30 Best American Classic Books Everyone Should Read

30 Best American Classic Books Everyone Should Read

American literature encompasses genres such as poetry, drama, and fiction. It can be traced back to the pre-colonial periods which were later dominated by 19th-century literature. Some of the major literary movements in American literature include naturalism, modernism, and realism. The most notable authors in this list include Ernest Hemingway and  Mark Twain.

Even though some of the classics have been banned from schools, they are still noted for their realism and naturalism when it comes to harsh topics that may not be suitable for children but give the readers a sense of representation and understanding.

Read more about other famous authors here.

1. Little Women By Louisa May Alcott

Houghton Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is a lovely coming-of-age novel that depicts the journey of four sisters through childhood to womanhood. Her publicist shared that the book is loosely based on the author’s life with her three sisters. It was categorized as autobiographical or semi-autobiographical. 

When the book was originally released in two volumes in 1868 and 1869 at the request of Alcott’s publisher. It was an immediate success and that resulted in the author completing the second half of the book’s series. The success of the Little Women book brought on recognition to Alcott.

2. The Crucible by Arthur Miller

It is a playwright that focuses on the story of the Salem witch trial that took place in Massachusetts. It follows the lives of five girls who are caught dancing, naked, in the woods with the renowned witch of the town, Tituba.

Throughout the play, readers are exposed to the harsh effects of rumors of witchcraft. Slowly as people begin to be trialed and judged for being witches, innocent lives are changed and many end up dying for being falsely accused. The dramatized part of the book reveals that Tituba and Abigail escape while many of the people they had accused are trialed and judged as witches. The play brings on a different set of emotions that reflect how the people of Salem felt.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

English: Cover illustration by Francis Cugat (1893–1981). Published by Charles Scribner’s Sons., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is set in the Jazz Age of Long Island, New York State. The book focuses on Nick Carraway’s interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his obsession with former lover Daisy Buchanan. The author shared that the book is inspired by a youthful romance he had with socialite Ginevra King and the parties he attended on Long Island’s North Shore.

The novel brings to life the romanticized theories people have of millionaires. With the love story between Gatsby and Daisy and the friendship between Gatsby and Nick, it is safe to say that the book had more life lessons than most fictionalized stories. Even though the book is categorized as a tragedy book, many believe that the novel should be categorized as a bromance because of the blossoming friendship between Gatsby and Carraway.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee

It was published in 1960 and was widely read in high schools and middle schools. The book is a classic modern American literature that won the Pulitzer Prize. The novel is based on the author’s observations of her family, her neighbors, and an event that took place near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

The novel deals with serious issues that bring awareness to the reality of life. However, the book is renowned for its warmth and humor, many of the readers view the narrator’s father as a moral hero and as a model of integrity for lawyers.

5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

TCM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It was published in 1884 in the United Kingdom and in 1885 in the United States. It follows the life of Huckleberry Finn and his adventures in Mississippi. The book has been adapted into numerous films even after all the controversy.

The characters in the book include Tom Sawyer who is the main character of another Twain novel, Huckleberry Finn, Widow Douglas who takes care of Huckleberry, and Miss Watson the widow’s sister. 

6. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

It is a historical fiction that was published in 1850. The novel tells the story of Hester Prynne who faces numerous challenges as she tries to create a new life of repentance and dignity. The book also contains a number of religious and historic allusions, it also explores themes of sin, legalism, and guilt.

7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

See page for author, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

 It was until the author won the Nobel Prize in 1962 that the book gained recognition. The novel is set during the Great Depression and focuses on the Joads which is a poor family of tenant farmers driven from their home in Oklahoma by drought, agricultural industry changes, and economic hardships. It also won the National Book Award as well as the Pulitzer Prize.

The novel is frequently read in American high schools and college literature classes because of its historical context and enduring legacy. In 1940, the book’s Hollywood film version was directed by John Ford and starred Henry Fonda.

8. The Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger

It was novelized in 1951. It is originally intended for adults and is often read by adolescents. The novel is famous for its themes of angst and alienation. The book brings to light the complex issues that many teenagers go through in life including loss, connection, depression, and belonging.

