Discover the top authors like Amor Towles, and find the best books to read to learn more about their works.
Amor Towles writes captivating literary fiction that immerses readers in richly detailed historical worlds. His novels, including A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility, showcase his talent for recreating bygone eras with vivid authenticity. A Gentleman in Moscow spans three decades, following Count Alexander Rostov’s house arrest at the Metropol hotel—a masterclass in character development within confined settings. Meanwhile, Rules of Civility transports readers to 1930s New York with striking period detail.
In 2025, Towles remains one of literary fiction’s most beloved voices, with readers eagerly anticipating his next release. His latest work, The Lincoln Highway, published in 2021, further cemented his reputation for crafting emotionally resonant stories set against carefully researched historical backdrops.
We’ve chosen authors who share Towles’ elegant prose style, sophisticated storytelling, and ability to bring historical periods to vivid life. These writers challenge readers with complex themes while maintaining the same literary craftsmanship that makes Towles so compelling.
For more recommendations, you might also enjoy exploring authors like Colleen Hoover, best young adult books, best contemporary romance books.
Here Are The Best Authors Like Amor Towles
1. Kate Atkinson, 1951 - Present
If you’re drawn to Towles’ rich language and evocative character development, you’ll love English writer Kate Atkinson’s novels. Atkinson is best known for her Jackson Brodie detective series, successfully adapted for BBC television. Her work has earned critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the 1995 Whitbread Book of the Year Prize and the 2013 and 2015 Costa Book Awards.
Atkinson’s Life After Life (2013) and its companion A God in Ruins (2015) showcase her ability to blend historical fiction with innovative narrative structures. Like Towles, she excels at creating intimate human stories against the backdrop of major historical events, particularly World War II Britain.
“The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories.” — Kate Atkinson, Human Croquet
2. Julian Barnes, 1946 - Present
Julian Barnes is an English novelist whose sophisticated prose and philosophical depth mirror Towles’ literary approach. Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for The Sense of an Ending, Barnes has also received the Somerset Maugham Award, Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, and Jerusalem Prize. In 2004, he was made a Commandeur of L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Barnes’ novels often explore memory, time, and the unreliability of personal narrative—themes that resonate with readers who appreciate Towles’ nuanced character studies. His 2008 novel Arthur & George demonstrates his skill at bringing historical figures to life with the same care Towles applies to his aristocratic protagonists.
“This was another of our fears: that Life wouldn’t turn out to be like Literature.” — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
3. Colson Whitehead, 1969 - Present
Colson Whitehead’s ability to bring past eras to vivid, often haunting life makes him essential reading for Towles fans. This American novelist has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice: in 2017 for The Underground Railroad and in 2020 for The Nickel Boys. The latter shifts between present day and 1960s Jim Crow-era Florida, chronicling boys suffering abuse at a reform school.
Whitehead’s 2019 novel The Intuitionist and his 2021 work Harlem Shuffle demonstrate his range across different historical periods and genres, from alternate history to crime fiction. Like Towles, he creates immersive period atmospheres while addressing timeless human themes.
“We must believe in our souls that we are somebody, that we are significant, that we are worthful, and we must walk the streets of life every day with this sense of dignity and this sense of somebody-ness.” — Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys
4. Ann Patchett, 1963 - Present
Ann Patchett’s literary fiction has been translated into more than thirty languages, earning her the 2014 Kenyon Review Award for Literary Achievement. Her 2019 novel The Dutch House, shortlisted for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize, follows two siblings across five decades as their lives unfold around a mansion that shapes their destinies.
Like Towles’ work, Patchett’s novels often span significant time periods, exploring how places and circumstances shape character development. Her 2001 novel Bel Canto demonstrates her ability to create intimate human dramas within confined settings—a technique Towles mastered in A Gentleman in Moscow.
“There are a few times in life when you leap up and the past that you’d been standing on falls away behind you, and the future you mean to land on is not yet in place, and for a moment, you’re suspended knowing nothing and no one, not even yourself.” — Ann Patchett, The Dutch House
5. Jess Walter, 1965 - Present
American author Jess Walter shares Towles’ gift for capturing specific historical moments with both satirical wit and genuine emotion. His 2005 novel Citizen Vince won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. The Cold Millions (2020) is set in early twentieth-century America, following two brothers navigating a newly class-conscious society.
