Their Genres - October 20, 2025
1. J.K. Rowling and the Magic of Modern Fantasy
Few writers have done for fantasy what J.K. Rowling did with “Harry Potter.” When the first book hit shelves in 1997, it didn’t just become a bestseller—it ignited a global frenzy. Rowling’s wizarding world brought fantasy out of the niche and into mainstream pop culture, inspiring a whole generation to read. According to a 2024 survey, over 500 million Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide, making it one of the best-selling series ever. The franchise spawned movies, games, and even a hit Broadway play. Rowling’s blend of mystery, friendship, and magic shifted publishing trends and made fantasy cool for young and old readers alike. She opened doors for a wave of new fantasy authors, forever altering the landscape of children’s literature.
2. George R.R. Martin: Epic Grit in Fantasy
George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series rewrote the rules of epic fantasy with its brutal realism and intricate politics. Unlike earlier fantasy, Martin’s world was deeply flawed and unforgiving, with no character safe from sudden death. The HBO adaptation, “Game of Thrones,” became a cultural phenomenon, drawing over 19 million viewers for its final season in 2019. By refusing to stick to traditional notions of good and evil, Martin created a grimmer, more morally complex vision of fantasy, leading to what critics call “grimdark” fiction. His success inspired a new wave of gritty, unpredictable fantasy novels, changing what readers expect from the genre.
3. Toni Morrison: The Soul of American Literature
Toni Morrison’s novels, particularly “Beloved,” brought African American experiences to the forefront of literary fiction. Morrison used lyrical prose and haunting narratives to explore themes of identity, trauma, and history. Her Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 marked a turning point, with her works now studied in classrooms around the world. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, Morrison’s books are among the most assigned contemporary novels in American universities. She forced literature to reckon with its past and present, and inspired countless writers to tell stories once silenced.
4. Stephen King: The Master of Modern Horror
Stephen King’s influence on horror is almost supernatural. Since the 1970s, his books have sold over 400 million copies, according to his publisher’s 2023 data. King’s ability to blend the ordinary and the terrifying has made horror accessible to millions. His characters are everyday people—teachers, kids, writers—making the horror hit closer to home. Films and TV series based on his novels, like “It” and “The Shining,” have become classics. King’s success launched a boom in horror publishing and brought the genre out from the shadows into mainstream culture.
5. Margaret Atwood: Dystopia with a Feminist Edge
Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” became a defining work of dystopian fiction, especially after its Emmy-winning TV adaptation in 2017. Atwood’s vision of a future where women’s rights are stripped away has resonated with new generations, especially amid real-world debates about gender and politics. The novel, first published in 1985, surged back onto bestseller lists in 2016 and 2017, showing its ongoing relevance. Atwood’s blend of literary style and speculative fiction has inspired a wave of feminist dystopias, changing how readers and writers see the genre.
6. Agatha Christie: The Queen of Crime
Agatha Christie’s detective stories, especially those featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, set the standard for the mystery genre. With over 2 billion copies sold, Christie is recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling novelist of all time. Her ingenious plots, filled with red herrings and clever twists, have become templates for countless mystery writers. Christie’s enduring popularity proves that a well-crafted mystery never goes out of style. Today, her works are translated into over 100 languages, and new TV and film adaptations keep her legacy alive.
7. Gabriel García Márquez: The Father of Magical Realism
Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” is often cited as the definitive work of magical realism, blending fantastical elements with real-life history and politics. Published in 1967, the novel has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, according to recent publishing statistics. Márquez’s approach gave a voice to Latin American culture and history in a way that was both universal and deeply personal. His influence can be seen in the works of writers across the globe who blend the everyday with the extraordinary.
8. Haruki Murakami: Surrealism in Contemporary Fiction
Haruki Murakami’s novels, like “Norwegian Wood” and “Kafka on the Shore,” are a blend of surrealism, pop culture, and deep human longing. His unique voice and dreamlike storytelling have made him a literary superstar, with over 30 million books sold worldwide as of 2024. Murakami’s work is often described as “hypnotic” and “otherworldly,” creating a new standard for magical realism in contemporary literature. His novels regularly top bestseller lists in Japan and abroad, and his influence can be seen in a new generation of writers who aren’t afraid to get weird.
9. Maya Angelou: The Power of Memoir and Poetry
Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” broke barriers for both memoir and poetry. Published in 1969, the book was one of the first autobiographies by a Black woman to reach a wide audience. Angelou’s lyrical, honest prose explored trauma, racism, and resilience, inspiring millions. Her poetry, often recited at significant events—like her reading at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration—further cemented her status as a transformative literary figure. Schools and universities across America use her memoirs and poems as foundational texts in literature and social studies.
