The Best Novels Set in Every State: Part 2, Hawaii to Maryland

These are my alternatives to the list created by Melia Robinson and Melissa Stanger for Business Insider. I am excluding works of nonfiction and listing my top three choices for each state. Titles included in the list compiled by Robinson and Stanger are indicated in boldface.

Hawaii From Here to Eternity James Jones
Heads by Harry Lois Ann Yamanaka
Shark Dialogues Kiana Davenport
Idaho Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson
Dark Bridwell Vardis Fisher
All over Creation Ruth Ozeki
Illinois The Jungle Upton Sinclair
The Adventures of Augie March Saul Bellow
The Man with the Golden Arm Nelson Algren
Indiana The Blue Guide to Indiana Michael Martone
The Magnificent Ambersons Booth Tarkington
Raintree County Ross Lockridge, Jr.
Iowa A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley
Shoeless Joe W.P. Kinsella
Now Playing in Canterbury Vance Bourjaily
Kansas In Cold Blood Truman Capote
Mrs. Bridge Evan S. Connell
Garden of Sand Earl Thompson
Kentucky The Memory of Old Jack Wendell Berry
Trees of Heaven Jesse Stuart
Prodigal Summer Barbara Kingsolver
Louisiana All the King’s Men Robert Penn Warren
The Moviegoer Walker Percy
A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole
Maine The Country of Pointed Firs Sarah Orne Jewett
The Beans of Egypt, Maine Carolyn Chute
The Weight of Winter Cathie Pelletier
Maryland Saint Maybe Anne Tyler
Ten Indians Madison Smartt Bell
The Tidewater Tales John Barth

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Part 1, Alabama to Georgia: https://academeblog.org/2013/10/21/the-best-novels-set-in-every-state-part-1-alabama-to-georgia/

3 thoughts on “The Best Novels Set in Every State: Part 2, Hawaii to Maryland

  1. I love these lists! Thank you! But one point of information: Mrs. Bridge is set in Kansas City, *Missouri*, not in Kansas.

  2. Pingback: The Best Novels Set in Every State: Part 5, South Dakota to Wyoming | Academe Blog

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