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Books in Contention for "The Great American Novel"

Especially this time of year--perhaps because of the school year's start--we regularly get asked at the library for a good read that fits "the Great American Novel" category. I've compiled a list for patrons!
From Google AI... The Great American Novel is a hypothetical literary work by an American author that encapsulates the national character and culture of the United States, often exploring themes like the American Dream and diverse experiences within the nation. While never definitively written, the concept of the Great American Novel, which began with John William De Forest's 1868 essay, endures as a benchmark for novels that capture the spirit of a particular era or the essence of American society.
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A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemingway)
A Farewell to Arms
1
Ernest Hemingway
A Time to Be Born (Dawn Powell)
A Time to Be Born
2
Dawn Powell
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
3
Betty Smith
Absalom, Absalom! (William Faulkner)
Absalom, Absalom!
4
William Faulkner
All the King's Men (Robert Penn Warren)
All the King's Men
5
Robert Penn Warren
All the Pretty Horses (Cormac McCarthy)
All the Pretty Horses
6
Cormac McCarthy
Almanac of the Dead (Leslie Marmon Silko)
Almanac of the Dead
7
Leslie Marmon Silko
American Pastoral (Philip Roth)
American Pastoral
8
Philip Roth
American Psycho (Bret Easton Ellis)
American Psycho
9
Bret Easton Ellis
Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
Americanah
10
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
An American Tragedy (Theodore Dreiser)
An American Tragedy
11
Theodore Dreiser
Angle of Repose (Wallace Stegner)
Angle of Repose
12
Wallace Stegner
Appointment in Samarra (John O'Hara)
Appointment in Samarra
13
John O'Hara
April Morning (Howard Fast)
April Morning
14
Howard Fast
Ask the Dust (John Fante)
Ask the Dust
15
John Fante
Behold the Dreamers (Imbolo Mbue)
Behold the Dreamers
16
Imbolo Mbue
Beloved (Toni Morrison)
Beloved
17
Toni Morrison
Biography of X (Catherine Lacey)
Biography of X
18
Catherine Lacey
Bless Me, Ultima (Rudolfo Anaya)
Bless Me, Ultima
19
Rudolfo Anaya
Blood Meridian (Cormac McCarthy)
Blood Meridian
20
Cormac McCarthy
Breakfast at Tiffany's (Truman Capote)
Breakfast at Tiffany's
21
Truman Capote
Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
Catch-22
22
Joseph Heller
Cold Mountain (Charles Frazier)
Cold Mountain
23
Charles Frazier
Couples (John Updike)
Couples
24
John Updike
Death Comes for the Archbishop (Willa Cather)
Death Comes for the Archbishop
25
Willa Cather
Deep Water (Patricia Highsmith)
Deep Water
26
Patricia Highsmith
Desperate Characters (Paula Fox)
Desperate Characters
27
Paula Fox
East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
East of Eden
28
John Steinbeck
Empire Falls (Richard Russo)
Empire Falls
29
Richard Russo
Freedom (Jonathan Franzen)
Freedom
30
Jonathan Franzen
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (Fannie Flagg)
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
31
Fannie Flagg
Geek Love (Katherine Dunn)
Geek Love
32
Katherine Dunn
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Anita Loos)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
33
Anita Loos
Gilead (Marilynne Robinson)
Gilead
34
Marilynne Robinson
Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
Gone With the Wind
35
Margaret Mitchell
Horse (Geraldine Brooks)
Horse
36
Geraldine Brooks
Infinite Jest (David Foster Wallace)
Infinite Jest
37
David Foster Wallace
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison)
Invisible Man
38
Ralph Ellison
Larose (Louise Erdrich)
Larose
39
Louise Erdrich
Lincoln in the Bardo (George Saunders)
Lincoln in the Bardo
40
George Saunders
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