If you enjoy reading books by Stewart O'Nan then you might also like the following authors:
Kent Haruf was an author known for quiet, heartfelt stories set in the fictional small town of Holt, Colorado. His novel “Plainsong” introduces readers to a pair of aging bachelor farmers who end up caring for a pregnant teenager.
Their lives connect with others in town, each facing struggles and moments of grace. The book paints a vivid picture of ordinary people trying to find connection and meaning. Haruf’s writing feels honest, with a focus on relationships and the rhythms of small-town life.
Anne Tyler is known for writing stories that explore family dynamics and everyday life with depth and honesty.
One of her novels, “Breathing Lessons,” follows Ira and Maggie Moran, a married couple navigating a single day filled with small journeys, personal reflections, and moments of tension.
The book examines how their long marriage is shaped by love, disappointment, and the hope of mending old wounds. Tyler has a knack for making ordinary moments feel meaningful, and her characters always feel real.
Richard Russo writes about small-town lives and the people who call those places home. His book “Empire Falls” is set in a declining mill town in Maine.
The story focuses on Miles Roby, a diner manager trying to make sense of his struggles with family, love, and the weight of lingering expectations. The town feels alive, with its crumbling factories and the odd mix of people tied together by history and circumstance.
Russo’s writing captures the mood of change and loss, but also the stubborn hope that keeps the town going.
Elizabeth Strout is a writer known for creating deeply human stories about ordinary lives. One of her books, “Olive Kitteridge,” is about a retired schoolteacher living in a small coastal town in Maine.
The book is told through interconnected stories, each revealing how Olive impacts the people around her. Olive is blunt, sometimes harsh, but also deeply vulnerable. In one story, she faces the pain of losing her husband’s attention.
In another, she comforts someone battling their own loneliness. Strout captures people at their most honest moments, making her characters feel real and their struggles relatable.
Readers who appreciate Stewart O’Nan’s focus on quiet dramas and flawed, everyday characters might enjoy exploring Strout’s work.
Alice Munro writes about everyday life in a way that highlights the emotions and struggles beneath the surface. Her book “Runaway” is a collection of stories that centers on women facing turning points in their lives.
One story follows a young woman stuck in a difficult marriage, while another explores the choices a daughter makes when she learns unexpected truths about her mother.
Munro creates characters you can imagine knowing, and her stories often explore the quiet moments that shape people’s lives.
Jane Smiley is an author who writes about everyday lives with a focus on human emotions and relationships. Her novel, “A Thousand Acres,” takes place on an Iowa farm and is inspired by Shakespeare’s “King Lear.”
It follows a family dealing with secrets, betrayal, and the weight of inheritance. The story unfolds through the perspective of Ginny, one of the daughters, as buried truths about their past come to light.
The way Smiley brings the land and the family dynamics together creates a vivid and personal reading experience.
Wally Lamb writes stories that focus on family, personal struggles, and the way past events shape people’s lives. His book “She’s Come Undone” follows Dolores Price, a woman navigating trauma, heartbreak, and life’s disappointments while searching for her place in the world.
The story pulls you into her journey as she faces moments of both despair and hope, and it’s written with deep care for the character’s emotions. If you’ve enjoyed Stewart O’Nan’s realistic and emotional stories, you might find Wally Lamb’s writing equally engaging.
Jennifer Haigh is an author known for her deep understanding of human relationships and the quiet struggles of everyday life. Her novel “Baker Towers” tells the story of the Novak family in a small Pennsylvania coal town after World War II.
The book captures the lives of a family shaped by the decline of the coal industry, exploring themes of loyalty and change. Each family member faces their own challenges, from Rose managing the household to George grappling with his identity after the war.
Haigh paints a vivid picture of a tight-knit community facing loss and transition. If you enjoy Stewart O’Nan’s ability to bring overlooked places and people to life, you might connect with Haigh’s work too.
Colson Whitehead is known for writing stories that explore history and human lives with vivid storytelling. In “The Underground Railroad,” he reimagines the historical Underground Railroad as an actual network of trains beneath the ground.
The story follows Cora, a young enslaved girl, as she escapes a brutal plantation and journeys toward freedom. Along the way, she encounters different states, each with its own set of dangers and laws, creating a deeply layered view of America’s past.
Marilynne Robinson is an author known for her heartfelt and thoughtful storytelling. Her novel “Gilead” is a quiet and moving tale set in a small Iowa town during the 1950s.
It’s narrated by Reverend John Ames, who, knowing his life is nearing its end, writes a letter to his young son. Through his reflections, he shares stories of his ancestors, his own struggles with faith, and his connection to the land and people around him.
The book captures the beauty of everyday life and the weight of family history in a way that feels both intimate and timeless.
Andre Dubus III writes stories that are deeply human, often focusing on flawed, ordinary people trying to deal with life’s burdens.
His book “House of Sand and Fog” tells the story of a house that becomes the focal point of a conflict between a woman, who loses it after a personal downfall, and a former Iranian colonel, who sees it as his chance to rebuild his family’s future.
The characters are layered and their struggles feel raw, showing how desperation and pride can spiral into tragedy. His writing captures the weight of small moments and decisions.
John Irving is an author known for his richly detailed characters and stories that center on family, love, and life’s unexpected turns. One of his standout books is “The Cider House Rules.”
The novel tells the story of Homer Wells, an orphan raised in a Maine orphanage run by Dr. Wilbur Larch, a complex man who delivers babies and performs illegal abortions. Homer grows up under Larch’s care, learning about life, morals, and the choices people make.
The book explores Homer’s journey as he leaves the orphanage to experience the wider world, where he must face moral questions and find his own path. It’s full of heartfelt moments and memorable characters that leave an impression.
Michael Cunningham writes stories that dig deep into human relationships, showing how people’s lives connect and overlap. One of his most well-known books, “The Hours,” focuses on three women living in different times, all tied to Virginia Woolf’s novel *Mrs. Dalloway*.
The characters wrestle with love, choices, and regret, and their stories slowly reveal how they are linked. It’s an emotional and thoughtful look at how lives can echo across generations.
Sue Miller has a knack for creating rich and deeply human stories that explore the complexities of family, love, and personal growth. In her novel “The Arsonist,” a woman named Frankie returns to her small New Hampshire hometown after years abroad.
Her homecoming coincides with a series of mysterious fires devastating the community. As Frankie rebuilds her own life and reconnects with her family, the town struggles with fear and suspicion.
The book combines an intimate look at relationships with the tension of an unsolved mystery, making it hard to put down. Miller’s ability to capture emotions feels natural and honest on every page.
Ron Rash is an author known for stories set in the Appalachian region, often rich with a sense of place and strong characters. His novel “Serena” tells the story of a ruthless couple, Serena and George Pemberton, who run a logging empire in 1929 North Carolina.
Serena is fiercely ambitious, stopping at nothing to get what she wants, whether it’s fortune or control over the land. The tension builds when secrets from their past threaten the future they are trying to create.
Rash’s storytelling has a way of pulling readers into the harshness and beauty of this world.