About this list

The Atlantic, 136 Books

This list is an exploration of the 'Great American Novel' concept, aiming to define a new American literary canon by identifying significant novels published in the United States over the past 100 years. The selection criteria focused on literary works that offer intriguing insights and are written with distinctive, artful prose. Curated by The Atlantic, the list involved contributions from a diverse group of experts, including scholars, critics, and novelists. The methodology emphasized comprehensiveness, rigor, and open-mindedness, leading to a final selection of 136 novels. These novels were chosen not only for their enduring impact but also to highlight the unexpected and overlooked, reflecting the evolving American literary landscape amid contemporary challenges such as censorship and anti-intellectualism.

This list was originally published in 2024 and was added to this site about 2 years ago.