Good books take readers on journeys in their minds. The announcement of this year’s US National Book Awards finalists has highlighted a number of modern literary gems.

一本好的书能带领读者徜徉心灵的海洋。今年美国国家图书奖的入围书目无疑是现代文学的瑰宝。

The books tackle a range of topics, from science to friendship to culture. Here are some standouts to add to your reading list.

图书涵盖了各种主题，从科学、友谊到文化。下面为各位推荐其中几本好书。

A Little Life

《小生活》

by Hanya Yanagihara

作者：柳原韩亚

Publisher: Doubleday

出版商：双日出版社

A Little Life follows four university friends, Jude, Willem, JB and Malcolm, who start their adult lives in New York City after graduating from a prestigious New England college. They attend parties, go on dates and gain professional success.

《小生活》围绕四个大学时代的好友——裘德，威勒姆、JB和马尔科姆展开，他们从久负盛名的新英格兰学院毕业后一起留在了纽约打拼。他们参加各种派对和约会，并最终获事业上的成功。

What sets this novel apart is that Yanagihara explores larger issues through her work.

韩亚在书中探讨的宏大主题是这本书脱颖而出的关键。

As the narrative unfolds, Jude’s mysterious and traumatic past emerges. When Jude’s friends try to help him, they start to realize limits of love. Sadly, they struggle to accept what can’t be helped.

随着叙事的铺陈，裘德伤痕累累的神秘过往浮现出来。当朋友们试图帮助裘德时，他们开始发现爱也是有界限的。他们悲伤地努力接受了自己无能为力的现实。

Yanagihara scrubs the novel of any significant events and important figures in New York. This gives readers a sense of immediacy and allows them to make close connections with the characters’ emotional lives.

柳原并未在小说中交代纽约的重大事件和重要人物。这样读者会觉得故事更有亲近感，从而对小说人物的感情生活同身受。

This page-turner has captivated readers. US talk show host Andy Cohen even post a photo of himself reading A Little Life on social media. “Best book I have read in years. Beautiful, heartbreaking, unforgettable,” he tweeted.

这本书引人入胜，完全征服了读者。美国脱口秀主持人安迪科恩还在社交媒体上发布了一张自己读《小生活》的照片。“我读过最好的书。美丽，悲戚，难以忘怀，”他在推特上写道。