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’.
THE OVERSTORY
State: Oregon
Read the E-book here
In “The Overstory”, Richard Powers tries to take on a unique artistic challenge, framing the narrative of his story around the structure of a tree. In Portland, Oregon, the book examines Mimi Ma’s conversion from corporate worker to environmental activist. “The Overstory” was awarded the 2019 Pulitzer Prize and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES
State: Indiana
Read the E-book here
‘We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves’ by Karen Joy Fowler is a novel about Rosemary, a young girl who has just gone off to college. Throughout the book, Rosemary slowly tells the reader about her familly, and their unhappiness, and her life growing up in Indiana. The book was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2014.
TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION
State: Pennsylvania
Read the E-book here
Edgar Alan Poe is almost certainly America’s most famous horror writer. In many of the stories in ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ one can see the influence of Philadelphia, where Poe lived while writing some of his most famous yarns, including ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’, which is included in this collection.
IMAGINE ME GONE
State: Maine
Read the E-book here
“Imagine Me Gone” by Adam Haslett, examines the life of a family impacted by depression. Though the topic is a serious one, the book deals with it with compasion, beautiful prose, and even a touch of levity.
ENEMY WOMEN
State: Missouri
Read the E-book here
Set in Missouri during the Civil War, Paulette Jiles’ “Enemy Women” takes a look at one woman who was captured and imprisoned, and her subsequent escape, and journey to try to rebuild a home and family for herself.
