What were the best novels written by Americans during the twentieth century? Best does not necessarily mean most influential at the time of publication, highest selling, or highest quality from an academic point of view. It means a book that a librarian, a teacher, or a well-read friend would recommend. Eleanor Gehres, Director of the Denver Public Library's Western History Department, profiles 150 books which she qualifies as the most enjoyable, most readable books in twentieth-century American literature. Each decade begins with a list of events, followed by the chosen books in alphabetical order of authors' names. This provides a framework to understand the world that the author was witnessing and allows the reader to compare contemporary books and authors. Her notes on these books make you want to read every one. - Publisher.