If you’ve been following my channel—or if you’re new here—you’ve probably gathered that I’m a huge fan of reading. There are so many reasons for this: 1) it’s fun, 2) it’s educational, and 3) there’s so much we gain from reading that we don’t even realize while we’re doing it. Each book offers unique insights, especially those written in or about different time periods, which help us understand where we are today.

As a high school English teacher specializing in World, American, and British literature, I encounter numerous books throughout my career, and in my personal reading, that illuminate many aspects of our lives today and potentially our future.

Given the tumultuous couple of months we’ve had in America around the election, I’ve decided to create a video highlighting my top 10 books that every American should read. These books not only help us understand our origins but also shed light on the ideologies we hold today and the global histories that have shaped our country. Reading these works will provide a comprehensive understanding of life in America for the various cultures that have contributed to our nation of immigrants. We’ll also explore futuristic novels that serve as cautionary tales and social critiques.

Now, as a caveat to this… there are only ten books here, not enough to cover every culture, experience, or ideology. But I do believe that if every American were to read all ten of these books, we would all understand each other and where we come from so much better. I’ve seen with my own eyes how reading can bridge the gaps in understanding and bring about conditions that lead to peace.

Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis and Welcome to my channel

Roots by Alex Haley – Mid-18th Century through the 19th Century

“Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you.”

For all Americans, understanding the legacy that centuries of slavery left behind in this country is crucial for understanding ourselves. This is true whether you’re a person of color, a descendant of a former slave owner, a descendant of someone up North or in the South who didn’t own slaves, or a descendant of a recent immigrant to this country. Slavery was the foundation this country was built on, and we have to acknowledge that.

What’s so important about “Roots” is that it brings to life the story of slavery and what these people—these human beings—experienced during the early days of our country. Slaves were real people, not just a vocabulary word in an elementary textbook. They experienced pain, fear, love, and heartbreak—all the things that make them just as human as non-slaves at the time, if not more so because of the experiences they had to endure.

Understanding the level of dehumanization that slave owners inflicted upon both their slaves and themselves helps explain the decades that followed the end of slavery. Just because slavery was abolished doesn’t mean that white slave owners suddenly viewed former slaves as humans. Even now, centuries later, there are still those who see Black people as less than human.

If we merely skim over this part of history, we’re left with questions like “Why are people so racist?” or even the misguided belief that racism no longer exists because we’ve had a Black president. The dehumanization was so intense that slave owners would beat people to death, set dogs on them, tear them limb from limb, separate mothers from children, and much more. White people couldn’t have simply said, “Well, now there’s a law against slavery, so I guess you’re 100% just like me now.” That goes against human psychology. Only by knowing where we began and how much damage was done through this dehumanization can we really start to heal and become better than our ancestors. And what’s more, experiencing the stories of these humans bound to slavery, even through fictious characters, allows us to empathize more deeply and understand the pain people of color have carried with them from generation to generation. It can be hard to dive into, but its so much better than just looking away.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – 1922

“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.”

Jumping several decades into the future, “The Great Gatsby” is a short novel set in the Roaring Twenties. It follows a young man who has seemingly achieved what every American of that era coveted: the American Dream.

However, this dream doesn’t quite pan out as expected. At its core, the book explores the allure of the American Dream, the disillusionment it breeds, and the potential consequences of pursuing wealth and status. As an English teacher, I love introducing students to this book by saying, “We’re diving into the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age! We’ll explore this rich man’s lifestyle—it’ll be all fine and dandy. Until it’s not. Surprise!”

Like all enduring literature, what makes this book truly great (HA) is its social critique. The early 20th century saw a widening class divide, exacerbated by the Industrial Age. With the looming threat of the 1930s and the Great Depression, being of a lower social class often led to ruin. F. Scott Fitzgerald, writing in the mid-1920s, was somewhat prophetic—he, like many Americans, sensed what was coming, even if they were powerless to prevent it.

