Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi in 2016. She’s a Ghanaian-American writer, and the first two chapters alternate between two sisters in Ghana; one is kidnapped and put onto a slave ship; the other is forced into marriage with an Englishman who’s overseeing the slave trade.

Then the next two chapters alternate between their kids. And then the next two chapters alternate between their kids. And on and on through the generations until the present day. So it’s an epic historical novel that show’s the impact of slavery on both sides of the Atlantic. But then it’s also a short story collection, where you get an intimate portrait of each character at a pivotal moment in their life. She manages to go big and small at the same time, and excels at drawing very well-realized characters in one chapter apiece. It’s really a miraculous piece of writing.

In recent years? Marilynne Robinson should have won instead of Bob Dylan. It was a publicity stunt. It’s like giving the Heismann Trophy to Simone Biles — she’s the best at what she does, but what she does isn’t what that award is for.