Americana literature is an incredibly broad and varied topic, which means it offers readers a rich and diverse range of voices and experiences to consider. This month, we’ve covered a lot of aspects of the genre (be sure to check out our podcast on the defining traits of Americana in literature!), but we would be remiss not to mention the heavy-hitters of the genre, the writers whose work is simply groundbreaking.
Here we take a look at Americana’s ten quintessential authors that everyone should read.
10. Herman Melville
ISBN: 9781853260087
Born in 1819, Herman Melville is one of the oldest authors on this list. But his influence on Americana has been wide-reaching. Aside from his masterpiece Moby-Dick, which was inspired by Melville’s own experiences as a sailor, Melville also wrote various short stories and books. Many of his works are focused on themes of obsession, communication, and the struggle to find common ground: ideas that are still very present in Americana today.
Moby-Dick, while intimidating, is a great choice for readers looking for a timeless, emotionally complex epic about humanity vs. nature.
9. Larry McMurtry
ISBN: 9780671683900
Larry McMurtry is impossible to pigeonhole. He’s the author of books as diverse as Lonesome Dove, an epic Western novel, and Terms Of Endearment, a family drama about a mother and daughter, which film adaptation won the 1984 Oscar for Best Picture.
The common thread in his novels, you could argue, is universal themes like relationships, mortality, and the pain of unrequited love. He examines these ideas through a uniquely Americana lens which will have you itching to read more. If you’re looking for a place to start, The Last Picture Show is a heartbreaking and unforgettable look at life in small-town Texas.
8. Harper Lee
ISBN: 9780446310789
Lee amazingly published a single novel in her lifetime, the 1961 Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill A Mockingbird. In spite of her sparse body of work, she is widely considered to be one of America’s finest novelists. Her debut novel won her the respect and adoration of both critics and readers for its thoughtful and honest treatment of racism, sexual assault, otherness, and the struggle to make morally correct decisions. Her writing captures a fundamental essence of what it means to live and interact in American society.
Fun fact: Lee was also close friends with famed writer Truman Capote, and helped him research his own groundbreaking “non-fiction novel” In Cold Blood.
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7. Cormac McCarthy
ISBN: 9780679728757
Widely considered one of the greatest contemporary writers in the English language, Cormac McCarthy’s work is impossible to separate from Americana. He writes critically and precisely about the creation of the American West in particular. Books like Blood Meridian and All The Pretty Horses are a challenge to the myths of Americana, and are especially concerned with the role of violence in both American history and human nature.
Although his work is often uncomfortable and brutal, his writing captures the dark truths often hidden in Americana.
6. Nathaniel Hawthorne
ISBN: 9798800923414
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter has become a pillar of Americana, inspiring film adaptations with stars like Gary Oldman and Demi Moore. (2010’s Easy A, starring Emma Stone, has even been argued by some to be deserving of another Oscar in light of Stone’s recent win.)
The Scarlet Letter is essential reading for any readers looking to better understand puritan ideals and the fundamentals of Americana and American history.
RelatedContemporary Classics: American Literature Month at Fully Booked
5. Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman’s influence on Americana is everywhere: from books like Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! to films like Dead Poets Society to award-winning series like Breaking Bad, his writing has left a massive impact on American culture.
And for good reason: a passionate abolitionist and retrospectively-claimed queer icon, Whitman’s writing is a testament to the joys and beauties of the United States. His collection Leaves Of Grass celebrates ideas of interconnectedness, unity, selfhood, and respect for others, highlighting the bright side of Americana.
4. William Faulkner
ISBN: 9780393931389
Very possibly my favorite writer on this list, William Faulkner writes with a voice like none other. He won the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature for his clear-eyed exploration of the complexities of institutional memory and its presence in the American South. Through stream-of-consciousness storytelling which often spans generations, Faulkner’s works are a cornerstone in Americana, particularly for readers looking to better understand the echoes of systemic racism in U.S. society.
If you’re unsure where to start, As I Lay Dying is a poignant exploration of grief and resilience as the various children of the Bundren family attempt to carry Addie, their mother, to be buried in her hometown.
3. Mark Twain
ISBN: UOM 39015000557994
From his upbringing in Missouri to his travels around the globe, Mark Twain never failed to observe his surroundings with a trademark wit and wisdom that has been seldom seen since in the canon of Americana literature.
His two most iconic novels, The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn are both concerned with the ideas of boyhood, coming-of-age, and a uniquely American landscape along the Mississippi River. Furthermore, his work is deeply engaged with ideas of racism and politics, and his sharp and forward-thinking observations have earned him a reputation as one of Americana’s key figures.
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn is a must-read about moral dilemmas, growing up, and the complexities of race in pre-civil war America.
2. Toni Morrison
A towering figure in Americana, Toni Morrison didn’t publish her first book until she was nearly forty years old. Her wide-ranging body of work, including eleven novels, has left a deep impact on readers and writers around the world.
Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her unforgettable novel Beloved, Morrison often explored crucial ideas of race, identity, and the continuing effects of slavery on society. While difficult to read, Beloved is one of the most important works of the twentieth century and is a haunting testament to the power of the human spirit.
Related5 Best Coming-Of-Age American Novels
1. John Steinbeck
ISBN: 9780143039433
Arguably the writer most closely associated with Americana, Steinbeck wrote most memorably about the difficulties of poverty, farming, and social injustice. The Grapes Of Wrath is perhaps his most famous work, following the Joad family as they trek toward what they hope will be a better life in California.
First-time readers should check out his novella Of Mice And Men. An impossibly short and moving story about friendship, innocence, and loss, it’s the perfect introduction to the Americana themes Steinbeck so frequently explores in his work.
There you have it: our ten favorite Americana authors!
