7 Great American Novels From the 1920s That Every Reader Should Know

The idea of the Great American Novel has fascinated readers, critics, and writers for more than a century. Every generation seems to have its own answer to the question: which book best captures the American experience?

Recently, The Atlantic tackled that question with an ambitious list of more than 100 novels spanning over a century of American literature. The list includes books from the 1920s all the way to the 2020s and highlights novels that have shaped how we think about America, its people, and its culture.

As someone who spends a lot of time browsing book lists, I always find massive lists both exciting and overwhelming. While they are great resources, they can also be intimidating. Looking at a list with more than 100 books can make it difficult to know where to begin.

That is why I wanted to approach The Atlantic’s list differently.

Instead of examining every novel at once, I thought it would be more interesting to break the list down by decade. This allows us to appreciate the books within their historical context while also giving each novel the attention it deserves.

Today, we are starting with the 1920s, one of the most influential decades in American literary history.

The 1920s produced some of the most celebrated novels ever written. It was a decade marked by economic prosperity, cultural transformation, social change, and artistic experimentation. The aftermath of World War I left many writers questioning traditional values, while rapid modernization created a new vision of America.

The result was a remarkable collection of novels that continue to be read, studied, and discussed nearly one hundred years later.

Here are the seven novels from the 1920s that made The Atlantic’s list of Great American Novels.

Great American Novels From the 1920s

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
• An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser (1925)
• The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein (1925)
• Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (1927)
• A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (1929)
• Passing by Nella Larsen (1929)
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (1929)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

If there is one novel that has become synonymous with the 1920s, it is undoubtedly The Great Gatsby.

Even people who have never read the novel recognize the green light, Gatsby’s lavish parties, and the tragic romance at the center of the story. Fitzgerald’s novel has become one of the defining works of American literature and remains a staple in classrooms across the country.

I have always had mixed feelings about The Great Gatsby. It is one of those books that receives enormous praise, and sometimes the hype can create unrealistic expectations. Yet whenever I revisit the novel or think about its impact, I understand why it has endured.

Few books capture the illusion of the American Dream as effectively as Fitzgerald’s masterpiece.

Jay Gatsby’s relentless pursuit of wealth, status, and love reflects a uniquely American obsession with reinvention. The novel explores ambition, class, privilege, and the dangers of chasing an idealized past.

What makes The Great Gatsby so enduring is that its themes remain relevant today. The pursuit of success, the influence of wealth, and the gap between appearance and reality continue to resonate with modern readers.

Whether you love it or merely appreciate its significance, there is no denying that The Great Gatsby deserves its place among the greatest American novels ever written.

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser (1925)

While The Great Gatsby often receives most of the attention from readers studying the 1920s, Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy is equally deserving of recognition.

The novel follows Clyde Griffiths, a young man whose desire for wealth and social acceptance ultimately leads him down a destructive path.

What makes this novel fascinating is how it examines the darker side of the American Dream. Unlike Gatsby, who pursues his dream through extravagant displays of wealth, Clyde becomes consumed by ambition and social climbing.

Dreiser presents a brutally realistic portrait of a society obsessed with status and success. His examination of class divisions and economic inequality remains surprisingly relevant nearly a century after publication.

The novel is often considered one of the greatest examples of American naturalism, and its influence can still be seen in contemporary literary fiction.

While it may not receive the same level of attention as some of the other books on this list, An American Tragedy remains an essential American classic.

The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein (1925)

Gertrude Stein’s The Making of Americans is probably the most challenging novel on this list.

Known for her experimental writing style, Stein pushed the boundaries of what fiction could accomplish. Her novel is less concerned with traditional storytelling and more focused on understanding the nature of human identity and behavior.

Reading Stein can feel intimidating, especially for readers accustomed to conventional narratives. Her repetitive style and unconventional structure require patience and concentration.

Yet her influence on modern literature is impossible to ignore.

Stein’s willingness to experiment with language helped pave the way for future literary innovations. She challenged readers to think differently about storytelling and demonstrated that novels could explore ideas in entirely new ways.

While this may not be the easiest book to recommend to casual readers, its inclusion on a list of Great American Novels makes perfect sense. It represents a bold artistic achievement that expanded the possibilities of literature.

