They say reading takes you places, and our ‘Reading America’ project is designed to do just that. Each Friday, we put out a short video recommending a book set in a particular American state. In this way, we hope you can get a feel for the different cultures and geographies that make up the United States of America. Here are five more books from across the USA that we really think you should ‘check out’.
EDUCATED
State: Idaho
Read the E-book here
Tara Westover’s memoir tells the story of her escape from the cult that she was raised in. The book, which has become an international bestseller, is a gripping story about perseverance and escaping childhood trauma.
BELOVED
State: Ohio
Read the E-book here
Toni Morrison’s magnum opus, ‘Beloved’ is a must-read from one of America’s greatest writers. Honestly. It’s one of the best books ever written. Just read it.
THE BELL JAR
State: New York
Read the E-book here
Poet Sylvia Plath’s only novel is a semi-autobiographical novel that parallels the author’s own struggles with mental illness. The book examines what it means to feel like as a prisoner inside oneself (hence the title) and its enduring legacy speaks to the brilliant way Plath portrays this.
THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
State: Missouri
Read the E-book here
Mark Twain’s novel chronicles the adventures of Huck Finn and escaped slave Jim as they journey down the Mississippi river on a raft. It’s a compelling look at how racism is instilled in children, and one boy’s awakening to the horrors of injustice.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
State: Hawaii
Read the E-book here
Written in 1951, in ‘From Here to Eternity’ James Jones follows Prew from high to low in this novel set at the advent of the US involvement in WWII and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.
