If you enjoy reading novels by John Dos Passos then you might also like the following authors:
Ernest Hemingway is an author you might enjoy if you appreciate John Dos Passos. Hemingway’s style is straightforward and crisp, with direct dialogue and vivid imagery. A great introduction to his work is “The Sun Also Rises.”
This novel tells the story of Jake Barnes and a group of young expatriates who travel from Paris to Spain in search of meaning and excitement after World War I. At its heart is Jake’s complicated relationship with Lady Brett Ashley, a woman whose independence and charm complicate the story.
Hemingway captures the disillusionment and restlessness experienced by these characters as they wander through cafes, bullfights, and romantic entanglements.
The book is widely considered one of Hemingway’s finest, known especially for its sharp dialogue and memorable characters that reflect the lost feeling of a generation.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist known for capturing the spirit of the Roaring Twenties. Readers who appreciate John Dos Passos’ portrayal of society and complex characters might be drawn to Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”.
Set in the wealthy communities of Long Island, this novel follows Jay Gatsby, an ambitious millionaire with a mysterious past. Gatsby throws extravagant parties to impress Daisy Buchanan, a woman he loves and lost years ago.
The book explores themes of ambition, social class, and the emptiness behind lavish lifestyles. Fitzgerald provides a detailed image of a prosperous yet morally ambiguous era, similar to the vivid societal perspectives found in Dos Passos’ works.
William Faulkner was a bold voice of American literature, known for his complex characters and sharp portrayal of Southern life. Fans of John Dos Passos will appreciate Faulkner’s experimental approach to storytelling, as seen clearly in “The Sound and the Fury.”
The book explores the decline of the Compson family through multiple perspectives. Each section is narrated by a different family member, each revealing their own flaws, emotions, and inner conflicts.
The result is a rich portrayal of loss, regret, and the passage of time, presented through rich, shifting viewpoints that keep readers engaged and challenged.
John Steinbeck was an American author best known for stories filled with vivid characters and honest portrayals of life’s hardships. Readers who appreciate John Dos Passos’ realistic portrayal of America may also enjoy Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.”
The book tells the story of the Joad family, displaced farmers from Oklahoma forced by the Great Depression to migrate west to California. Steinbeck captures the struggle and resilience of ordinary people in hard times.
The journey of the Joads highlights both human cruelty and human kindness, making it a powerful reflection on America itself.
Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist known for his sharp critique of American society and culture. If you enjoyed the social commentary and vivid portraits of American life in John Dos Passos’s work, you might find Lewis’s novel “Babbitt” appealing.
“Babbitt” follows the story of George F. Babbitt, a successful but deeply dissatisfied real estate broker living in the fictional city of Zenith. Lewis portrays Babbitt’s struggle with conformity, materialism, and the emptiness of the American middle class.
Lewis uses satire and sharp wit to expose the shallow aspirations of 1920s society and explore the gap between outward success and inner emptiness. Like Dos Passos, Lewis captures detailed snapshots of everyday American life, filled with relatable yet flawed characters.
Readers who appreciate John Dos Passos’ sharp-eyed portrayal of American life might enjoy Theodore Dreiser’s novels. Dreiser is known for exploring social issues and human struggles with unflinching realism.
A notable example is “Sister Carrie,” which follows a young woman named Carrie Meeber as she moves from her small town to Chicago. She begins naive and hopeful, and we see her encounter ambition, desire, and hardship in her new urban environment.
Dreiser draws readers deep into the complexities of choices and ambition through Carrie’s experiences. The novel’s honest look at city life, ambition, and moral ambiguity resonates with the themes found in Dos Passos’ work.
Readers who enjoy the panoramic storytelling and historical sweep of John Dos Passos will find much to appreciate in E.L. Doctorow’s novels. Doctorow blends real historical events with engaging fictional narratives, creating vibrant portrayals of American society.
His book “Ragtime” vividly captures the early 20th century in America through the intersecting lives of historical figures like Harry Houdini and Henry Ford, alongside fictional families navigating social and racial upheaval.
The novel portrays the spirit of an era as various characters cross paths in unexpected ways, revealing contrasts between wealth and poverty, hope and struggle.
Doctorow’s narrative style is direct yet rich in detail, which will draw in readers interested in both history and fiction.
