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Top 40 Chicago Novels

"In assembling my list of the top 40 Chicago novels, I have selected only those books that unfold at least partly in Chicago.... Books are ordered with an eye to their level of artistry, their long-term impact, and the extent to which they capture Chicago." (Geoffrey Johnson, Chicago magazine)
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1
Divine Days (Leon Forrest)
Divine Days
Leon Forrest
2
Humboldt's Gift (Saul Bellow)
Humboldt's Gift
Saul Bellow
3
Sister Carrie (Theodore Dreiser)
Sister Carrie
Theodore Dreiser
4
Native Son (Richard Wright)
Native Son
Richard Wright
5
The Studs Lonigan Trilogy (James T. Farrell)
The Studs Lonigan Trilogy
James T. Farrell
6
The Cliff-Dwellers (Henry Blake Fuller)
The Cliff-Dwellers
Henry Blake Fuller
7
The Adventures of Augie March (Saul Bellow)
The Adventures of Augie March
Saul Bellow
8
The Man With the Golden Arm (Nelson Algren)
The Man With the Golden Arm
Nelson Algren
9
Chin Music (James McManus)
Chin Music
James McManus
10
The Jungle (Upton Sinclair)
The Jungle
Upton Sinclair
11
Years of Grace (Margaret Ayers Barnes)
Years of Grace
Margaret Ayers Barnes
12
The Pit (Frank Norris)
The Pit
Frank Norris
13
Trumbull Park (Frank London Brown)
Trumbull Park
Frank London Brown
14
With the Procession (Henry Blake Fuller)
With the Procession
Henry Blake Fuller
15
The Memoirs of an American Citizen (Robert Welch Herrick)
The Memoirs of an American Citizen
Robert Welch Herrick
16
The Smiths (Janet A. Fairbank)
The Smiths
Janet A. Fairbank
17
Rose of Dutcher's Coolly (Hamlin Garland)
Rose of Dutcher's Coolly
Hamlin Garland
18
The Titan (Theodore Dreiser)
The Titan
Theodore Dreiser
19
Erik Dorn (Ben Hecht)
Erik Dorn
Ben Hecht
20
Knock on Any Door (Willard Motley)
Knock on Any Door
Willard Motley
21
Prairie Avenue (Arthur Meeker)
Prairie Avenue
Arthur Meeker
22
Maud Martha (Gwendolyn Brooks)
Maud Martha
Gwendolyn Brooks
23
The Old Bunch (Meyer Levin)
The Old Bunch
Meyer Levin
24
The Odyssey of Kostas Volakis (Harry Mark Petrakis)
The Odyssey of Kostas Volakis
Harry Mark Petrakis
25
The Rivers of Eros (Cyrus Colter)
The Rivers of Eros
Cyrus Colter
26
Hairstyles of the Damned (Joe Meno)
Hairstyles of the Damned
Joe Meno
27
The House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros)
The House on Mango Street
Sandra Cisneros
28
Peel My Love Like an Onion (Ana Castillo)
Peel My Love Like an Onion
Ana Castillo
29
I Sailed With Magellan (Stuart Dybek)
I Sailed With Magellan
Stuart Dybek
30
Windy McPherson's Son (Sherwood Anderson)
Windy McPherson's Son
Sherwood Anderson
31
The Lazarus Project (Aleksandar Hemon)
The Lazarus Project
Aleksandar Hemon
32
The Song of the Lark (Willa Cather)
The Song of the Lark
Willa Cather
33
The Dean's December (Saul Bellow)
The Dean's December
Saul Bellow
34
The Girls (Edna Ferber)
The Girls
Edna Ferber
35
Rebellion (Joseph Medill Patterson)
Rebellion
Joseph Medill Patterson
36
The Moments Lost: A Midwest Pilgrim's Progress (Bruce Olds)
The Moments Lost: A Midwest Pilgrim's Progress
Bruce Olds
37
Letting Go (Phillip Roth)
Letting Go
Phillip Roth
38
Presumed Innocent (Scott Turow)
Presumed Innocent
Scott Turow
39
Cooler by the Lake (Larry Heinemann)
Cooler by the Lake
Larry Heinemann
40
Barriers Burned Away (E.P. Roe)
Barriers Burned Away
E.P. Roe
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