If you enjoy reading books by Nathaniel Hawthorne then you might also like the following authors:
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author famous for his dark and mysterious tales and his mastery of psychological suspense. If you enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne’s exploration of human guilt and sin, Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” would be an excellent read.
In this chilling short story, an unnamed narrator describes his careful plan to murder an old man due to his unsettling eye. After hiding the evidence, the narrator confidently believes himself safe—but soon finds that the victim’s heartbeat haunts him mercilessly.
Poe takes readers deep into the mind of someone driven to madness by guilt, suspicion, and fear. His powerful storytelling and tense psychological atmosphere echo the themes found in Hawthorne’s works such as “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Scarlet Letter.”
Henry James was an American writer known for his thoughtful exploration of morality and consciousness through complex characters. Readers who enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne’s psychological depth might be interested in James’s novella “The Turn of the Screw.”
This story follows a young governess hired to care for two orphaned children in a remote English estate. Soon after arriving, she begins to see figures that seem to haunt the mansion.
She grows increasingly unsettled and questions whether the visions are real or products of her own troubled mind. This haunting tale explores themes of innocence, perception, and ambiguous reality, themes often present in Hawthorne’s works.
Books by Herman Melville often explore deep moral questions, human psychology, and the dark side of human nature. If you enjoyed Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter,” you might appreciate Melville’s “Moby-Dick.”
This classic novel follows narrator Ishmael on a whaling voyage aboard the Pequod. Captain Ahab obsessively hunts the legendary white whale, Moby Dick, determined to get revenge at all costs.
Melville explores themes similar to Hawthorne’s work: obsession, guilt, and the destructive power of revenge. The adventures are dramatic, the characters vivid, and Melville’s insights into humanity are profound.
If you enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne’s blend of mystery, folklore, and early American settings, try Washington Irving. Irving is best known for stories that explore the eerie side of American legend with a subtle sense of humor.
His book, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” follows Ichabod Crane, a timid schoolteacher who arrives in a quiet village in New York. This sleepy little place is filled with ghost stories, superstitious townsfolk, and a mysterious figure—the Headless Horseman.
When Ichabod finds himself alone on a winding road late at night, the boundary between legend and reality becomes uncertain. Fans of Hawthorne’s atmospheric storytelling will appreciate Irving’s ability to capture the charm and spooky elements of early America.
William Faulkner was an American writer famous for his complex characters and insightful examinations of morality and Southern history. Readers who appreciate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s exploration of sin and human nature may find Faulkner’s works also appealing.
His novel “Light in August” unfolds around Joe Christmas, a man whose uncertain heritage and mysterious past sparks tension in a small Mississippi town.
As Joe navigates issues of race, identity, and social isolation, Faulkner paints a vivid portrait of the struggle between individual freedom and societal expectations.
Fans of Hawthorne’s darkly symbolic style and deep psychological portraits often find Faulkner’s novels equally thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.
Ambrose Bierce is an author readers of Nathaniel Hawthorne often appreciate for his sharp wit and eerie storytelling. His collection “Tales of Soldiers and Civilians” blends chilling narratives with profound commentary on human nature.
One standout story from the collection, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” captures the suspenseful final moments of a Civil War prisoner condemned to execution.
Bierce masterfully explores the thin line between reality and imagination, crafting stories that linger in the mind long after the last page. Fans of Hawthorne’s psychological depth and haunting atmosphere will likely find Bierce equally fascinating.
James Fenimore Cooper was an American novelist known for novels depicting early American adventures and frontier life. If you appreciate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s atmospheric storytelling and vivid characters, you might enjoy Cooper’s novel “The Last of the Mohicans.”
Set during the French and Indian War, the story follows Hawkeye, a brave frontiersman raised by Native Americans, and his two Mohican companions, Chingachgook and his son Uncas.
Together they attempt to rescue two sisters, Cora and Alice Munro, caught in a dangerous world of conflict, wilderness, and shifting alliances.
Cooper’s descriptive and suspenseful narrative explores cultural clashes, courage, sacrifice, and friendship, within a setting of intense historical drama.
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British writer famous for his exploration of moral complexity and human psychology set against dark, atmospheric backdrops. Readers who appreciate the depth of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work might find Conrad particularly engaging.
His novel “Heart of Darkness” tells the story of Marlow, a sailor journeying deep into the Congo in search of the elusive ivory trader Kurtz.
