Can a Single Book Sum Up a Nation?

Michael Dirda reviewed The Dream of the Great American Novel, by Lawrence Buell, in the Virginia Quarterly Review.

"But wait: Surely, I have my own candidate for the Great American Novel. Like all journalists worth their salt, I certainly do. It’s currently sitting in a drawer in my desk, and as soon as I get around to polishing and revising a few chapters… .

"In the meantime, I would cast my vote for Moby-​Dick as would —​I think—​Lawrence Buell and many other readers, except, of course, for the supporters of the other two most popular GAN favorites: Huckleberry Finn and The Great Gatsby."

(via Arts & Letters Daily Twitter feed)