'The Great American Read' Comes to Boswell Book Co.

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Fiction has the power to transport people to undiscovered places and open doors to new realities, but for those who love to read, being asked to name the best-loved American novel can be a difficult and potentially polarizing question. More than 7,000 Americans were polled on that very topic, and the survey results include both long-standing literary classics as well as popular contemporary titles, spanning a range of fictional genres and covering centuries of work.

An upcoming eight-part PBS series called “The Great American Read” will explore the stories behind the top 100 works of fiction, which include favorites from The Clan of the Cave Bear to Wuthering Heights and War and Peace (and where series with multiple titles, such as Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, are counted as a single title, in order to add variety and diversity to the list). “The Great American Read” television series uses America’s best-loved novels as a platform to encourage reading, thoughtful reflection and community conversations.

In anticipation of the PBS broadcasts, which debuted on May 22 and will return this fall for seven additional episodes, Boswell Book Co. proprietor Daniel Goldin will appear at the store in conversation with a Milwaukee PBS representative at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11. The literary-minded pair will banter around their thoughts on America’s top 100 all-time favorite novels and further preview the fall television series that is set to feature both best-selling authors and book lovers alike. The first 40 people to register and attend the in-store event will receive a $5 gift certificate to use toward any “Great American Read” novel. More information can be found at pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/.