The suburbs: home to millions of American families. Even if you have never lived in one, you will want to read all 5 of these stirring novels set in suburbia.

1. Little Children by Tom Perrotta

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“Unexpectedly suspenseful, but written with all the fluency and dark humor of Perrotta’s previous novels, Little Children exposes the adult dramas unfolding amidst the swingsets and slides of an ordinary American playground.”

2. American Pastoral by Philip Roth

“Roth’s protagonist is Swede Levov, a legendary athlete at his Newark high school, who grows up in the booming postwar years to marry a former Miss New Jersey, inherit his father’s glove factory, and move into a stone house in the idyllic hamlet of Old Rimrock. And then one day in 1968, Swede’s beautiful American luck deserts him.”

3. Made to Break Your Heart by Richard Fellinger

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“A family saga, set in a gossipy suburb, that explores the complexities of raising a child, holding a marriage together, and maintaining your sanity in the cutthroat world of Little League baseball.”

4. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

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“Desperate for some pleasure to look forward to, Enid has set her heart on an elusive goal: bringing her family together for one last Christmas at home.”

5. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

“Hailed as a masterpiece of realistic fiction and as the most evocative portrayal of the opulent desolation of the American suburbs since it’s publication in 1961, Revolutionary Road is the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple who have lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner.”

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