If we consider the ideology that defines an American, it’s the pursuit of the American Dream—doing the work and reaping the rewards, at least in its simplest form. Everyone’s American Dream might look different. But what if chasing this ideal dream—perhaps not even your own version of it—leads to your downfall? What if it results in the complete destruction of your life? That’s the central message “The Great Gatsby” explores, at least in this English teacher’s opinion.

On another note, this is also a literary masterpiece. It’s rich with literary techniques, particularly in its language and symbolism, providing an excellent example for students and readers alike of how to craft powerful prose that evokes emotion and conveys the author’s message. I’ll be honest, though—while I don’t personally enjoy the story, I do appreciate its merit. It’s not my favorite, but I recognize its significance and value.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 1933–1935

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

If you haven’t read “To Kill a Mockingbird,” either your school dropped the ball or you weren’t doing your homework. Either way, you should read it now. It’s not only one of the great American novels, but there’s also so much to take away from this story. For an even more nuanced look, you can read “Go Set a Watchman,” which features Scout, the main character, as an adult.

What’s so compelling about “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in my view, is how it examines racism and prejudice in the South through a unique lens. The story begins with Scout, the narrator, at six years old and ends when she’s eight. Consequently, we experience all the events, dialogue, and setting details through the innocent eyes of a young child.

This isn’t because it’s a children’s book. In fact, reading it only as a child might prevent you from fully grasping Lee’s overall message and themes. So why tell this story through a child’s perspective if it’s meant for adults? I believe Harper Lee, whether consciously or subconsciously, recognized that many of her readers would view 1930s racism through an uninformed lens. This isn’t meant negatively—even though she wrote the book in the 1960s when significant progress was being made for people of color, Lee likely felt hopeful that things would continue to improve. Essentially, she didn’t assume readers would fully understand the situations and characters she presented.

Moreover, Scout’s innocence—the primary reason for this point of view that we discuss in schools—allows her to absorb information without bias. Having grown up around Black people, particularly Black women, Scout doesn’t comprehend why they’re treated differently. This perspective highlights the injustices by constantly raising that pesky “why?” question. If the story followed an older character, they might have simply shrugged and said, “It is what it is,” or worse, been part of the angry mob that Atticus confronts near the book’s end.

If nothing else, this story greatly contributes to our understanding of history and how society has evolved over time. It was a powerful addition to the rhetoric surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. In a way, it gently guided white readers who might not have fully grasped the situation, leading them through the realities of racial injustice and allowing them to ask “why?” in a safe context, even if they never vocalized it. In my opinion, we should all be asking that question more often about various aspects of our lives and the world around us.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – 1930s through the 1980s

“Then you must teach my daughter this same lesson. How to lose your innocence but not your hope. How to laugh forever.”

Move over, daddy issues—this is all about mommy issues, particularly those stemming from cultural differences.

“The Joy Luck Club” is one of my favorite novels because of the incredible insights it provides. I believe this was the first book I read that truly delved into another person’s culture—not just their culture, but the culture of their family and ancestors— in such a raw way and how it often conflicted with their worldview and personality.

The book follows four mothers and their daughters. While there are other children mentioned, the focus is on these four main daughter-mother pairs. All the mothers immigrated to America during or shortly before World War II, while Japan was attacking and invading China. If you learned about World War II in school, chances are you didn’t learn much about what was happening with Japan on the other side of the world until Pearl Harbor, as we had a very Western-centric focus of study. When I read “The Joy Luck Club” at 27, I had no idea what was going on with China while everyone in Europe was fighting the Nazis. All of my knowledge was about the battles in southern Asia once the US joined the war.

