Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Meredith Vieira, THE GREAT AMERICAN READ ia an eight-part television competition and nationwide campaign that explores the power of books and the joy of reading through the lens of America's 100 best-loved novels, as voted on by the public. Vieira takes viewers on a journey across the country to uncover the nation's 100 most-loved novels, the people who love them, and their authors. Plus, Vieira ties together the overarching themes of America's national love of literature. Many key authors, celebrities and notable figures in the entertainment, sports, news and literary worlds will join Vieira in lending their voices and passion to THE GREAT AMERICAN READ. Diana Gabaldon, George Lopez, Seth Meyers, John Green, John Irving, Bill T. Jones, Devon Kennard, Gayle King, Wynton Marsalis, Margaret Atwood, Jenna and Barbara Bush, Chelsea Clinton, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, John Green, Gayle King, George R. R. Martin, Shaquille O'Neal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jason Reynolds, Gabrielle Union, Ming-Na Wen and many others will share their personal stories and connections to their favorite titles throughout the series. Following the two-hour launch event of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, and throughout the summer, viewers will be encouraged to read and engage in the conversation by participating in local events, and by visiting the interactive website and voting for their favorite book on the list at pbs.org/greatamericanread. The series returns in September with a recap and additional themed episodes exploring the nominated books, leading up to the reveal of "America's Best-Loved Novel" on Tuesday, October 23. To vote, visit http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/vote/#

Below is the full list of America's 100 favorite novels, in alphabetical order by title:

1984
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Game of Thrones
A Prayer for Owen Meany
A Separate Peace
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Alchemist
Alex Cross Mysteries**
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Americanah
And Then There Were None
Anne of Green Gables
Another Country
Atlas Shrugged
Beloved
Bless Me, Ultima
The Book Thief
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The Call of the Wild
Catch-22
The Catcher in the Rye
Charlotte's Web
The Chronicles of Narnia**
The Clan of the Cave Bear
The Coldest Winter Ever
The Color Purple
The Count of Monte Cristo
Crime and Punishment
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Da Vinci Code
Don Quixote
Dona Barbara
Dune
Fifty Shades of Grey
Flowers in the Attic
Foundation
Frankenstein
Ghost
Gilead
The Giver
The Godfather
Gone Girl
Gone with the Wind
The Grapes of Wrath
Great Expectations
The Great Gatsby
Gulliver's Travels
The Handmaid's Tale
Harry Potter **
Hatchet
Heart of Darkness
The Help
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hunger Games
The Hunt for Red October
The Intuitionist
Invisible Man
Jane Eyre
The Joy Luck Club
Jurassic Park
Left Behind
The Little Prince
Little Women
Lonesome Dove
Looking for Alaska
The Lord of the Rings**
The Lovely Bones
The Martian
Memoirs of a Geisha
Mind Invaders
Moby Dick
The Notebook
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Outlander
The Outsiders
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pillars of the Earth
Pride and Prejudice
Ready Player One
Rebecca
The Shack
Siddhartha
The Sirens of Titan
The Stand
The Sun Also Rises
Swan Song
Tales of the City
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Things Fall Apart
This Present Darkness
To Kill a Mockingbird
Twilight
War and Peace
Watchers
The Wheel of Time**
Where the Red Fern Grows
White Teeth
Wuthering Heights

PBS first aired THE GREAT AMERICAN READ on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, premiering a two-hour special to introduce the initiative and to open voting. By July 30, almost 2 million votes have been cast in conjunction with THE GREAT AMERICAN READ. Four months after voting commenced, THE GREAT AMERICAN READ returned for its official series premiere on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). During the subsequent seven weeks, PBS debuts a new episode each Tuesday at 8pm, culminating in the finale on October 23 when America's best-loved novel is revealed. In the series opener, "Fall Kick-off," host Meredith Vieira is in the search for America's best-loved novel. With voting underway, the competition is heating up -- any book could win.
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On Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at 8pm, PBS premiered the finale of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ. And the winner is... after millions of votes, find out which of the 100 nominated books is crowned America's best-loved novel.