Walter’s 2012 novel Beautiful Ruins weaves between 1960s Italy and contemporary Hollywood, demonstrating his skill at connecting different time periods through compelling characters—a technique reminiscent of Towles’ narrative craftsmanship.
“I think he came to believe it was better to choose your life, and that even choosing your death was better than letting someone else choose your life.” — Jess Walter, The Cold Millions
6. Ishmael Reed, 1938 - Present
Novelist, poet, and cultural critic Ishmael Reed brings a unique perspective to historical fiction, often challenging conventional American narratives. His 1972 novel Mumbo Jumbo, set in 1920s New York, is a sprawling, unconventional work that reimagines the Harlem Renaissance through an Afrofuturist lens.
Reed’s approach to historical fiction offers a different but equally rich perspective on American culture and class dynamics—themes central to Towles’ work. His novels provide alternative viewpoints on the periods and social structures that fascinate readers of literary historical fiction.
“Dance is the universal art, the common joy of expression. Those who cannot dance are imprisoned in their own ego and cannot live well with other people and the world.” — Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo
7. Don Winslow, 1953 - Present
Multi-award-winning American author Don Winslow wrote acclaimed novels including The Force and the bestselling Cartel trilogy before retiring from fiction writing in 2022 to focus on political activism. His final novel in the trilogy, The Border, was named one of the best books of the year by The Guardian, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times.
While Winslow primarily wrote crime fiction, his attention to historical detail and social commentary parallels Towles’ approach to examining American society through different eras. His work offers a grittier but equally immersive look at how historical forces shape individual lives.
“Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but it can rent it for a long time.” — Don Winslow, The Cartel
8. Muriel Barbery, 1969 - Present
French author and philosopher Muriel Barbery writes with the same attention to social convention, class, and culture that defines Towles’ work. Her 2006 novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog sold over a million copies shortly after publication, topping French bestseller lists for thirty consecutive weeks.
The novel was named Washington Post Best Book of the Year, Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year, and Chicago Sun-Times Favorite Book of the Year. Like Towles, Barbery excels at exploring the subtle dynamics between different social classes and the hidden depths of seemingly ordinary characters.
“I thought: pity the poor in spirit who know neither the enchantment nor the beauty of language.” — Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog
9. Jane Smiley, 1949 - Present
Critically acclaimed American novelist Jane Smiley received the Pulitzer Prize for her 1991 novel A Thousand Acres and was awarded the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She served as Chair of the Man Booker Prize judging panel in 2009.
Smiley’s work often examines American family dynamics across generations, similar to how Towles explores the intersection of personal and historical forces. Her ability to weave complex family sagas with broader social commentary makes her essential reading for fans of literary historical fiction.
“The fact is that the same sequence of days can arrange themselves into a number of different stories.” — Jane Smiley, A Thousand Acres
10. Julian Fellowes, 1949 - Present
British author Julian Fellowes brings the same acute social observation found in Towles’ novels to his exploration of class dynamics. Best known as creator and writer of the award-winning television series Downton Abbey, Fellowes’ 2004 novel Snobs was a Sunday Times bestseller that lifted the lid on British upper-class society.
His understanding of aristocratic life and social hierarchies provides a British counterpart to Towles’ examination of American high society. In 2025, Fellowes continues to be a prominent voice in period drama, both in literature and television.
“Leave three Englishmen in a room and they will invent a rule that prevents a fourth joining them.” — Julian Fellowes, Snobs
11. Erik Larson, 1954 - Present
American journalist Erik Larson has built a reputation for narrative nonfiction that reads like literary fiction, including bestsellers like The Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts. His 2021 audiobook No One Goes Alone marked his first venture into fiction, featuring a ghost story rooted in historical research.
Like Towles, Larson excels at uncovering the hidden stories beneath well-known historical events. His meticulous research and compelling narrative style make historical periods feel immediate and alive—qualities that define the best literary historical fiction.
“It was so easy to disappear, so easy to deny knowledge, so very easy in the smoke and din to mask that something dark had taken root. This was Chicago, on the eve of the greatest fair in history.” — Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City