10. Neil Gaiman: Blurring the Lines Between Genres
Neil Gaiman is a writer who refuses to stay in one lane. His works, like “American Gods” and “Coraline,” blend fantasy, horror, mythology, and even children’s literature. Gaiman’s “Sandman” graphic novels, published between 1989 and 1996, are credited with bringing literary respectability to comics and graphic novels. “Sandman” was the first comic to win a World Fantasy Award, and its 2022 Netflix adaptation introduced a new generation to Gaiman’s unique blend of darkness and magic. He has inspired countless writers to experiment with genre and form.
11. Octavia E. Butler: Trailblazer in Science Fiction
Octavia E. Butler broke barriers as one of the first Black women to gain major recognition in science fiction. Her “Patternist” and “Parable” series explore race, gender, and power in ways that were groundbreaking for the genre. Butler won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and her books have seen a surge in sales and academic interest in recent years, especially after her 2021 posthumous induction into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Today, Butler is cited as a major influence by a new generation of diverse sci-fi authors.
12. Ernest Hemingway: The Minimalist Revolution
Ernest Hemingway’s famous “iceberg theory”—what’s left unsaid is as important as what’s on the page—revolutionized American prose. His short, punchy sentences in works like “The Old Man and the Sea” and “A Farewell to Arms” set a new standard for literary style. Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954, and his influence can be seen everywhere from modern novels to journalism. A 2023 survey by the American Writers Museum places Hemingway in the top three most influential American authors of all time.
13. James Baldwin: Conscience of a Generation
James Baldwin’s essays and novels, such as “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “The Fire Next Time,” reshaped both American literature and the conversation about race, sexuality, and identity. Baldwin’s raw, poetic voice challenged readers to confront uncomfortable truths. His work is seeing a massive revival in the 2020s, with sales of “The Fire Next Time” more than doubling between 2020 and 2023, according to major publishing houses. Baldwin’s fearless approach to taboo topics has inspired countless writers and activists.
14. Ursula K. Le Guin: Expanding Science Fiction’s Horizons
Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Earthsea” series and books like “The Left Hand of Darkness” used science fiction and fantasy to ask big questions about gender, society, and humanity. Le Guin won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, and her work remains a staple in both academic and fan circles. In 2022, the Library of America published a definitive collection of her work, reflecting her enduring impact. She proved that speculative fiction could be smart, subtle, and deeply human.
15. Chinua Achebe: African Literature on the World Stage
Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” is credited with bringing African literature into the global mainstream. Published in 1958, it has sold over 20 million copies and is standard reading in schools across Africa and the world. Achebe’s straightforward, powerful storytelling gave voice to postcolonial struggles and helped shift the literary conversation about Africa. His work paved the way for a new generation of African writers to tell their own stories.
16. Virginia Woolf: Stream of Consciousness Pioneer
Virginia Woolf’s experiments with stream-of-consciousness narration in novels like “Mrs Dalloway” and “To the Lighthouse” changed the possibilities of literary fiction. Woolf’s focus on the inner lives of her characters influenced generations of writers. Her collected works are still widely read and cited in academic research today. Woolf’s legacy is especially strong in feminist literature, and her essays, like “A Room of One’s Own,” remain powerful manifestos for women writers everywhere.
17. Edgar Allan Poe: The Birth of Modern Horror and Mystery
Edgar Allan Poe is often credited with inventing the modern detective story with “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” His dark, gothic tales like “The Tell-Tale Heart” and poems like “The Raven” have inspired countless writers and filmmakers. Poe’s work has never gone out of print, and his influence is seen in everything from horror novels to true crime podcasts. In 2024, his stories are still adapted for film, stage, and even video games, proving his timeless appeal.
18. Salman Rushdie: Blending History, Politics, and Fantasy
Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children,” which won the Booker Prize in 1981, is often cited as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. Rushdie’s blend of magical realism, historical fiction, and sharp political commentary created a new template for postcolonial literature. Despite facing controversy and threats over his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses,” Rushdie remains a major literary figure. His influence can be seen in the works of writers who blend the personal with the political in inventive ways.
19. Cormac McCarthy: Stark Visions of the American West
Cormac McCarthy’s bleak, poetic style in novels like “The Road” and “Blood Meridian” redefined the Western and post-apocalyptic genres. His sparse dialogue, brutal landscapes, and philosophical depth have inspired countless imitators. “The Road” won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. McCarthy’s novels are widely studied in literature classes and continue to attract critical attention for their uncompromising vision.
20. Zadie Smith: Reinventing the Contemporary Urban Novel
Zadie Smith burst onto the literary scene with “White Teeth” in 2000, a novel that captured the multicultural energy of modern London. Smith’s witty, sprawling narratives blend comedy, social observation, and diverse voices. Her books consistently appear on major prize shortlists, and her 2024 novel “The Fraud” was a critical and commercial hit. Smith’s work has influenced a new wave of writers tackling themes of identity, migration, and urban life with humor and heart.
Besides founding Festivaltopia, Luca is the co founder of trib, an art and fashion collectiv you find on several regional events and online. Also he is part of the management board at HORiZONTE, a group travel provider in Germany.
