50 States, 50 Books List
By Kristen on Mar 22, 2008 in 50 States 50 Books
Last year I complied a list of writers for a 50 states, 50 books series, and then wrote a brief review of each writer. My list was originally inspired by a series written by Melanie Jones for the Columbia Spectator, and then as I was nearing the last few states, Omnivoracious joined in the fun as well.
Photo by marxchivist
I chose writers according to how well they express a sense of place whenever possible – I know Anne Tyler was born in Minneapolis, but she represents Baltimore so beautifully that I had to choose her for Maryland, where she has spent much of her life.
I starred ** those states for which Melanie Jones’ chose a representative — and linked to the nine states already covered… Feel free to join in the fun and leave me a comment below! Who did I miss?
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CA – Maxine Hong Kingston John Steinbeck
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NY – Michael Chabon (yes, I realize I am a bit obsessed…) and many more
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Welcome back!
I can only comment on the two states I’ve lived in.. currently that’s California, but I grew up in Michigan-which is not on your list! Maxine Hong Kingston doesn’t represent Southern Cal. at all. She is much more of a Northern California writer.. and California is so big, that may as well be another state!
lisamm | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
Thank you, Lisa! I think a state like CA does need at least two representative since it is such a large and varied state. Probably New York would have this issue as well. I will start looking for So Cal writers that might be appropriate…
And I should have included a link to those states that have already been represented, like Michigan. Melanie Jones chose The Virgin Suicides to represent Michigan — I had no problem with the choice of Eugenides, but would have chosen Middlesex since the setting of Detroit was portrayed beautifully — with all of its complexities.
I, too, grew up in Michigan, by the way — in Okemos (just outside East Lansing). Most of my relatives still live just outside Detroit, so I visit numerous times a year. This is actually the first Easter I haven’t been there!
Where did you grow up?
Kristen | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
I live in WV and would say that the author who best represents life in WV and Appalchia is John O’Brien who wrote the memoir, “At Home in the Heart of Appalachia”. Awesome book blog.
Mary Rayme | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
Thank you, Mary — I look forward to getting to know John O’Brien! Thank you for the kind words, too!!
Kristen | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
I was born in Detroit and moved to Utica (about 30 miles north) when I was 6. Stayed until I graduated high school then went to CMU in Mt. Pleasant for a couple years, then moved to Southern Cal.
I read Middlesex last summer and thought it portrayed Detroit fairly accurately for the time period. But when I think of Michigan, I don’t think of Detroit. I think of green and trees and rain and water-creeks, ponds, lakes and rivers.
Where do you live now? Why did you leave Michigan?
lisamm | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
Yes, Detroit is not the best Michigan has to offer! Especially right now…
I left Michigan to go to college in Indiana, then followed my roommates to Minneapolis for a year of fun before starting my teaching career. To my surprise, I found that I loved how sunny it was, even in the winter. (The Lansing area is very, very cloudy — something about where it is in relation to the lakes…). So, sixteen years later, long after my roommates have left, I’m still enjoying the sunny winters.
My husband travels to California for work quite a bit, and I love to join him sometimes (the San Francisco area). Your adopted state really seems like paradise!
Kristen | Mar 23, 2008 | Reply
You should check out Treatise by Noah Cicero
Lisa | May 24, 2008 | Reply
For Pennsylvania, my home state, the one that comes most readily to mind is John Updike, but doing a quick Wikipedia search, I came up with a few other noteworthy ones: James Michener, Bebe Moore Campbell, Poul Anderson, Lisa Scottoline, and speaking of poets, not only Marianne Moore, but also Wallace Stevens, who was born in Reading.
unfinishedperson | May 24, 2008 | Reply
Thank you!! Great suggestions!
Kristen | May 25, 2008 | Reply
@Lisa — Thank you for the suggestion — which state is Cicero from?
Kristen | May 25, 2008 | Reply
Please, not McMurtry for Texas. James Michener, maybe, or even better, Elmer Kelton.
I hated Lonesome Dove and thought it was not at all representative of Texas.
Sherry Early | Jun 28, 2008 | Reply
Thank you, Sherry! I will look into Elmer Kelton — I’ve heard of him… YET!
Thank you — I like the Michener suggestion, too!
Kristen | Jun 29, 2008 | Reply
I have another suggestion for you. Robert Penn Warren may be from Kentucky, but I think his Pulitzer prize winning novel, All the King’s Men, is definitely the quintessential Louisiana novel.
And for Kentucky I suggest Wendell Berry’s Jayber Crow. I’m reading it now, and if ever a book had a sense of place . . .
Sherry Early | Jul 6, 2008 | Reply
Thank you again, Sherry!! I really appreciate your help… I’m just about to reread All the King’s Men for a book club kit and I’m looking forward to it… I’ll have to look for Jayber Crow, too!
Kristen | Jul 7, 2008 | Reply
I live in Indiana, and The Girl of the Limberlost is set here. I haven’t read it yet… it’s still on Mt. TBR, but it sounds like a sweet book, and it’s a classic. I’ve not read any Vonnegut, but he’s in my library. Is he from Indiana?
The Kool-Aid Mom | Jul 11, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for the suggestion!! I’ll add it to my towering TBR pile
My sister and I went to college at Valparaiso U. and my brother went to Purdue, so I have many, many happy memories of your home state! 
I think Vonnegut is from Indianapolis?
Kristen | Jul 11, 2008 | Reply
Another Indiana suggestion: Haven Kimmel’s A Girl Called Zipppy. And West Virginia: Storming Heaven by Denise Giardina (review here: http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2006/05/book-review-storming-heaven.html). Also, quite a bit of Jeannette Wells’ memoir The Glass Castle takes place in W. Virginia.
smallworld | Aug 8, 2008 | Reply
Thank you for the suggestions! I haven’t read Kimmel yet, but The Glass Castle is a perfect pick for WV!
Kristen | Aug 9, 2008 | Reply
I’m sad to see you’ve left DC off the list. Might I suggest John Dos Passos if you do decide to include the land of taxation without representation?
Mike | Oct 8, 2008 | Reply
Thank you, Mike — My slight was inadvertent
I will certainly add D.C. to the series and thank you for the recommendation!
Kristen | Oct 9, 2008 | Reply
What about John Nichols for New Mexico? His New Mexico triology is a great introduction to the people there. Thanks Gregorio
Gregorio Roth | Mar 24, 2010 | Reply
Thank you for the recommendation, Gregorio! I’ll have to check Nichols’ trilogy out…
Kristen | Mar 24, 2010 | Reply