Public reader discussion about The Great American Novel in the WeRead Catalog by William Carlos Williams.
By bluewindow
This feels like way too much recency bias. Some of the stuff from after 2010 is honestly wild to include, especially when earlier years left out so much.
By Thunder-Justly29
I’d probably go with Middlesex. It touches on immigration, racism, gender stuff, and the writing is really good. I get why people pick Huckleberry Finn or Moby-Dick though, because they’re classics, but I feel like they were written too long ago to really capture what America looks like now. Maybe something like GAN should get a kind of “update” or award every 25 years?
By HawkBirch2001
Which author’s work feels most tied to America for you? I mean someone who really captures big chunks of the country—certain groups, time periods, or just stuff that mattered historically. I know it’s all subjective, but for me I keep thinking of Paine, Twain, Steinbeck, and Haley. And it doesn’t even have to be a novelist—could be a playwright or a poet too. Also, the whole “American novel” thing is kind of fuzzy, so I’m curious what people would actually pick. Like would you say something like The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, or Invisible Man? And do you think your view changes depending on whether the perspective is American or not?
By cafe-clear
This site lays out, year by year, four different kinds of book lists from the 1900s: fiction bestsellers and nonfiction bestsellers (both from Publishers Weekly), Book-of-the-Month Club picks (started in 1926), and then a grab-bag of “important” books that critics and historians have flagged as both critically acclaimed and historically significant. The only thing is, it doesn’t look like all four lists show up for every single year.
By Fern_Basket
Pretty much like the title says. I’m curious what books have actually felt like they “finished” something for you—like a wave of relief, or a clearer sense of what life is really like, or just the truth about being human. For me it’s definitely *Annihilation* (Jeff VanderMeer), *The Windup Girl* (Paolo Bacigalupi), and *The Bear and the Nightingales* (Katherine Arden). They don’t even have to be books I liked, or books that were super well written. Like, I personally couldn’t stand *The Windup Girl*, but it still felt honest in a way I can’t really explain. I guess I’m looking for that kind of “this is right” feeling about human nature. Do you have any like that—ones you still think about sometimes, even if they aren’t your all-time favourites?
By listens-footnote
I saw that term “Great American Novel” got started back in 1868, and I guess lots of books have been tossed out as possible picks over the years—like Moby-Dick, Beloved, Blood Meridian, and a few others. I’m just wondering though: does something similar exist for other countries, and if so, what would the likely candidates be?
By tenderharbor
I’m hearing this one on audio for the first time (don’t come at me—I’ve read a bunch of books, I just learn better that way) and I’m honestly finding it kind of interesting. But I’m really wondering… why does everyone seem to rate it so highly? And also, what is it about the book that makes you love it, like it, or even dislike it? I’d genuinely love to hear what people think.
By DustyValley
This is basically the top spot for talking about books and literature, both fiction and non-fiction. If you’re into written stuff that’s got “lasting artistic merit,” I guess this is where you’d fit in. They seem to really want actual thoughtful discussion, not just quick takes. Supposedly you should be polite and well-written, and the idea is that opinions shouldn’t get downvoted just because someone disagrees. Also, if you like chatting here, they push you to join their Discord. The rules are pretty strict too. They don’t want people asking for book recommendations, and they say to use weekly threads or other subs for that instead. You’re also supposed to stay on topic (so, literature only), and bigotry is completely not allowed. For posting, they want you to share your own opinion, not just drop a vague question—like they even mention aiming for at least 300 words, which is… a lot, honestly. There are other “avoid” items too, like low-effort “what do you think of X” posts, list-style best-of threads, homework/curriculum requests, or anything like ads/press releases. And they warn about spoilers (especially uncensored ones). I’m not totally sure I’d match all of that all the time, but I do get the intention: keep it high quality and civil.
By marten-bright
This whole “American great novel” thing feels kinda weird to me, especially because it’s such a huge label. Like… who even came up with that term, and where did it start? I’m also confused about when it became a debate at all. I get seeing famous books like *Gatsby* or *Moby-Dick* mentioned, but why does anyone treat the term like it matters that much? Is it just code for “my favorite American book” or like some way of picking the book that “represents America”? And it’s not like people argue over “the great British novel” or “the great Russian novel,” so why is America the one getting singled out? I don’t know, I just think it’s a silly concept and I wanna hear what you all think about how it even began.
