How to be Both

Ali Smith was born in Inverness in 1962. She is the author of several novels and short story collections including, The Accidental, Hotel World, How to Be Both and the Seasonal Quartet. She has been four times shortlisted for the Booker Prize, has won the Goldsmiths Prize, Orwell Prize, Costa Best Novel Award and the Women's Prize. Ali Smith lives in Cambridge.

To mark the first 25 years of the century, The New York Times Book Review sent a survey to hundreds of literary luminaries, asking them name the 10 best books published since Jan 1, 2000. They tallied the votes to come up with their list of The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, and here they are!

On reflection, 2014 was a terrific year for literature. Apart from memorable debuts and soon-to-be celebrated favourites, it was also the most recent time the Booker Prize has been won by an Australian (Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North) as well as being the peak of the YA boom that swept the pop culture landscape. Below you'll find a selection of great books, many of which are still absolute favourites of our booksellers in 2024, that were first published in 2014.