Book cover of America Is Not the Heart

Book description

Moderation, the 'passionate and tender love story' (Kaliane Bradley), is out July 2025 - available to pre-order now
______________________

Longlisted for the Aspen Literary Prize, 2019
Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, 2018
Longlisted for Elle's Big Book Award, 2018

A giant debut novel about the redemptive,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked America Is Not the Heart as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

California stories are frequently immigrant stories, and there are many to choose from.

I loved Elaine Castillo’s debut novel about three generations of Filipinos who settle in the Bay Area and fight their way to a place for themselves. The characters are vibrant and alive, querulous, sexy, ambitious, dreamy. They never completely overcome the shadow of the past in the Philippines or the conflicts of the present in the United States, but despite sadness and tragedy, the book ends with love.

If you love America Is Not the Heart...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like America Is Not the Heart?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like America Is Not the Heart.

Browse books like America Is Not the Heart

Book cover of The Day of the Locust
Book cover of East of Eden
Book cover of Mecca

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,299

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like America Is Not the Heart, you might also like...

Book cover of Karl's War

Karl's War by Neil Spark,

Karl's War is a coming-of-age-meets-thriller set in Germany on the eve of Hitler coming to power. Karl – a reluctant poster boy for the Nazis – meets Jewish Ben and his world is up-turned.

Ben and his family flee to France. Karl joins the German army but deserts and finds…

Book cover of Girl in the Ashes

Girl in the Ashes by Douglas Weissman,

Odette Lefebvre is a serial killer stalking the shadows of Nazi-occupied Paris and must confront both the evils of those she murders and the darkness of her own past.

This young woman's childhood trauma shapes her complex journey through World War II France, where she walks a razor's edge…

5 book lists we think you will like!