Why is this important? Well, it led to a huge influx of Chinese immigrants to America. It’s also part of the reason why the Japanese gained a stronger foothold as they took over China and surrounding territories, which ultimately contributed to the U.S. joining World War II after Pearl Harbor. If Imperial Japan hadn’t defeated so much of China, they probably wouldn’t have had the guts to come after us. There are so many causes and effects related to our involvement in World War II—including the ramifications of bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki—that we don’t typically learn about in U.S. history classes. In fact, when I have taught US History, I have to carve out time to add this because its techniocally not part of my curriculum.

But that’s not even the main focus of the story. At its core, the book is about these four daughters navigating the cultures and ideologies of their immigrant mothers and exploring why their mothers think the way they do. We get perspectives from all eight characters, providing insight into their backgrounds. It’s a beautifully written story that offers a unique perspective on true Americans—these four daughters were all born in America—but one we don’t often explore: the perspective of first-generation children of immigrants.

While there has been some critique of Amy Tan’s depiction and storytelling choices, it’s important to remember that this was written in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Today, there are many books that offer perspectives on Chinese-American citizens or Chinese immigrants that may do a better job. However, I chose this book because of its combination of historical perspective on World War II and its exploration of cultural dynamics. And on a personal level, I just love Tan’s writing style.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut – Primarily 1945

“And so it goes…”

Not only should every American be familiar with Kurt Vonnegut’s brilliant writing, but his satirical, anti-war novel is a must-read for all Americans. It’s fine if you aren’t anti-war (though I don’t understand why you’re not), but it explores many topics that even pro-war individuals should consider. These include PTSD (or “shell-shock” as it was called at the time), war injuries, the devastation war can cause—even to the opposing side—and how being a soldier is often far less honorable than it’s made out to be. The book’s alternative title, “The Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death,” hints at its strong anti-war message.

Here’s the thing, though: Vonnegut was on the ground during the bombing of Dresden and witnessed the absolute devastation caused by Allied forces to a mostly civilian population. He said Dresden looked like “the surface of the moon” when he managed to crawl out of the basement where he and other POWs were hiding. Additionally, he wrote this book during the Vietnam War era, when he saw countless young men—barely out of high school in most cases—going off to fight a bloody, unwinnable battle in a country so foreign that most Americans couldn’t have pointed it out on a map before the war. Now they can’t because of our education system, am I right?

Anyway, the alternative title “The Children’s Crusade” emphasizes that those who fight and die in these wars are, for the most part, children. These poor boys’ prefrontal cortexes hadn’t even finished developing, and they had machine guns put into their hands. Of course they’re gonna come back like Vonnegut, or his character Billy Pilgrim, a little bit touched in the head. But beyond that, Vonnegut’s power of language and literary structure also develops a deep sense of empathy in the reader for what soldiers in WWII—and by extension Vietnam—experienced: what they saw, heard, and did.

Also, there’s time travel and aliens and stuff, so it’s also a fun read. Leave it to old Vonnegut to make it as interesting as possible!

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou – 1930s through 1950s

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

Maya Angelou is one of the greatest American authors and poets of all time. Her poem “Still I Rise” is my absolute favorite. In writing “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” she left behind a monumental story: her own experience of growing up as a Black woman in the South.

What stands out most about this book—and actually made me cry when I read it—is Angelou’s explanation of how Black people didn’t know how they came to be where they were in the South. Deprived of education and robbed of their culture, all they could do was shrug and say, “Well, I guess I’m here now.” Moreover, their segregated schools led to many years of Angelou being ashamed of being Black and believing she couldn’t achieve anything academically—a stark contrast to her eventual status as one of the greatest poets of all time.

The book is filled with instances of Angelou being excluded or pushed aside because of her race. In one particularly shocking moment, when she has terrible tooth pain, no white dentist will treat her. They suggest she go to a vet instead. I threw the book across the room when I read that, then quickly apologized to it because it wasn’t the book’s fault…

Coming from a modern, white perspective, there were so many things—especially smaller, everyday occurrences—that I had never considered before. It opened my eyes to situations and experiences that many of our fellow Americans faced, and in some places still face, due to the color of their skin. At the same time, it’s incredibly inspiring to know that despite having everything working against her, Angelou rose to become a brilliant, prolific writer. But really, that wasn’t what she was going for.

