It would take more space than we have to list David Vann’s literary achievements. His five books – a harrowing memoir, a collection of short fiction, two novels and a non-fiction account of an American university shooting – have earned him an embarrassment of awards. Despite its ability to rove through genres, Vann’s work contains clear and arresting throughlines, that weigh the emotional encumbrances of family and chronicle the tragedy that can accompany them.

While Vann’s oeuvre has earned him abundant critical acclaim, readers also respond strongly to his work. Perhaps it is the grave subject matter he grapples with so honestly – suicide, isolation, psychological violence – or it may be the startling power of his writing, so restrained in style. Unusually for a short-fiction collection, Legend of a Suicide (2008) graced bestseller lists all over the world. His account of a marriage under pressure, Caribou Island (2011), was similarly successful. In his latest novel, Dirt (2012), Vann casts sweltering California as a crucible for family secrets. - Estelle Tang