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Book Riot's 50 Must Reads From Iowa City: A City of Literature

"As a resident Iowa-based Book Rioter, I'm very proud of Iowa City's UNESCO City of Literature designation. There are only 28 "cities of literature" in the world, and just two in the United States: Iowa City (established in 2008) and Seattle (established in 2017). These designations are earned by having a diverse publishing industry, exceptional educational programming and literary events, spaces which preserve and promote literature, and media outlets that supports readers and reading." - Emily Stochl/Book Riot
Note: There were only 49 books on the original list.
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The King Is Always Above the People (Daniel Alarcón)
The King Is Always Above the People
1
Daniel Alarcón
How to Love a Jamaican (Alexia Arthurs)
How to Love a Jamaican
2
Alexia Arthurs
Nancy Drew Series ("Carolyn Keene")
Nancy Drew Series
3
"Carolyn Keene"
The Dream Songs (John Berryman)
The Dream Songs
4
John Berryman
Drop City (T. C. Boyle)
Drop City
5
T. C. Boyle
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (Raymond Carver)
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
6
Raymond Carver
Will You Please Be Quiet Please?
Will You Please Be Quiet Please?
7
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel (Alexander Chee)
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
8
Alexander Chee
The Stories of John Cheever (John Cheever)
The Stories of John Cheever
9
John Cheever
Thomas and Beulah (Rita Dove)
Thomas and Beulah
10
Rita Dove
Dancing After Hours (Andre Dubus)
Dancing After Hours
11
Andre Dubus
American Song: A Book of Poems (Paul Engle)
American Song: A Book of Poems
12
Paul Engle
The Comedown (Rebekah Frumkin)
The Comedown
13
Rebekah Frumkin
Flora (Gail Godwin)
Flora
14
Gail Godwin
Autobiography of a Face (Lucy Grealy)
Autobiography of a Face
15
Lucy Grealy
Homegoing (Yaa Gyasi)
Homegoing
16
Yaa Gyasi
You Are Not a Stranger Here
You Are Not a Stranger Here
17
The Book of Unknown Americans (Delaware) (Cristina Henriquez)
The Book of Unknown Americans (Delaware)
18
Cristina Henriquez
Dance Dance Revolution (Cathy Park Hong)
Dance Dance Revolution
19
Cathy Park Hong
The World According to Garp (John Irving)
The World According to Garp
20
John Irving
A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
A Prayer for Owen Meany
21
John Irving
The Boat (Nam Le)
The Boat
22
Nam Le
Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life (Yiyun Li)
Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life
23
Yiyun Li
The Narrow Door (Paul Lisicky)
The Narrow Door
24
Paul Lisicky
Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado)
Her Body and Other Parties
25
Carmen Maria Machado
Don't Cry, Scream (Haki R. Makhubuti)
Don't Cry, Scream
26
Haki R. Makhubuti
Ohio (Stephen Markley)
Ohio
27
Stephen Markley
Elbow Room (James Alan McPherson)
Elbow Room
28
James Alan McPherson
A Place for Us (Fatima Farheen Mirza)
A Place for Us
29
Fatima Farheen Mirza
The Middleman and Other Stories (Baharati Mukherji)
The Middleman and Other Stories
30
Baharati Mukherji
The Descent of Alette (Alice Notley)
The Descent of Alette
31
Alice Notley
A Good Man Is Hard to Find (Flannery O'Connor)
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
32
Flannery O'Connor
Everything That Rises (O'Connor)
Everything That Rises
33
O'Connor
Bel Canto (Ann Pratchett)
Bel Canto
34
Ann Pratchett
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere
35
My Name Is Red (Orhan Pamuk)
My Name Is Red
36
Orhan Pamuk
Snow (Orhan Pamuk)
Snow
37
Orhan Pamuk
Gilead (Marilynne Robinson)
Gilead
38
Marilynne Robinson
Idaho (Emily Ruskovich)
Idaho
39
Emily Ruskovich
You Think It, I'll Say It (Curtis Sittenfeld)
You Think It, I'll Say It
40
Curtis Sittenfeld
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