Books: Russell Banks

A former Princeton professor, Banks is known for fiery historical novels such as "Cloudsplitter," about the abolitionist John Brown. His latest work, "The Reserve," is a story of love and class set in upstate New York. His picks:

My Five Most Important Books

1. The Odyssey by Homer. The mother of all stories, with the most human themes: fear of aging and death.

2. "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. A book that dignifies our small attempts to behave with honor.

3. "Tristram Shandy" by Laurence Sterne. It opens wide the gates of fiction and invites everyone in.

4. "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville. A masterpiece about our need to conquer nature even as we worship it.