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (1927)

Willa Cather remains one of the most important voices in American literature, and Death Comes for the Archbishop is often regarded as her masterpiece.

Set in the American Southwest during the nineteenth century, the novel follows two Catholic missionaries as they establish their church in New Mexico.

Unlike many novels that rely heavily on dramatic plot twists, Cather’s work focuses on atmosphere, landscape, and character development.

What stands out most is her ability to bring the American Southwest to life. The setting feels vivid and immersive, becoming almost a character itself.

The novel explores faith, friendship, cultural change, and the challenges of building communities in unfamiliar territories.

Cather’s prose is elegant and thoughtful, making this one of the most beautifully written novels on the list.

Although it may not be as widely discussed as The Great Gatsby or The Sound and the Fury, it remains a landmark achievement in American literature.

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (1929)

Ernest Hemingway is often mentioned among the greatest American writers of all time, and A Farewell to Arms is one of the strongest examples of why.

The novel tells the story of Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver serving in Italy during World War I, and his romance with Catherine Barkley.

Hemingway’s writing style is famously direct and economical. He eliminates unnecessary words and allows emotions to emerge through action and dialogue rather than lengthy descriptions.

The result is a novel that feels remarkably powerful despite its simplicity.

One of the most fascinating facts about the book is that Hemingway reportedly wrote dozens of possible endings before selecting the one that appears in the final version. In fact, many alternate endings were later published, giving readers insight into his creative process.

For me, what makes A Farewell to Arms memorable is the emotional impact of its conclusion. Hemingway creates a love story that feels authentic while also exploring the devastating consequences of war.

It is easy to see why the novel has remained a classic for nearly a century.

Passing by Nella Larsen (1929)

Among the novels on this list, Passing may be one of the most relevant for contemporary readers.

Nella Larsen’s novel explores race, identity, and belonging through the experiences of two Black women who navigate very different lives.

One woman chooses to pass as white, while the other remains connected to her Black identity. Their reunion creates tension that drives the novel’s exploration of social expectations and personal choices.

What makes Passing so remarkable is how much it accomplishes in a relatively short space.

Larsen tackles complex questions about race, privilege, identity, and societal pressure with extraordinary nuance.

The novel has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, introducing new readers to Larsen’s work and highlighting just how ahead of its time she was.

Its themes continue to spark important conversations, making it one of the most enduring books from the decade.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (1929)

Of all the novels on this list, The Sound and the Fury may be the most challenging and rewarding.

I was fortunate enough to read Faulkner’s masterpiece in a classroom setting where we spent significant time unpacking its complexities. That experience made all the difference.

This is not an easy novel.

Faulkner employs multiple narrators, shifting timelines, and stream-of-consciousness techniques that can leave readers feeling completely lost during their first encounter with the book.

But if you stick with it, the payoff is extraordinary.

The novel tells the story of the Compson family and their decline in the American South. Through its innovative structure, Faulkner explores memory, loss, family, and the passage of time in ways that few authors have ever matched.

There are moments when reading the novel feels like solving a puzzle, but once the pieces come together, the emotional and thematic depth becomes impossible to ignore.

It is one of those books that lingers in your mind long after you finish reading.

Few writers could have accomplished what Faulkner did here, which is why The Sound and the Fury continues to be regarded as one of the greatest achievements in American literature.

Final Thoughts

Looking back at these seven novels, it is remarkable to see how many literary giants emerged during a single decade.

The 1920s gave readers Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Faulkner, Cather, Stein, Dreiser, and Larsen; authors whose work continues to shape literature nearly one hundred years later.

What strikes me most about this list is how diverse these novels are. Some are accessible and widely beloved, while others are experimental and demanding. Some focus on the American Dream, while others examine race, identity, religion, war, or family.

Yet all of them attempt to answer the same fundamental question: what does it mean to be American?

That is ultimately what makes the concept of the Great American Novel so fascinating. These books are not simply great stories. They are snapshots of America itself, capturing the hopes, fears, contradictions, and ambitions of a nation in constant change.

Whether you are revisiting a favorite classic or discovering one of these novels for the first time, each book offers a unique window into American history and culture.

And while we may not all agree on which novel deserves the title of the Great American Novel, there is little doubt that these seven books have earned their place in the conversation.

How many of these classics have you read? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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