The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Historical fiction at its finest (assuming, of course, that it's fair to call the events of 60 years ago “history”). Chabon mines the real-life origins of comic books to craft a story of two young men trying to rise up out of the Bronx and to leave a mark on the world around them. If you're familiar with the biographies of Siegel and Shuster, Simon and Kirby, Will Eisner, or Stan Lee, a lot of the events of this book will feel familiar, but Chabon mixes them with enough artistry and flourish that they take on a life of their own, and the ways in which the creators' lives are reflected in the heroes they create give a gravitas to their four-colour creations that wouldn't be seen in actual comic heroes for decades after the time this is set.