This Week’s Topic: No Love for the Middle
For the past two years, I have been tracking where the books I read are set. As a US reader, the majority of the books I read are set in the United States, but what I have noticed is that the majority of the stories take place on the coasts and in the boarder states.
When I think about the books I read, these maps come to mind:
It just always seems like there's no love for the middle.
This is the distribution for the 214 books I have read so far this year. (I did not include books set outside US or when the location could not be determined).
California and New York are, by far, the states that get the most love. I am originally from Brooklyn, so I do delight in a story set in my former home state, but I wouldn't mind reading about other states. The Dakotas were the states I missed last year, and I am still sort of struggling to find something of interest to read this year. I have a book or audiobook lined up for each state, but I am always looking for something that is more tailored for me. Any suggestions?
Back to the topic at hand...
Why is it that so few books feature these middle states? I have been thinking about it, and a few possibilities cross my mind.
- Authors like to write about places where they have lived, and maybe the majority of authors are NOT from the middle.
- Publishers think people would not be interested in reading about characters from our center states.
- People really do believe no one lives there?
Now it's your turn!
Have you read a book set in the middle this year?
Let us know in the comments!
LOL. I would assume authors think that some states/cities are more fashionable than others, but the statistics are brutal.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, or do certain places just seem to breed more writers?
DeleteIt might be the case!
DeleteJust add another question to the list of things that plague me.
DeleteI've noticed the same thing. It seems like most of the stories I read take place in big cities. I have no idea why that is, except for the fact that maybe the authors think they are more popular touristy sites?!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
I feel a little cheated as a reader. I want to explore other place and types of backgrounds. I understand if you have no familiarity with a certain place, but there have to be some authors out there, who were born in the middle, no?
DeleteUrban Fantasy seemed to cover a lot of different states when I read tons of it back in 2010/2011. I haven't taken actual notes on what states were covered though, to use for reference. I want to see more set in Scotland that isn't written by US authors with their gloomy castles, bad weather and grumpy Scots cliches!
ReplyDeleteDo you read many books written by Scottish authors? Curious as to if there is a trend with non US authors as well
DeleteI'm kind of surprised you've read 7 books set in Oklahoma! My brother lives there, so it has a special place in my heart, but I don't know if I've ever come across it! I'm not sure why so many books are set in CA or NY or FL - it could be like you said, that's where the authors are from, and I guess more people do live there, so it's more relatable!
ReplyDeleteI binged the remaining books in Jaci Burton's Hope series. So, all were set in the same OK town. I have wanderlust, and as much as it delights me to recognize a place in a book, I also like to discover new places
DeletePeople actually live in the middle?! Why?! I haven’t tracked the settings of my books. Now I kind of want to. I tend to avoid books set in cities, so maybe I read more about the middle than other readers. I know I’ve read a few books set on farms.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
The books exist, but they are definitely not plentiful. I have to google and search to find books for certain states, and you would think I would happen upon more due to the number of books I read
DeleteHmm. That's a cool thing to keep track of! I've found I've been reading a lot of fantasy lately, so they places I've been reading about don't really exist. I do notice that CA & NY get lots of love, though!
ReplyDeleteI started, because of a reading challenge, but kept doing it out of curiosity. I read primarily contemporaries, so it's very noticeable for me
DeleteOMG Sam I LOVE this discussion! But if you want my two cents I think it relates to the genre of book that you favor: YA. I have read several romances in small towns in the middle of nowhere US. Amy Harmon sets many books in Utah (she lives there so your theory could be solid) Devney Perry in Montana (same she lived there), Elle Casey wrote McKenzie Fire in Iowa or Oregon, Daisy Prescott has some in Montana .... but I don't have any idea why romance authors would choose "the middle" while YA won't ....
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting trend you have noticed - that adult romance seems more open to the middle than YA. Of the 220 books I have read this year, 108 were adult romances, and there were a lot of new authors thrown into the mix, yet, I still seem to be stuck in NY and CA. I just keep searching, but now I have a few of the states I need from you (thanks!). I do think there is a strong correlation between where authors live or grew up and where they set their stories.
DeleteI've noticed the same thing! California and New York are always in my Top 5 most common book settings, although Ohio for some reason has been a popular reading destination this year. The Midwest states and the Dakotas are hard states for me to get usually. I'm not sure what the stats are all about except, like someone else said, I think some settings are obviously considered more glamorous/exciting than others.
ReplyDeleteInteresting discussion topic, Sam!
The Dakotas! It is so hard to find books set there. I found two books, that sound like they could work for me. I hope they do. Glamour and excitement is so relative. I lived in NY, and it was fine, but I guess when you don't live somewhere, it has more allure.
DeleteThose maps kill me! "Alligators" lol. "Who even lives here?" Too funny...
ReplyDeleteI agree though, and your #3 also made me laugh. "People really do believe no one lives there?" :) Seriously though, I like how authors, say Rainbow Rowell writing about her native Nebraska or whatever- I like it when authors do that. Like you said, take us to where they're from and show us a little of the areas they're familiar with. I'm from Michigan and am always tickled when I find a book set here! And the Dakotas, Montana and that whole part of the country- now that I think about it I've read VERY little set there!
