As we speak The Atlantic launches “The Nice American Novels,” an formidable new undertaking that brings collectively probably the most consequential novels of the previous 100 years. Specializing in 1924 to 2023––a interval that started as literary modernism was cresting and consists of all method of literary chance, together with the experimentations of postmodernism and the narrative satisfactions of style fiction––the 136 novels on the listing embrace 45 debut novels, 9 winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and three kids’s books. Twelve have been printed earlier than the introduction of the mass-market paperback to America, and 24 after the discharge of the Kindle. Not less than 60 have been banned by faculties or libraries. In an introduction to the listing, The Atlantic’s editors write that, collectively, the books chosen symbolize the most effective of what novels can do: “problem us, delight us, pull us in after which launch us, slightly smarter and slightly extra alive than we have been earlier than. You must learn them.”

In 1868, the author John William DeForest established the concept of the nice American novel as a piece of fiction that achieved “the duty of portray the American soul.” The Atlantic’s editors write, “In 2024, our definition of literary greatness is wider, deeper, and weirder than DeForest doubtless may have imagined. On the similar time, the novel can also be underneath risk, because the forces of anti-intellectualism and authoritarianism search to ban books and curtail freedom of expression. The American canon is extra capacious, extra fluid, and extra fragile than maybe ever earlier than.”

All the books on “The Nice American Novels” listing have been first printed in america (or meant to be, as with The Bell Jar and Lolita). To slender down the titles additional, our editors approached specialists—students, critics, and novelists, each at The Atlantic and out of doors of it—and requested for his or her solutions. They write, “We needed to acknowledge the perfect—novels that say one thing intriguing concerning the world and do it distinctively, in intentional, clever prose—irrespective of what number of or few that ended up being (136, because it seems). Our aim was to acknowledge these classics that stand the take a look at of time but additionally to make the case for the surprising, the unfairly forgotten, and the just lately printed works that already really feel indelible. We aimed for comprehensiveness, rigor, and open-mindedness. Serendipity too: We hoped to copy that individual pleasure of a buddy urgent a e book into your hand and saying, ‘You must learn this; you’ll adore it.’”

At The Atlantic, the listing was led by tasks editor Ellen Cushing, deputy editor Jane Kim, senior editor Gal Beckerman, affiliate editor Emma Sarappo, and literary editor Ann Hulbert.

The publication of the “Nice American Novels” is a part of The Atlantic’s sturdy and expanded Books part dedicated to essays, criticism, reporting, unique fiction, poetry, and e book suggestions, together with The Atlantic’s weekly Books Briefing e-newsletter.

Associated Occasions:

New Orleans Ebook Competition: This afternoon (March 14), The Atlantic is collaborating with the New Orleans Ebook Competition, at Tulane College, for the pageant’s opening session. Editors will dive into the method behind deciding on these literary masterpieces whereas exploring the books’ enduring impression and cultural significance. The primary dialog will characteristic Walter Isaacson in dialogue with The Atlantic’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg; a second dialog will characteristic Cushing and Kim, with workers writers and authors Clint Smith and Jemele Hill; a 3rd dialog this night will characteristic the novelist Jesmyn Ward with Hill. The pageant is free and open to the general public, and attendees can register on the pageant web site.

The Strand: On April 3, the Strand will host an in-person occasion with The Atlantic’s editors for a dialogue on “The Nice American Novels.” Tickets can be found right here.

Press Contact:
Paul Jackson | The Atlantic
press@theatlantic.com