The main character, Holden Caulfield, has been labeled as an icon of teenage rebellion. In the novel, Holden gives his opinion on various issues and topics as he narrates his recent life events. The book has sold over 65 million books and has been translated into a variety of languages. It is among the best novels in the 20th century.

9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

SpeakEasy Stage, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Known for being an epistolary novel that was released in 1982, the color purple has won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. The book talks about difficult topics including sexual and physical abuse.

In 2018, Warner Bros. announces that they would release their own film adaptation of the book. It is based on Celie, a poor 14-year-old African American girl who lived in the early 1900s. Celie writes a letter to God because her father abuses her and her husband as well. It was also adapted into a play that starred Lovely Hoffman.

10. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Also known as Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is a book based on the sailor Ishmael’s narrative of the quest of Captain Ahab and his vengeance against Moby-Dick. The book was first published in three volumes as The Whale in October 1851. The novel has been read in numerous schools and even universities.

In 2017, songwriter Bob Dylan cited the book as one of the three books that influenced him the most in his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech.

11. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Prosopee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The book shows the travels of the author and his friends across the United States. It is based on a series of notebooks that were written during the late 1940s. The book was adapted into a film in 2004. It starred Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund, and Sam Riley. The film was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012.

12. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

It was published in 1926. It is his first novel to portray the travels of American and British expatriates along the Camino de Santiago from Paris to the Festival of San Fermin. Many of the readers have noted that the book teaches children to seek contentment in things that can provide it.

13. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The novel was first published in the United Kingdom a month before the author died. It was later published in the United States with her family’s blessings. However, it wasn’t until 1967 that the book was published under her real name and not her pen name Victoria Lucas. The Bell Jar was received as a semi-autobiographical novel with only the names of people and places changed.

The novel’s protagonist has a slow descent into mental illness that many believe is reflected in the experiences of Sylvia. In 2016, it was announced that the book was being adapted but in 2019, the book was turned into a limited TV series from Showtime.

14. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

True Williams, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is an 1876 novel that follows the story of a boy growing up along the Mississippi River. It also shares the same characters as the brother novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It is among the best-selling books written by the author.

The Adventures series have faced a lot of controversies, especially the Tom Sawyer novel. With the harsh language mentioned in the book, many critics have labeled it as a terrible children’s book. However, the racial epithet used in the book is absent in most adaptations.

15. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Harlem Renaissance

It is set in central and southern Florida in the early 20th century. It wasn’t until the later 20th century that the book was well received and regarded as influential to both African-American literatures.

16. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The novel tells the story of Santiago a fisherman who is seen as an unlucky fisherman but after struggling with a marlin he is noted as a great fisher. The Old Man and the Sea were awarded the Pulitzer Prize and contributed to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Ernest in 1954. 

17. Beloved by Toni Morrison

English: Jacket design by R. D. Scudellari. Published by Alfred A. Knopf., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is set in the period after the American Civil War and is based on a dysfunctional family whose home in Cincinnati is haunted by a malevolent spirit. With its success, it was a finalist for the 1987 National Book Award and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. From 1981 to 2006, the book was ranked as the best work of American fiction. 

The book was adapted into a film in 1998 and starred Oprah Winfrey.

18. I Known Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

It is an autobiography that was published in 1969. The book describes her life during her young and early years. With themes like strength, racism, and trauma, many of the readers believe that the book is more of an educational novel that is lived through the eyes of a child. The novel was a success and was even nominated for a National Book Award and even listed on The New York Times paperback bestseller.

19. My Antonia by Willa Cather

Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Known for being a Willa classic, the novel shares the story of an orphaned boy called Jim Burden. The book was published in 1918 and was well-received and considered to be a masterpiece for bringing the American West to life. 

Willa shares themes like friendship, the immigrant experience, gender, and innocence. Each of these themes brings to life the story behind the characters and their journey in Nebraska.

20. The Call of the Wind by Jack London

It is a short adventure novel. It is based on the Klondike Gold Rush In Canada during the 1890s. The story is told from the eyes of Buck, he is a St. Bernard-Scotch Collie mix dog,  who is stolen from his home and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska.

