I feel like cultivating an understanding of American culture could take years and volumes, so I'm having a hard time knowing where to start with recommendations, but what I've come up with so far:
Non-fiction – a more direct approach to learning about culture:
– Historical understanding – something like "American Nations"?
– More modern pop-culture focused – "The Nineties" or similar?
Novels – less direct, but could be a start to seeing some themes:
– Great Gatsby
– Grapes of Wrath
– A Farewell to Arms
– Huclkeberry Finn
– On the Road
Thanks for the help!
by MNAAAAA
4 Comments
To Kill a Mockingbird might be another another good novel to recommend
For a modern take on being an immigrant in America, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is good; a bit heavy handed at times but definitely resonates with the immigrant experience to the US.
Faulkner is good for painting an American snapshot of the time, but a bit heavy too…
Maybe Made In America: Bill Bryson, haven’t read it but has good reviews
i feel like a well rounded view of relatively modern (1950s-2020s)
invisible man – ralph ellison
mildred pierce – james m. cain
deep water – patricia highsmith
i’m glad my mom died – jenette mccurdy
For right now, I am just going to suggest one addition to your excellent list of novels: An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser.
I’m thinking about non-fiction, but conciseness and coverage seem to be at odds for me right now.