The United States of America is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. There are a lot of books about America, but not all are worth reading! In this blog post we have compiled a list with some must read American books that will make you want to know more and more about what makes this country so great.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The first book we recommend is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, a classic novel about teenage angst and alienation that has sold over 65 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1951. It tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager who is bored with everything around him and wants to get away from it. This book sees Holden trying to navigate his way through all that, and it’s a coming-of-age story before such genre was invented. The novel tells its coming-of-age protagonist’s complex experience of adolescent insecurity before such feelings were given name to or widely understood (although Holden Caulfield would be diagnosed now as suffering from depression). It is an undisputed classic that will appeal not only to young adults but also people like myself who are middle aged reading this book for perhaps our second time.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the best American classic novels published in 1925 about the decadent society of post World War I New York City on Long Island known as “the Roaring Twenties”. The novel fittingly concludes with its protagonist, Nick Carraway, surrounded by great wealth on top of a hill near his home–but lamenting that he will soon have to return from this height back down into reality where there are only limited opportunities for him because of social class differences. The Great Gatsby is a must read for anyone who wants to understand what life was like in America during the 1920s. The book discusses prohibition-era bootlegging among other things about life during this time period which can be seen as reflecting some aspects of society today. This is not only one of America’s greatest literary classics but also has been named by Modern Library to its list: 100 Best Books Ever Written Brought out in 2004; it has influenced countless writers since then because they read it when they were younger
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain and published in 1884, tells about Huck’s adventures on the Mississippi River with an escaped slave named Jim in search of freedom from their lives as slaves. It has since been called “the Great American Novel” because its exploration into society at that time can be seen as being more representative than any other novel after it; this may also explain why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the best books about America ever written. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been translated into more than thirty languages, and is ranked among the most important works of American literature.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was Twain’s first major literary work after his success with The Innocents Abroad. When it began to receive a less-than-positive reception in 1884, he set it aside for six months while continuing on with other projects. In an act that would become characteristic of him since then, he rewrote portions of Huck Finn before publishing them later as Tom Sawyer Detective in 1886; but this time without worrying about what anyone might say or think about its content (he had already done enough research by now).
It has influenced countless writers since then because they read it when they were younger.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird is also another masterpiece written by Harper Lee in the 1950s. It is one of the most popular books in American literature and it has been translated into 40 languages. This story deals with racism, innocence, and justice in a small Southern town during the Great Depression. The book won a Pulitzer Prize and is the only novel in English to be so honored this century. Harper Lee wrote this book in her 20s and used to say that she had set out with one goal: “to tell the truth.” It is full of memorable characters such as Atticus Finch, a moral hero who believes in equality for all people but has trouble doing what his values require when he comes face-to-face with racism. A few other notable figures from the book are Scout (the main character), Jem, Dill, Boo Radley (who wasn’t really seen outside of flashbacks) and Tom Robinson – an innocent man who was accused by bigoted neighbors of raping a white girl. The story takes place during three years which were 1937-1939 or Maycomb County Alabama. It tackles issues like segregation, rape accusations based on racist assumptions.
The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Grapes Of Wrath was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. It tells the story of a family who leaves Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl years to find work on an California agricultural farm, only to realize that their life there might not be much better than back home. The book won both the Pulitzer Prize as well as National Book Award for fiction in 1940; it has been translated into more than 25 languages and includes 13 million copies worldwide. This novel deals with migrations from “the dark land” to “a new world.” However, once they get out West, they discover that even though there are opportunities and jobs available, they then decide that they must go traipsing back to the “dark land” because they feel more at home there.
1984 by George Orwell
In addition to these two novels being must-reads on this list are “1984,” which is a novel by George Orwell published in 1949; it describes an imaginary totalitarian world where life has no freedom and everyone lives as part of one large social caste system with virtually no privacy or individual rights whatsoever–pretty scary! And finally there’s Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead,” which is a novel published in 1943 that follows the life of Howard Roark, an architect who goes through many struggles–from being born into poverty to having his career destroyed.
These are simply some books you might want to read if you’re looking for something to inspire and motivate your goals or dreams. If you have any other questions about these novels, please let me know!