Cristina García: most important books

Cristina Garcia was born in Havana and grew up in New York City. Her first novel, Dreaming in Cuban, was nominated for a National Book Award. Her other books include the recently released, A Handbook to Luck.

She told Newsweek about her five most important books, and addressed two related issues:

A book you always return to:

Juan Rulfo's "Pedro Paramo" grows more mysterious and miraculous with each reading, and reminds me the dead continue to live among us.

A book you hope parents will read to their kids:

Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer's "The Phantom Tollbooth." I missed this as a kid but read it to my daughter some years ago. We were both hooked.

Read about García's most important books.

--Marshal Zeringue