United States Books

Hunger in the United States is not going to be solved just by giving people more food, says Mariana Chilton, a professor of public health at Drexel University and author of The Painful Truth about Hunger in America. She recommends books to get a better understanding of hunger and argues that food banks have become part of the problem.

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a watershed moment in the history of the United States—and, as a result, has made an enormous impact on American literature, explains Craig A. Warren, author of Scars to Prove It: The Civil War Soldier and American Fiction. Here, he recommends five key texts: classic novels of the American Civil War that, together, offer a panoramic view of a country in crisis.

On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence from the British Empire. In its assertion that all men are created equal, the declaration was a milestone in the journey towards the more democratic world we have today. But it was still a product of the 18th century colonial society that created it. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood talks us through five books, including his own, for understanding the history we celebrate on the Fourth of July.

What divides a hit from a flop, artistically speaking? The New York Times theatre critic takes us behind the scenes to assess the art of writing for Broadway and the rules for avoiding musical disaster

Short stories dive right into the middle of the matter and there's nothing about them that's inessential, argues American writer Jim Shepard. He chooses five of his favourite short story collections, from the 1980s through to the 21st century.

Albeit an object of satire and overreach, the 'Great American Novel' remains a vital concept in American literature, encouraging writers to capture the essence of national culture and history, argues Lawrence Buell, Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University. He talks us through the origins of the phrase and nominates five novels as contenders.

Outsiders see Mississippi as a site of slavery and indigenous removal; but to write about Mississippi is to write about the United States as a whole—and its original sins, says Prof Ralph Eubanks, as he recommends five of the best books on Mississippi, the birthplace of the blues.

In contrast to many other countries, the secretaries who serve in the United States cabinet aren't chosen from among the country's elected officials but entirely reflect the president's personal choices. Here, presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, talks us through the role of the cabinet and recommends which books to read to understand more about it.

Five fantastic books on American film, selected by Mark Harris, bestselling author of Mike Nichols: A Life, who explains how "movies can reflect what's going on in American society—sometimes anticipate it, sometimes fall behind it, sometimes lead it, and sometimes change it."

New England: it's the northeastern-most region of the United States, encompasses six states, is slightly larger than England itself, and half of it is rural, remote Maine. Yale Professor Mark Peterson introduces us to the rich history of New England, going back to its Puritan roots and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.