I remember seeing them years ago, and I knew I had to include some in this post. I just wrote a review for a book set in my area, and included the setting as a PRO for me, but I also have been known to consider a rarely see in books as PRO. I have seen pictures, there is a lot of beauty out in the midwest. Most of the books I have read, which are set in the midwest, are based in Chicago, which is a lot like NY.
DeleteThis is quite an interesting discussion post and it does give a lot to think about. I don't usually - well, "never" is a better word - books set in my country, but I'm aware authors always focus mostly on two cities, Lisbon and Porto.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I enjoyed Five Midnights was because the author wrote about Puerto Rico, a place that sadly I'll never visit. Maybe publishers should consider books set in not as well-known countries/cities since though words is one of the most magical ways of meeting new places.
Happy readings! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
I am so glad you mentioned your country, because I was curious if this was trend internationally. I feel like most of the books I read from English authors are set in London, and many of the Australian ones seem to be set in Sydney or Melbourne, but I don't read a ton of non US books, so it's a small sample. You would have a lot more insight here as an international reader. It's so amazing to be whisked away to somewhere I am not familiar with, even when it's in my own country, most of which, I have never visited.
DeleteI want to know all about the 10 books from PA, I love when books are set here! Also wow that is a lot of books in Texas, do we really need those? I assume a lot of the IL ones are Chicago? Otherwise, that's pretty random too! This was really fun!
ReplyDeleteMost were set in/near Philly, but AS King always sets her books in PA. Texas gets a LOT of love. I mean, it is a big state, but still. Believe it or not, they were all YA and from different authors. *ding, ding, ding* IL is synonymous with Chicago/suburb of. I know there have to be more places in that state.
DeleteYou know what's funny, California is so big, when we hear about stories that take place in California, it's usually only the big cities like L.A. I live in southern California, but L.A. is like a whole world away and I don't necessarily feel more at home while reading about it. But yes, I agree these other states deserve some love too.
ReplyDeleteYep. Most of the books are set in LA or the Bay Area. So, we are finding that they even need to spread the love within the states.
DeleteThis cracks me up! XD I know a couple people from Montana and the Dakotas and they've confirmed that no one lives there. Haha! I should really start paying more attention to this.
ReplyDeleteGood to know! 😂 I mean, I live in NJ and grew up in Brooklyn, so basically, I am not missing in these settings, but it bugs me that we ignore other parts of the country so much.
DeleteMost of the books I read are set in the US but I don't think I've ever really noticed this... Maybe because I'm unfamiliar with most locations unless it's a city/town that's on my radar for another reason, like somewhere I've visited or want to visit.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting though...
I never really noticed until I started tacking it. The results are pretty interesting.
DeleteThis is really interesting. What a neat idea to track the settings! I was trying to think if I had read any books set in the states that you had zero reads from. I really enjoyed The Help set in Mississippi. This is an older book, and you may have read it already. Dispatches from Pluto is set in Mississippi as well and is a very interesting read. If I remember correctly, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is set in Alabama. Parts of Forrest Gump are set in Alabama. I also found the Darling Dahlia series at my library recently and added then to my TBR list. These books are set in Darling, Alabama. Just some ideas:)
ReplyDeleteI spent one Saturday googling and cross checking with my online libraries, and do have books marked for each state. Fried Green Tomatoes was one I was considering, though I am not a huge fan of reading a book AFTER seeing the movie (before is fine). My preference is contemporaries and romance, if possible, but I it's easier said than done. I have to check out Darling Dahlia, though.
DeleteI've noticed the same thing. I remember part of Girl out of Water being set in Nebraska and it really stood out to me because I so rarely come across books set in the middle of the country.
ReplyDeleteThose land locked states get no love. I also noted that her book was set in NE, because I read so few set there.
DeleteThis is a very interesting topic! I totally agree with you there are hardly any books set in the Mid-West and Center East states at all! I live in Ohio and there are very few set there, as well! I did read a book set in Colorado a couple months ago, which was The Last Letter and that was really good!
ReplyDeleteI have done OK with OH this year (5), and the book I am reading right now, the story starts in OH, before she goes to Europe. I normally read more set in CO by now, so I am surprised by how few I have read there. I will have to keep The Last Letter in mind for next year.
DeleteI've never really kept track but I know I've read a lot of small town stories -especially NOLA, LA, AL, AK a few Ohio, Montana - that area. I think adult romance tends to go to those places because it's more about small communities.
ReplyDeleteI find a lot of books set in Paris and wish outside US books were set in more places too.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Sophie noticed that more adult romances tend to be set in the often ignored states more often as well. I totally agree with you about books set outside the US. Paris and London are two of the top cities. I have read some Australian authors too, and the books seem to be set in Melbourne or Sydney. I was so excited to read Love From A to Z because it was set in Doha, which makes it the first book set in Qatar that I have read.
DeleteHow interesting! I've never noticed this. I do wonder if it's partially due to the types of books you read? Like, I feel like there is a certain genre that has a lot of small-town romances, but maybe that's just an assumption on my part (since I don't typically read adult romance).
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I read a LOT of romance, and many are small towns....in California and Texas, but that is probably where I get my OK, MT bases covered too. YA really seems to have an aversion to the middle though. There are so few set there.
DeleteI think authors think we want to read about bigger cities and not smaller ones.
ReplyDeleteI think??
Mary
There are a lot of things in the publishing world, that makes me feel like they are under estimating us, and thinking we don't want to read about small towns or rural settings or the midwest is shortchanging us.
Delete