… And the District of Columbia.
Any arguments with any? Keep in mind it’s not the best novel set in every state, it’s the most famous novel set in every state. So if you want to say there’s a more famous novel set in Washington than Twilight, you’d better have something to back it up other than the book’s quality.
I would have gone with Death Comes for the Archbishop for New Mexico, and The Bridges of Madison County for Iowa.
And Lonesome Dove or Giant for Texas.
They have King’s The Shining for Colorado. I think T*he Stand *is more famous, although it is only partially set in Colorado.
+1 for Lonesome Dove.
I would have thought “Cannery Row” would be more famous than “East of Eden.”
I’d say Michener’s Chesapeake is more famous than Anne Tyler’s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant for Maryland.
Even for Tyler, wouldn’t The Accidental Tourist be more famous? The film version got Geena Davis an Oscar. I don’t know, I’ve never read anything of hers.
ETA: Plus, there are some Tom Clancy novels that have a lot of Maryland settings, although his novels are literally set all over the world.
I would think Anderson’s “Winesburg, Ohio” would quite easily trump DWF’s The Broom of the System for that state.
Where was Catcher in the Rye set?
Partly in New York and partly in Pennsylvania. That may have been why it didn’t get either state.
The Great Gatsby is a good choice for New York but I think Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow would have been a better one. While arguably The Great Gatsby is a better novel, I think Ragtime is more “set” in its location.
The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz for Kansas? Most of it didn’t take place there.
I guessed *Gatsby *for New York, so one of 51. 
I would put any of Raymond Chandler’s novels over Steinbeck for California. Not even close. Heck, The Maltese Falcon probably would beat out even those.
In fact, they made a huge mistake by allowing any genre or bestselling books in at all, because it makes their literary choices nonsensical. Peyton Place should win for New Hampshire, Love Story for Massachusetts, The Bridges of Madison County for Iowa, and I’d agree about *Chesapeake *for Maryland. You could also have a real interesting battle for Mississippi between Faulkner and the three novels Grisham set there.
The way this is set up is an embarrassment.
The juxtaposition of including John Grisham makes me think I’m somehow misinterpreting the first statement.
Aw fuck. I was excited to see the book for my state. I’m in Washington.
When I quizzed her a few minutes ago, **Rhiannon8404 **guessed it would be Grapes of Wrath, and then Of Mice and Men.
I guess we all know who wrote about life in California
It doesn’t stay in Texas, though, does it?
Although it’s certainly more set in Texas than The Wizard of Oz is set in Kansas.
Agreed. First thing I thought of.
And I would have put Salems Lot or It in for Maine, as they are more “Mainey” books than Carrie.
The Shining is what I first thought of before seeing the list. I would’ve liked to have seen Michener’s *Centennial * instead (it inspired the 1978 miniseries and, to me, it is much more representative of the state), but one really can’t argue that it’s more famous than The Shining.
I thought of In Cold Blood for Kansas; I’m guessing less than 10 percent of The Wizard of Oz is set in the Sunflower State (but it is somewhat more uplifting than Capote’s book).
Is that *The Secret Life of Bees *for South Carolina? Really? I’m surprised that beat out all of Pat Conroy’s books.
The Magnificent Ambersons for Indiana? Sure. What else is there? Penrod and Sam?