I wanted to end this section about her rise with her own words about these ideas:

“The Black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature at the same time that she is caught in the tripartite crossfire of masculine prejudice, white illogical hate and Black lack of power.

The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.”

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – 1970s through 2001

“There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood.”

I was only in first grade when the Twin Towers were attacked on 9/11, but I vividly remember the wave of hate and fear directed toward people from the Middle East—particularly Afghanistan—and those of Islamic faith. Growing up in the War on Terror era, like many of my peers, I absorbed a narrative that often oversimplified and villainized an entire region and religion.

Two years after the attacks, Khaled Hosseini published The Kite Runner, a groundbreaking novel that gave voice to a country that had been reduced to headlines and soundbites. A decade later, I read it for the first time and was struck by its power to humanize a culture I had only known through the lens of conflict.

The novel delves into Afghanistan’s history, touching on the Soviet-Afghan War—an often-overlooked chapter in Cold War history that had a direct hand in shaping the modern Middle East and our conflict with it. Beyond its historical context, though, The Kite Runner is about redemption, forgiveness, and the lifelong scars of betrayal. It explores themes of friendship, father-son relationships, and the impact of privilege through the eyes of its protagonist, Amir, and his complex relationship with Hassan, his childhood friend and servant.

What makes this book essential is how it bridges the gap between “us” and “them.” It invites us into Afghan culture, with its traditions, struggles, and humanity. It makes us sit with uncomfortable truths about how war and displacement strip people of dignity, identity, and a sense of home. And for those of us who grew up with a skewed perception of this region, it redefines Afghanistan not as a war zone, but as a place where people laugh, cry, dream, and love.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – 1990s

“I don’t have a plan, I’m afraid, but then, no one really does, no matter what they say.”

In Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng masterfully dissects the intersections of race, class, and privilege in suburban America. Set in the idyllic, rule-following town of Shaker Heights, Ohio, in the 1990s, the novel pits two families against each other—the picture-perfect Richardsons and the eclectic single mother, Mia Warren, with her teenage daughter, Pearl.

What I love most about this book is its exploration of identity and belonging. Through the lens of the adoption battle at the heart of the story, Ng raises tough questions: Who gets to decide what’s best for a child? Is it the biological mother struggling to make ends meet, or the wealthy, white adoptive parents who can provide financial security? As a new mom when I read this story, this main conflict was heartwrentching for me on both sides, and I really admire Ng’s ability get her readers empathizing with everyone involved even the busy-body mom of the Richardsons.

But it doesn’t stop there. Little Fires Everywhere also tackles the nuances of mother-daughter relationships, the expectations placed on women, and the quiet ways societal norms stifle creativity and individuality. Through the contrasting lives of Mia and Elena Richardson, Ng forces readers to reflect on their own biases and assumptions.

It’s a book about how we judge others—sometimes harshly and unfairly—and how those judgments can ignite small, simmering flames that eventually burn out of control. It’s an empathetic, sharp critique of the so-called American Dream and the price some people pay to uphold it, creating a wonderfully modern spin on Fitzgerald’s theme of the American Dream in the Great Gastby.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – Near Future (unspecified)

“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”

Of the books I’ve chosen for this list, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has to be the most polarizing one, but I doesn’t it have to be. While the symbol of the handmaid has been used in protests recently for women’s right and bodily-autonomy, I believe Atwood has a much more moderate, bi-partisan view in this book than people often give her credit for. While the main character had a bit of a immoral past, she was a wife and mother and viewed those with radical feminist ideals as a little bit off their rocker. This book, like nearly every book, needs to be read and analyzed in order to really pin point what the messages are. Just hearing a synopsis will not lead to an informed opinion.

