#10. The Post-Birthday World
by Lionel Shriver
Publisher: HarperCollins
528 pages
$25.95

Irina, a children's book illustrator in London, has a problem. She's married to staid wonk Lawrence, but she lusts after Ramsey, a professional snooker player. Does she shag Ramsey, or stay faithful to Lawrence? The answer is both: Shriver's novel splits, following both possible paths in parallel. Neither choice turns out to be the right or wrong one; either is rich and moving enough for a novel in its own right.