Americana

A Quick Look at Some of the Great English Language Novels of the 21st Century

From living literary legends to new voices, OVID brings you the selection of the best English language novels published since the turn of the century.

John Updike

The Centaur

The Centaur is a modern retelling of the legend of Chiron, the noblest and wisest of the centaurs, who, painfully wounded yet unable to die, gave up his immortality on behalf of Prometheus.

Saul Bellow

Saul Bellow's finest book, this National Book Award for Fiction winner presents a multifaceted portrait of a modern-day hero, a man struggling with the complexity of existence and longing for redemption.

East of Eden

Published in 1952, "East of Eden" is a masterful work of literature that delves into the deep emotions and motivations that drive human beings.

Jack Kerouac

On the Road

With its themes of freedom, adventure, and self-discovery, this seminal work of American literature captures the essence of the Beat Generation and is a testament to the power of literature to inspire and challenge us..

Ralph Ellison

Invisible Man

Set in the 1930s and 1940s and follows the life of an unnamed narrator who is trying to find his place in a society that sees him as invisible, "Invisible Man" is a masterpiece of American literature that explores the complexities of race and identity.

Saul Bellow

The Adventures of Augie March

A remarkable novel speaks to the human experience in a way that is both timeless and deeply rooted in its historical moment written in a prose that is among the most evocative and memorable in all of American literature.

Don DeLillo

White Noise

Through telling a story of a college professor and expert on Hitler studies, and his family as they navigate the bizarre and absurd landscape of American consumer culture, DeLillo delivers a prescient and deeply unsettling exploration of modern life.

Raymond Carver

Cathedral

A remarkable collection of twelve stories, each one exploring the lives of ordinary people struggling to make sense of their own experiences and relationships that continues to resonate with readers today.

Philip Roth

American Pastoral

A powerful exploration of the American Dream and the impact of social and political upheaval on one family that speak convincingly to the heart of the American experience.

Philip Roth

Goodbye, Columbus

Published in 1959, "Goodbye, Columbus" is a classic of postwar American literature. Through the love story of Neil Klugman and Brenda Patimkin, Roth explores themes of social class, assimilation, and the complexities of cultural identity.

Jonathan Franzen

The Corrections

This modern classic published in 2001 tells the story of the dysfunctional Lambert family as they struggle to come to terms with their individual problems and the challenges of aging.

John Dos Passos

The 42nd Parallel

The first volume of Jon Dos Passos' U.S.A. trilogy, The 42nd Parallel follows several characters as they navigate the challenges of life in the United States during the early 20th century,