Having said that this is one of the most chilling, thought-provoking dystopian novels ever written. It paints a haunting picture of Gilead, a totalitarian regime where women are stripped of their rights, reduced to their reproductive functions, and forced into rigid societal roles.

What makes this book so compelling—and terrifying—is its plausibility. Atwood famously said she included nothing in the novel that hasn’t happened in real life, whether it was the purging of intellectuals, the control of women’s bodies, or the manipulation of religion to justify oppression. She still has her entire collection of research that point to each idea she used to build Giland and its regime.

Like with every good dystopian novel, reading this book is like holding up a mirror to society and seeing how fragile our freedoms are. It forces us to ask, “What would I do if this were my reality?” and, perhaps more importantly, “How close are we to this being reality?” What makes this more clear is seeing the main character in flashbacks as the United States is being taken over by the commanders of Gilead and how she and her husband continue to shrug off the red flags. But when they finally try to flee to Canada, it is too late.

For me, The Handmaid’s Tale is a powerful reminder of the importance of vigilance, activism, and standing up for the rights of others—even when those rights aren’t directly threatened in your own life. It’s a cautionary tale wrapped in masterful storytelling, and if you’ve never read it, I highly recommend you remedy that immediately.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – Future (unspecified)

“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you’ll never learn.”

Fahrenheit 451 isn’t just about burning books—it’s about the dangers of a society that values entertainment and conformity over critical thinking and free expression. In Ray Bradbury’s dystopian world, firemen start fires instead of putting them out, tasked with destroying books to suppress independent thought and dissent.

The novel feels eerily predictive in today’s world of endless screen time and soundbites, despite Bradbury’s outdated predictions of what technology will actually look like. Bradbury envisioned a future where people are so consumed by shallow, mindless distractions that they stop asking questions or seeking deeper truths. It’s a stark warning about the power of censorship and the importance of protecting intellectual freedom.

Like what activity do people spend way to much time doing that this quote reminds you of:

“Speed up the film, Montag, quick. Click? Pic, Look, Eye, Now, Flick, Here, There, Swift, Pace, Up, Down, In, Out, Why, How, Who, What, Where, Eh? Uh! Bang! Smack! Wallop, Bing, Bong, Boom! Digest-digests, digest-digest-digests. Politics? One column, two sentences, a headline! Then, in mid-air, all vanishes! Whirl man’s mind around about so fast under the pumping hands of publishers, exploiters, broadcasters, that the centrifuge flings off all unnecessary, time-wasting thought!”

I’ll give you a hint: it has to do with your phone…

What makes this book timeless and so important to us as Americans is its call to action. It urges readers to embrace curiosity, challenge authority, and engage with ideas that make them uncomfortable. In a society obsessed with comfort and convenience, Fahrenheit 451 dares us to be the disruptors—the ones who pick up the forbidden book and start reading.

It’s a short, impactful novel that leaves you questioning the direction of our culture. Bradbury’s world may be fictional, but the parallels to our own make this an essential read for anyone who values freedom of thought.

So there you have it—the ten books every American should read! As I mentioned at the beginning of this video, I truly believe that if Americans were to read nothing else but these 10 books, they would gain invaluable insight, empathy, and historical context for how we arrived at our current situation. I don’t care about your political affiliation or who you voted for in the last election. All I care about is that you’re striving to understand yourself and your fellow Americans, and that you want to make this country the best it can possibly be.

To achieve that, you need to educate yourself. You need to pick up a book and read. I know it can be challenging at times. I know it might hurt sometimes. But so does lifting weights and building muscles. So do the growing pains as a child turns into a teenager. There are many things that are uncomfortable yet still good for you.

At the same time, all of these books are truly great and enjoyable to read—maybe not in a “Woo, I’m having a blast!” kind of way, but in an “appreciating art and being entertained” sort of way. So dive in, expand your mind, and let’s make America better, one book at a time!

But you’ve got some reading to do, so I’ll see you in the next video! Ta-ta!