Sherwood Anderson was an American novelist and short story writer who captured the emotional undercurrents of small-town America.
If you enjoy John Dos Passos and his skill at portraying individual lives against a shifting American society, Anderson’s book “Winesburg, Ohio” may speak strongly to you.
Set in a fictional Ohio town, this collection introduces readers to townspeople who live quietly desperate or unfulfilled lives beneath ordinary exteriors.
Anderson’s stories skillfully map emotions like loneliness, desire, and hope through interconnected but self-contained narratives. His expressive writing style and sharply realized characters offer an insightful glimpse into human nature and small-town life.
Upton Sinclair was an American writer known for his sharp social criticism and realistic portrayal of early 20th-century life. His novel, “The Jungle,” exposes the harsh realities immigrants faced in Chicago’s meatpacking industry.
The story follows Jurgis Rudkus, who arrives from Lithuania with the hope of a better life. He soon discovers a corrupt system that exploits workers, ignores safety, and prioritizes profits over humanity.
Readers who appreciate John Dos Passos’s vivid snapshots of American society will recognize Sinclair’s frank depiction of gritty urban life and economic injustice.
Thomas Wolfe was an American novelist known for his richly detailed narratives and vivid portrayal of American life in the early 20th century. If you enjoy John Dos Passos’s layered storytelling, Wolfe’s novel “Look Homeward, Angel” may appeal to you.
This semi-autobiographical novel follows Eugene Gant, a young man deeply dissatisfied with small-town life, as he dreams of escaping and discovering his wider purpose in the world.
Through Eugene’s story, Wolfe gives an honest picture of family dynamics, youthful ambition, and the conflict between tradition and personal freedom. Wolfe’s sharp attention to detail and human emotions creates a realistic portrait of life’s joys, frustrations, and aspirations.
Readers who enjoy John Dos Passos might appreciate the vivid narratives and social themes of Richard Wright. Wright’s novel “Native Son” portrays the life of Bigger Thomas, a young black man struggling against poverty and racism in 1930s Chicago.
After a dangerous turn of events, Bigger faces intense societal pressure while confronting his own fear and defiance. Wright skillfully weaves together powerful storytelling with stark reflections on American society, highlighting issues of injustice, inequality, and identity.
If the gritty realism and deep social insights of Dos Passos resonate with you, Wright’s work could provide another memorable reading experience.
Books by Nelson Algren often capture the gritty underbelly of American city life with the same vivid detail and honesty found in John Dos Passos’s novels.
In Algren’s “The Man with the Golden Arm,” readers meet Frankie Machine, a WWII veteran who returns to Chicago burdened by addiction, broken dreams, and the struggle to survive. Algren portrays Frankie’s world without glamor or judgment.
He shines a clear light on the harsh realities of poverty, addiction, and desperation. If you appreciated Dos Passos’s ability to show the true layers of American society through everyday people, the realism and empathy of Nelson Algren’s storytelling might resonate deeply.
Readers who enjoy John Dos Passos might appreciate the vivid realism and adventurous spirit in Jack London’s writing. London often explores human resilience and social themes through bold, earthy characters and exciting storylines.
In his novel “The Call of the Wild,” London tells the story of Buck, a domesticated dog stolen from his peaceful home to serve as a sled dog in Alaska’s harsh wilderness.
Buck must adapt quickly to survive, confronting the fierce conditions of nature, human cruelty, and the raw instincts that awaken inside him.
London’s portrayal of the wild environment, intense struggles, and Buck’s transformative journey offer powerful insights into both animal instinct and human nature.
Books by Kurt Vonnegut resonate well with readers who appreciate John Dos Passos’ energetic narratives and social critiques. Vonnegut often mixed satire, dark humor, and sharp observations to craft stories both absurd and deeply meaningful.
In “Slaughterhouse-Five,” Vonnegut follows Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes “unstuck in time.” Billy’s life jerks wildly from his days as a soldier during World War II to an alien zoo on a distant planet called Tralfamadore.
The novel paints a vivid, thought-provoking portrait of war, trauma, and humanity’s struggle to make sense of chaos. Anyone drawn to life’s strange complexities explored by Dos Passos in works like “U.S.A.” will find a lot to enjoy in Vonnegut’s storytelling.