Arkansas… in books

As part of Read Yourself Happy’s America…In Books feature, here are some of the best books set in Arkansas.

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Warriors Don’t Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock’s Central High by Melba Pattillo Beals

The first time I read this book I was in my freshman year of college and studying American politics and history. It’s a book that is difficult to put down and focuses on the first integration of an American school.

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A Sparrow Falls by Vicki Olsen

This novel takes place in Tolerance, Arkansas in the 1950s. To some people, this can be a disturbing book to read as it deals with sexual abuse, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about A Sparrow Falls.

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The Little Rock Arsenal Crisis: On the Precipice of the American Civil War by David Sesser

In February 1861, there was a standoff between the pro-succession militia and federal troops. This non-fiction book tells the whole story.

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A Painted House by John Grisham

A Painted House is set in rural Arkansas in the 1950s. It was inspired by Grisham’s own childhood.

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The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

This historical fiction is set on a farm in rural Arkansas and follows a family who experiences a tragedy, and how an eleven-year-old girl tries to make things better.

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The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks by Donald Harrington

Jacob and Noah Ingledew travel from Tennessee to Arkansas in this historical fiction with a touch of humor.

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My Life by Bill Clinton

America’s 42nd president grew up in Arkansas, and his life there was very influential to his time in politics. This is his memoir about his life.

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What are your favorite books set in Arkansas? Let me know in the comments!

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