Every state has its hallmark writers. Mississippi has William Faulkner and his incomparable (fictional) Yoknapatawpha County and Missouri can lay claim to Mark Twain. The state of Maine is gifted with Pulitzer winner Richard Russo and horror icon Stephen King. Rural Pennsylvania is the playground of the much-heralded (and occasionally maligned) John Updike, and when many bibliophiles think of New Jersey, they also think of Richard Ford’s series of novels featuring recurring Everyman character Frank Bascombe. Illinois can lay claim to William Maxwell, Sandra Cisneros, and Adam Langer, among numerous others. And what reader can think of Washington State without contending with the sparkle-vampire yarns of Stephanie Meyer?
What makes authors like these inextricably associated with a particular state is not simply the matter of their having been born there or choosing to live there. The connection, from a writerly standpoint, is deeper than that—their work, nearly all of it, is set in “their” state.
Of course, there are certainly exceptions. Whether a writer sets a tale in the town where they went to college or spent part of their childhood—like Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” and its New England arts school setting and the almost-factual small town of Jo Ann Beard’s “In Zanesville,” respectively—or crafts a story that follows a social or political theme to a location they know little about but lay narrative claim to anyway, the world is rife with books known, loved, and respected that also capture the essence of place—books where setting itself is one of the strongest characters.
Stacker compiled a list of books set in Oregon from Goodreads. Whether you’re looking for a good read set in the state you call home, or you’re looking to expand your curiosity with a writer you’re already familiar with, we’ve got you covered.
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Goodreads
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
– Rating: 4.20 (689,266 ratings)
– Author: Ken Kesey
– Published: January 1, 1962
– Genres: Classics, Fiction, Psychology, Literature
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
The Wild Birds
– Rating: 3.95 (303 ratings)
– Author: Emily Strelow
– Published: March 13, 2018
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, LGBT, Historical
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona the Brave (Ramona, #3)
– Rating: 4.11 (56,451 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1975
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Sometimes a Great Notion
– Rating: 4.25 (21,266 ratings)
– Author: Ken Kesey
– Published: January 1, 1964
– Genres: Fiction, Classics, Literature, Novels
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona and Her Father (Ramona, #4)
– Rating: 4.04 (29,965 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: August 1, 1977
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1)
– Rating: 4.02 (98,938 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: July 1, 1955
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona the Pest (Ramona, #2)
– Rating: 4.07 (65,100 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1968
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona and Her Mother (Ramona Quimby, #5)
– Rating: 4.09 (26,482 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1979
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Henry Huggins (Henry Huggins, #1)
– Rating: 4.00 (29,435 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1950
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Tip of a Bone
– Rating: 4.16 (63 ratings)
– Author: Christine Finlayson
– Published: September 1, 2013
– Genres: Mystery, Crime, Amateur Sleuth
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
A Girl from Yamhill
– Rating: 4.01 (3,731 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1988
– Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Ramona, #6)
– Rating: 4.10 (71,082 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1981
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona Forever (Ramona, #7)
– Rating: 4.07 (34,053 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: April 28, 1984
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)
– Rating: 4.24 (1.0 million ratings)
– Author: Ernest Cline
– Published: August 16, 2011
– Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Henry and Beezus (Henry Huggins, #2)
– Rating: 4.04 (10,343 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1952
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)
– Rating: 3.77 (17,373 ratings)
– Author: Karina Halle
– Published: May 1, 2011
– Genres: Paranormal, Horror, Ghosts, Fantasy
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese American Family
– Rating: 3.91 (929 ratings)
– Author: Lauren Kessler
– Published: January 1, 1993
– Genres: Nonfiction, History, Japan, Biography
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon’s Wilderness
– Rating: 4.21 (365 ratings)
– Author: William L. Sullivan
– Published: January 1, 1988
– Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Nature, Biography
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Wildwood (Wildwood Chronicles, #1)
– Rating: 3.68 (31,768 ratings)
– Author: Colin Meloy
– Published: August 30, 2011
– Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Young Adult
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Little Century
– Rating: 3.47 (1,062 ratings)
– Author: Anna Keesey
– Published: June 1, 2012
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Westerns, Historical
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Moontrap
– Rating: 4.09 (94 ratings)
– Author: Don Berry
– Published: September 28, 1962
– Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ramona’s World (Ramona Quimby, #8)
– Rating: 4.14 (11,990 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: August 25, 1999
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Roller Girl
– Rating: 4.30 (58,364 ratings)
– Author: Victoria Jamieson
– Published: March 10, 2015
– Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Comics
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Winterkill
– Rating: 4.13 (585 ratings)
– Author: Craig Lesley
– Published: January 1, 1984
– Genres: Fiction, Literature, Contemporary, Literary Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
The River Why
– Rating: 4.23 (10,859 ratings)
– Author: David James Duncan
– Published: January 1, 1983
– Genres: Fiction, Nature, Philosophy, Novels
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Otis Spofford (Ellen & Otis, #2)
– Rating: 3.86 (2,547 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1953
– Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Henry and Ribsy (Henry Huggins, #3)
– Rating: 4.01 (13,276 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: October 18, 1953
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Henry and the Clubhouse (Henry Huggins, #5)
– Rating: 4.06 (4,469 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1962
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Henry and the Paper Route (Henry Huggins, #4)
– Rating: 4.02 (6,307 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1957
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Good Grief
– Rating: 3.73 (27,869 ratings)
– Author: Lolly Winston
– Published: April 13, 2004
– Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Arsenic with Austen (Crime with the Classics #1)
– Rating: 3.29 (1,501 ratings)
– Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde
– Published: July 12, 2016
– Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Romance
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
B Is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet
– Rating: 3.77 (81 ratings)
– Author: Marie Smith
– Published: October 1, 2003
– Genres: Picture Books, Childrens
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Geek Love
– Rating: 3.96 (65,171 ratings)
– Author: Katherine Dunn
– Published: March 1, 1989
– Genres: Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Contemporary
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
A Merciful Death (Mercy Kilpatrick, #1)
– Rating: 4.14 (47,839 ratings)
– Author: Kendra Elliot
– Published: January 17, 2017
– Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
The Boys from Little Mexico: A Season Chasing the American Dream
– Rating: 3.89 (106 ratings)
– Author: Steve Wilson
– Published: June 1, 2010
– Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Soccer, Historical
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey
– Rating: 3.82 (10,691 ratings)
– Author: Rinker Buck
– Published: June 30, 2015
– Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel, Memoir
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Homestead: Modern Pioneers Pursuing the Edge of Possibility
– Rating: 4.01 (410 ratings)
– Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
– Published: February 1, 1991
– Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Memoir, Biography
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
The Hearts of Horses
– Rating: 3.94 (4,843 ratings)
– Author: Molly Gloss
– Published: November 6, 2007
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horses, Animals
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Something to Hold
– Rating: 3.82 (262 ratings)
– Author: Katherine Schlick Noe
– Published: December 6, 2011
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Cultural
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory
– Rating: 3.78 (72 ratings)
– Author: R. Gregory Nokes
– Published: May 1, 2013
– Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Oregon Geographic Names
– Rating: 4.40 (48 ratings)
– Author: Lewis A. McArthur
– Published: January 1, 1974
– Genres: Reference, History
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Emily’s Runaway Imagination
– Rating: 3.95 (3,510 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1961
– Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Walking with Ramona: Exploring Beverly Cleary’s Portland
– Rating: 3.91 (120 ratings)
– Author: Laura O. Foster
– Published: April 15, 2009
– Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Childrens, Books About Books
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ellen Tebbits (Ellen & Otis, #1)
– Rating: 3.95 (8,184 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1951
– Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
The Jump-Off Creek
– Rating: 3.91 (1,683 ratings)
– Author: Molly Gloss
– Published: August 1, 1989
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Westerns, Historical
– Read more on Goodreads
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Goodreads
Dies the Fire (Emberverse, #1)
– Rating: 3.93 (16,029 ratings)
– Author: S.M. Stirling
– Published: August 3, 2004
– Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
My Own Two Feet
– Rating: 4.22 (1,701 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: September 27, 1995
– Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Ribsy (Henry Huggins, #6)
– Rating: 3.92 (7,468 ratings)
– Author: Beverly Cleary
– Published: January 1, 1964
– Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Animals
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Tales of the Otherworld (Otherworld Stories, #2)
– Rating: 4.24 (10,778 ratings)
– Author: Kelley Armstrong
– Published: April 13, 2010
– Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires
– Read more on Goodreads
Goodreads
Trask
– Rating: 4.05 (383 ratings)
– Author: Don Berry
– Published: January 28, 1960
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Westerns
– Read more on Goodreads
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Stacker
Stacker is a news organization that produces and distributes data journalism to the world’s news organizations. Founded in 2017, Stacker combines data analysis with rich editorial context, drawing on authoritative sources and subject matter experts to drive storytelling. This article has been republished pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.