PBS previews new series with a list of America’s 100 best-loved novels
PBS released a list of America’s 100 best-loved books in honor of their upcoming series, The Great American Read. Told in eight segments that explore what it means to love literature, book lovers everywhere will want to tune in to this.
PBS is releasing The Great American Read this month, a series and initiative intended to “explore and celebrate the power of reading.” According to the channel’s description of the eight-part series, it will delve into the psychology of both writers and readers. Watchers will learn why authors craft the stories they do and why readers devour these fictional tales so easily.
The series is set to open with a two-hour segment examining the list of America’s 100 best-loved books. The episodes following this will focus on themes specific to groups of books on the list, and they’ll feature commentary from book lovers and authors alike. During the series finale, PBS will reveal the most beloved book in America and dive into a discussion on that title.
Check out the preview for the series here:
America’s picks for the top 100 books
In honor of the upcoming premiere date, PBS recently unveiled the official list of the 100 books they’ll be using for the series. The titles included range from classics, like 1984 and The Great Gatsby, to modern bestsellers, including Harry Potter and A Game of Thrones.
Of course, popular novels like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, and George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones would make the list. We’d expect nothing less from books that went on to have blockbuster film and television franchises beloved by millions worldwide.
It’s also no surprise that so many modern classics made their way into the top 100. Novels like 1984, Catch-22 and Beloved are all more than deserving of their places. These novels were game changers when they were published, and they’re still relevant in today’s world. Talk about impressive and timeless works.
Young adult fiction like Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief and John Green’s Looking for Alaska are surprising picks, given all of the classics they’re up against. We’re happy to see that novels geared toward young people are making strides though, and we hope they remain part of the competition. We’re also crossing our fingers John Green will partake in the show’s discussion, as he does make an appearance in the preview.
Truthfully, the majority of the novels on PBS’s list are featured with good reason. Whether they’re classics that readers have been picking up for decades, or newer stories that have captured our reader hearts, most of them deserve the mention. There are a few surprises, though, in regards to books that didn’t make the count.
What’s missing from the list
It does come as a shock that more classics written by women aren’t featured on the list. Virginia Woolf and Emily Brontë are just two of the significant names missing from the top 100. Are bookworms really not reading and loving Mrs. Dalloway and Wuthering Heights? If Little Women is still breaking the charts, it seems those two should be as well.
Considering Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series made the list, it’s also surprising that more hit fantasy novels didn’t join it. For starters, Ursula K. Le Guin is nowhere to be found, which means American readers are seriously missing out. Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson and N.K. Jemisin are also left out, proving that Americans really need to step up their fantasy game.
Big names in middle grade are also absent, and we’d think the genre wasn’t included at all were it not for The Little Prince making the count. Percy Jackson, A Wrinkle in Time and A Series of Unfortunate Events all seem like obvious contenders, but it appears Americans aren’t reaching back to their childhoods when considering their favorites.
Even with all of these titles missing, the list is still comprised of plenty of masterpieces. It’s a testament to our literary background just how many “best books” one can come up with. It’ll be difficult deciding on the single best loved novel, but we’re looking forward to watching PBS narrow the options.
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The Great American Read premieres on May 22, 2018. If you’re dying to know which book will be chosen as number one, make sure to tune in.