By shadow_mole1996
To me, there isn’t really one “Great American Novel” in a straight-up, literal way, but I still like bringing it up because everyone seems to have their own idea of what that even means. If I had to pick a closest match, I’d say *Moby-Dick*. It’s one of those books you can keep going back to, and it feels like it matters in American literature not just as a piece of prose you can throw into the same bucket as stuff like *Hamlet* or the *Divine Comedy*, but also because it sort of turns into this huge, all-around story with a bunch of different characters that seem to reflect a lot of American backgrounds. Compared to *To Kill a Mockingbird*, *The Great Gatsby*, or *The Grapes of Wrath*, I personally feel like *Moby-Dick* has more of that bigger, more myth-like epic vibe, which is why I’d rank it higher as a GAN contender. And if we’re talking other novels that feel kind of comparable to *Moby-Dick* for me: *Blood Meridian* and *Gravity’s Rainbow*. Quick add-on for *Blood Meridian*: I love it for the really beautiful writing (some of the best prose I’ve read from an American author besides Melville and Pynchon), but also because it frames the story around the violence from the early days of US expansion. As for *Gravity’s Rainbow*: I feel the same kind of “wow” with the prose, but it’s also just so big and all-covering in how it talks about the American government and the corporations running the show—like they basically get a monopoly on violence through the later 20th century and into the 21st.
By CafeKettle81
I’m aware the title doesn’t really make sense, so just ignore that part. That said, there are tons of books on the GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL list, but I haven’t really seen any non-American picks. So what would be a great novel from your country/home country? What makes it so good, and what’s it even about? I’m honestly curious.
By HiddenEagle
This seems like the main spot for talking about books and literature, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. If you’re into “written works” that are supposed to have real staying power or artistic merit, then yeah, this is probably your place. They say they want discussions that are more thoughtful and deeper than just quick takes. Like, they encourage clear, polite, well-thought-out responses to get upvoted, and they don’t want people downvoting opinions just because they disagree. Also, there’s a Discord you can join if you’re enjoying the conversations. The rules are pretty specific though. No asking for book recommendations as a post (they point you to their weekly threads or other recommendation-focused places instead). Everything has to stay on literature, and they’re strict about no bigotry. There’s also the “make sure your posts have quality” thing, where you’re supposed to add your own opinion and not just ask for an answer—plus they’re asking for something like 300 words, so it’s not really meant to be super short. They also list what to avoid: stuff like “what do you think about X” without actual thoughts, generic “best of” lists, homework help, posting your own unpublished work, mostly image posts, vague videos, advertising/press releases, and even uncensored spoilers. The link posting and self-promo limits are pretty tight too, and they mention mods have the final say. Overall it feels a bit strict, but I kinda get why if they want better conversations—I just don’t know how well it works in practice.
By Mountain
I’m not even gonna say which book I’m reading that made me think about this, because I don’t want to kick off some whole debate about a specific author. But I’m dealing with a novel right now that’s honestly insanely long, and I’m one of those people who feels like I have to keep going just so it’ll be “done.” I feel like whenever someone says they’re not feeling a book, people online mostly jump in with “just stick with it, it gets better,” but you don’t really see the opposite much—like “nope, it doesn’t improve, it just gets worse, and I’m mad I kept going.” And I think that kind of warning matters just as much, maybe even more. Everyone’s got limited time.
By PageKettle
I’ve seen people call a bunch of these works the “Great American Novel,” and it makes me wonder who’s actually read all of them. Like, do they all really deserve the hype, or are there some that should totally be bumped to the top instead? Also, with a list this long, I’m kind of shocked I only got assigned five of them in my English classes. I did read two more on my own and I’ve picked through parts of a few others, but still—does anyone think all of these should be required reading?
By tenderharbor
Pretty much exactly what the title says. And yeah, I saw the comment asking for clarification—I'm actually looking for the specific book you’d pick and why. If you want, you can also toss in what you personally mean when you say “Great American Novel,” but I’d still like to hear your reasoning.
By luckyRibbon
I’m back in the US after being away for a while, and now I want to dive into some American classics. I’ve already read a handful, and I’ve still got a few more I’m thinking about—what should I pick next?
By SamLovesBooks
Kinda feels like this is aimed at folks who actually know German lit, but the person posting hasn’t read any German books, at least that’s how it comes off. The only German fiction I’ve personally run into is the Dark series. And from what I’ve seen other people say, German literature is supposed to be way more depressing than stumbling on something unexpectedly cute, like kittens in a trash bag. So I’m wondering—am I hearing that wrong? Is it really that gloomy? Also, what should someone new keep in mind before jumping into it? And what weird little things make German fiction stand out compared to other places? If you put a typical American novel next to a typical German one, what cultural differences show up? I’d love to hear what people think.
By goldeagle49
Not gonna lie, “the hunt for the Great American Novel” always feels painfully cringe to me. It probably sounded more reasonable back when American lit was treated like it didn’t count, but that was forever ago. I wish people would just drop the whole thing and move on. Honestly, the US could use less staring at its own belly. Like, Canada is right there, and I don’t see a bunch of American literary essays acting like it doesn’t exist. And the rest of the world is even worse—either it’s supposedly a “universal” classic, so of course it qualifies, or it’s newer stuff that’s in some foreign language I can’t read and is tied to whatever big, politically loaded headlines are in the spotlight. Then people act like it’s exciting mainly because there’s war, poverty, and general barbarity involved, and somehow that makes everyone feel better while still playing the same “Great American Novel” game.