The farther Marlow travels upriver, the more he confronts the troubling truths about colonialism, greed, and the hidden darkness within humanity itself. Conrad’s vivid and thought-provoking portrayal of inner conflict and moral ambiguity offers a powerful reading experience.
Edith Wharton was an American novelist known for her exploration of society, morality, and the hidden lives of characters. If you enjoyed Nathaniel Hawthorne’s portrayal of moral struggles and social judgment, you might appreciate Wharton’s classic novel “The Age of Innocence.”
Set in 1870s New York society, the story follows Newland Archer, a respectable young lawyer engaged to conventional May Welland. Archer’s tidy world shifts when the intriguing Countess Ellen Olenska, May’s cousin, returns after a scandalous separation from her husband.
Archer finds himself deeply attracted to Ellen and must confront his growing feelings against the strict conventions and expectations of their high-society circle.
The novel paints an insightful portrait of duty, desire, and societal pressures, vividly capturing the quiet tension that defines Archer’s dilemma.
Flannery O’Connor was an American writer known for her sharp, unsettling stories filled with moral ambiguity and complex characters. Readers who appreciate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s dark exploration of human nature might enjoy O’Connor’s “Wise Blood.”
The novel follows Hazel Motes, a disillusioned soldier who returns home and starts his own religion, the Church Without Christ. His journey leads him through bizarre encounters and confrontations that test his beliefs.
O’Connor uses wit, insight, and dark humor to examine faith, redemption, and moral decay. In this novel, she dives deep into spirituality and hypocrisy, creating a lasting impression on readers who value thoughtful, provocative storytelling.
Mark Twain was an American author famous for his sharp wit and lively storytelling. His work often combines humor with deeper reflections on society. One of Twain’s most celebrated novels is “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” which follows the story of a young boy named Huck.
Huck runs away from home and travels down the Mississippi River on a raft along with Jim, a man escaping slavery. Throughout their journey, Huck faces tricky moral decisions about friendship, freedom, and justice.
Twain’s richly drawn characters and deep exploration of American life are appealing to readers who enjoy stories like Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, where thoughtful themes meet strong, memorable plots.
Readers who enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne’s thoughtful exploration of human nature and society might also appreciate Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was an influential American essayist and philosopher who emphasized individualism, nature, and the importance of self-reliance.
In his book “Nature,” Emerson describes his deep reflection on humanity’s relationship with the natural world. He argues that true wisdom and spirituality come from an intimate connection with nature rather than from organized institutions or traditional teachings.
With vivid imagery and thought-provoking insights, the book invites readers to reconsider their view of themselves and their place in the broader universe.
Emerson’s profound observations on life and society may resonate strongly with those drawn to Hawthorne’s nuanced depictions of moral struggle and personal truth.
Shirley Jackson is an author you might enjoy if you’re a fan of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s dark, atmospheric stories exploring the shadowy side of human nature.
In her novel “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” Jackson gives readers the story of Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, who lives in isolation with her older sister and uncle after tragedy strikes their family.
When an unexpected visitor arrives, buried family secrets and tensions emerge, threatening their quiet existence. Jackson builds a slow, eerie tension rich with psychological depth and small-town suspicion, elements Hawthorne readers will immediately recognize and appreciate.
Walt Whitman offers an exciting change of pace for readers who love Nathaniel Hawthorne’s exploration of human nature and emotion. Whitman’s powerful poetry gives life to the everyday experiences and struggles of people from all walks of life.
In his famous collection, “Leaves of Grass,” he celebrates individual freedom, equality, and the beauty of nature.
The poems range widely in topic and tone, from joyous declarations of personal identity (“Song of Myself”) to reflections on the United States after the trauma of war (“When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”).
Though Whitman’s style differs greatly from Hawthorne’s prose, the thoughtful examination of American ideals and human spirit may deeply resonate with readers who admire Hawthorne’s insightful work.
Carson McCullers was an American novelist known for exploring deep human emotions and moral struggles in her work.
Readers who appreciate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s dark psychological themes and characters burdened by inner conflict may enjoy McCullers’ novel, “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.”
Set in a small Southern town, the story follows several isolated characters drawn toward a gentle deaf-mute named John Singer. Each character sees in Singer a reflection of their own loneliness and longing, which subtly reveals their hidden vulnerabilities and fears.
McCullers crafts intensely believable characters, and through them, portrays the complexities of human nature and the search for understanding.