In 2020, the book adaptation was directed by Chris Sanders and it is a live-action that depicts Buck’s life. The film was released in the United States on February 2020 by 20th Century Studios. Even though the film was well received, due to the COVID pandemic, the film had a gross of $111 million against the production budget of $125 million.

21. The Awakening by Kate Chopin

It is a novel that was published in 1899. It is set in New Orleans and on the Louisiana Gulf Coast at the end of the 19th century. The story revolves around Edna Pontellier and her struggle with increasing views on feminity and motherhood.

The Awakening has a good blend of realistic narrative, social commentary, and psychological complexity. It has been noted for being a precursor of American modernist literature.

22. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

English: Published by Random House. Jacket design by George Salter., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The novel is the fourth and longest book by Ayn. It was published in 1957 and was the final book published in her lifetime. It has hints of science fiction, mystery, and romance all in one. The book depicts a dystopian United States where private businesses suffer under burdensome laws and regulations.

Atlas Shrugged has been cited to have an influence on a variety of libertarian and conservative thinkers and politicians. From 2011 to 2014, the book was adapted into a film trilogy as well as two theatrical adaptations that have been staged.

23. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

It is a novel that was published in 1905. The book tells the story of Lily Bart who is a well-born but impoverished woman belonging to New York City’s high society. However, the book shows the social descent from privilege to a lonely existence on the margins of society.

Even though the book was Edith’s second published novel after the novellas The Touchstone, and Sanctuary. The book’s sales reached 140,000 copies almost immediately after it was published.

24. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

New York, Wid’s Films and Film Folks, Inc., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The book is another classic by Ernest Hemingway. It was first published in 1929 and is set during the Italian campaign of World War I. The novel shows the love affair between an English nurse and an expatriate from America. The publication of the book earned Ernest a place as a modern American writer of considerable stature.

In 1996, the film In Love and War depicts Ernest’s life in Italy as an ambulance driver in events before he wrote the book.

25. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A semi-autobiographical novel that was published in 1943. The book is set in different time periods of the characters’ lives which are covered in five separate books. For example, book one is based in 1912, book two in 1900, book three in 1915, book four in 1917, and book five in the fall of 1917.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn addresses different issues including alcoholism, poverty, and lying. It has been noted for not being fundamentally naturalistic. Issues that are addressed in the book include education, family relationships, and love.

26. The Things They Carried by Tom O’Brien

English: Jacket design by R. D. Scudellari. Published by Alfred A. Knopf., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is a collection of linked short stories. The book is about a platoon of American soldiers fighting on the ground in the Vietnam War. The characters are semi-autobiographical and have similar characteristics to the figures in his memoir.

In 2020, it was announced that the book was being adapted into a film that would star Tom Hardy. The film is currently in pre-production and Scott B. Smith is adapting the script.

27. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The book depicts the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small who move from place to place in California. Readers both of them as they search for new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States.

The author shared that the novella is based on his experiences working alongside migrant farm workers as a teenager in the 1910s. Even though the book is taught in numerous schools, the book has been censored for offensive and racist language.

28. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Hans Vivek rickyzden, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

It has been noted was completed and published in 1961. The book is among the most spectacular novels of the 20th century. It is set during the Second World War from 1942 to 1944. However, it mainly follows the life of the antihero Captain John Yossarian who is a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier.

The book was adapted into a film that was directed by Mike Nichols. The film starred Alan Arkin, Orson Welles, and Richard Benjamin. 

29. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

It is a collection of poetry by Walt. It was first published in 1855 and spent most of his life writing and rewriting Leaves of Grass. Over the years, there have been different editions over four decades. The first edition was a small book filled with twelve poems, the last was a compilation of over 400.

These poems are loosely interconnected and represent the celebration of his philosophy of life and humanity. Among the works in the collection include Song of Myself, and I Sing the Body Electric.

30. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Warner Bros., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It became famous for its themes such as greatness, self-destruction, and love. It is among the most ambitious novels written. The book was published in 1952 and has been adapted on numerous occasions from 1955 to 2014. 

In 2022, Netflix announced that they were adapting the novel into a limited series with Zoe Kazan as the writer and executive producer.