Why did I pick these books (5 of 10)?

But if unknown English authors do not interest me, why do I include a book like Claire Messud's The Emperor's Children in my list of 10?
Indeed I did not know about her before this book was published in August last year. She did not pop up in my conscience even then, but only when I read several well-meaning reviews (e.g. Slate: "Claire Messud's remarkable new novel The Emperor's Children is that mythical hybrid that publishers dream of one day finding in the piles of manuscripts on their desks: a literary page-turner."). Plus it always helps when the book is about some confused, brainy, possibly even failing post-adolescents in NYC.