- The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair (1906) – This novel is set in Chicago and explores the harsh working and living conditions of immigrants in the city’s stockyards and meatpacking industry.
- “The Adventures of Augie March” by Saul Bellow (1953) – Set in Chicago, the novel follows the life and adventures of Augie March as he navigates the city’s social and cultural landscape.
- “Native Son” by Richard Wright (1940) – This powerful novel is set in Chicago and tells the story of Bigger Thomas, a young African American man living in poverty and facing systemic racism.
- “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen (2001) – While not solely set in Illinois, the novel takes place primarily in fictional St. Jude, a city that closely resembles the suburbs of Chicago, and follows the lives of the Lambert family.
- “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck (1952) – Although not entirely set in Illinois, a significant portion of the novel takes place in the town of Des Moines, Illinois. “East of Eden” explores themes of good and evil through the intertwined lives of two families.
- “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013) – While the novel primarily focuses on the experiences of a Nigerian woman in America, a portion of the story is set in Illinois, particularly in the town of Princeton.
- “The Nao of Brown” by Glyn Dillon (2012) – Set in Chicago, this graphic novel follows the life of a young woman named Nao Brown as she navigates her mixed-race identity and struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- “Bastard Out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison (1992) – Though not completely set in Illinois, the novel partially takes place in Centralia, Illinois. It explores themes of poverty, survival, and family dynamics in the American South.
- “The Winter of Our Discontent” by John Steinbeck (1961) – While this novel is primarily set in New York, the protagonist, Ethan Hawley, hails from a small town in Illinois. The story delves into themes of morality and the American Dream.
- “The Time Visitor’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger (2003) – This beloved novel is set in Chicago and follows the non-linear love story of Henry, a time visitor, and Clare, his wife.
WANDERLIST: Ten famous novels set in Illinois
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