Around the USA in 52 Books discussion

Hi- I am only posting my main choice per state although I do have some alternatives just in case I really don't like my first choice once I start the book. I hope to finish in one year! Not sure as I also co-moderate Around the World in Books and need to keep up with our monthly reads - always too many great books to read!!!!

Alabama - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Alaska - Drop City*
Arizona -
A Princess of Mars*
Arkansas -
Lonesome Dove
Colorado - Angle of Repose
DONE. California -
Hostage
Connecticut - The Bell Jar*
Delaware - Fight Club*
Florida - Their Eyes Were Watching God*
Georgia - Cane*
Hawaii - East Wind, Rain: A Novel
Idaho - Housekeeping
Illinois - The Adventures of Augie March*
Indiana - The Stone Diaries*
Iowa - Home*
Kansas - In Cold Blood*
Kentucky - Uncle Tom's Cabin*
Louisiana - A Lesson Before Dying*
Maine - The Cider House Rules*
Maryland - Timbuktu*
Massachusetts - The House of the Seven Gables*
Michigan - Them*
Minnesota - Freedom*
Mississippi - Absalom, Absalom!*
Missouri - Winter's Bone
Montana - Canada
Nebraska - O Pioneers!*
Nevada - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*
New Hampshire - A Prayer for Owen Meany*
New Jersey - The Plot Against America*
New Mexico - The Professor's House*
DONE. New York -Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
North Dakota - Love Medicine*
North Carolina - Look Homeward, Angel*
Ohio - A Gate at the Stairs*
Oklahoma - Paradise*
Oregon - Sometimes a Great Notion*
Pennsylvania - The Music of Chance*
Rhode Island - The Ivory Tower
South Carolina - Typical: Stories*
South Dakota - 61 Hours
Tennessee - Wise Blood*
Texas -Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West*
Utah - Escape
Vermont - The Secret History*
Virginia - The Kitchen House
Washington - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
West Virginia - The Glass Castle
Wisconsin - Drowning Ruth
Wyoming - Brokeback Mountain
Puerto Rico - Conquistadora
Guam - Keeper of the Night
Virgin Islands - Don't Stop the Carnival

* 1001 Book

Laureen wrote: "Hi- I am only posting my main choice per state although I do have some alternatives just in case I really don't like my first choice once I start the book. I hope to finish in one year! Not sure a..."

Hi, Laureen! I am a member of your group! I also moderate a similar group, Around the World in 80 Books. The whole group moderating thing takes a lot of time, I have found.

I am so lucky to have Mar, Chris and Elizabeth to help - they are great! I will check out your group also. Wish there was more time to read!

Laureen wrote: "I am so lucky to have Mar, Chris and Elizabeth to help - they are great! I will check out your group also. Wish there was more time to read!"

Me, too! Thank goodness for Kindle and audiobooks. They have really helped to increase how much get read each year.

Always too many books! Don't fret, just enjoy. I know my reading will probably not all be accomplished this year.

I might extend the challenge into 2014 as well :-)

I will admit that I am predisposed to dislike Jonathan Franzen for a whole host of reasons that have nothing to do with his prose, but I must say a little disappointed that your Minnesota choice goes to a non-Minnesotan. I know, I know the book is set in Minnesota. And frankly I don't have much to recommend as alternates short of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis or Staggerford by John Hassler. The former is a genius work and the latter is a great, readable novel that really captures Minnesota.