The Best Regional Novels [Top 10 Recommended] [2024 Update]

Regional novels are timeless. In this, the story takes place in a specific region, often in times gone by. The idyllic countryside forms the romantic stage for a beautiful story. We give you the best regional novels here. Read along…

The best regional novels of all time

We start our recommendations with the top 10 best regional novels of all time. This list has been updated this year, including all the recent titles.

The best regional novels	Author
Bringing Out the Dead	Joe Connelly
‘Less Than Zero’	Bret Easton Ellis
Another Bullshit Night in Suck City	Nick Flynn
Bright Lights, Big City	Jay McInerney
‘Moving On	Larry McMurtry
Ask the Dust	John Fante
Black Like Me	John Howard Griffin
Dragonwings	Laurence Yep
‘It’	Stephen King
Homicide A Year on the Killing Streets’ and ‘The Corner	David Simon

The updated top 10 list: the best regional novels

Ambedkar: India’s Crusader for Human Rights (Campfire Graphic Novels)

After experiencing humiliation at an early age, Babasaheb Ambedkar does everything he can during his life to fight for those who are oppressed. He learned what he needed to learn in the UK and the US to be able to construct the Indian Constitution. His dreams for a modern India are not yet fulfilled, but Ambedkar’s influence can be clearly felt.

Clouds above the Hill: A Historical Novel of the Russo-Japanese War, Volume 3

This book shares an insight in the war between Japan and Russia, and it will show you how Japan survived the attacks.

The Cold Millions: A Novel

We like this book because of the relationship that is described between two brothers with very different characters and different outlooks on life. Then they meet Ursula the Great and a mining magnate. What will life bring them, and what choices will both brothers make?

Epic Athletes: Lionel Messi (Epic Athletes, 6)

This book about one of soccer’s greatest legends is suitable for 8 to 12 year old children. It describes the life of Lionel Messi, and the bumpy road he needed to take to get him where he is now.

Tejano Patriot: The Revolutionary Life of José Francisco Ruiz, 1783–1840

José Francisco Ruiz was one of the two people from Texas who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, but his life meant so much more than just that. He functioned as an intermediary between American Indians and Tejanos, was a diplomat during many peace treaties, and was of great cultural influence during the rest of his life.

The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 1)

This graphic novel is aimed at ages 10 to 14. We think this book is interesting, because it describes the life of Percy Jackson and how the monsters and gods in the books he reads seem to come alive. Will he be able to find the master lightning bolt that has been stolen from Zeus?

Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town

If you are captivated by Tibet and its people, you will love this book. It depicts the history of Ngaba, where Chinese soldiers eat religious statues. What follows is resistance, and it does so for decades. The writer now manages to capture the lives of the Tibetans she has followed, and you will discover what Tibetan life in this century is really like.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

This book is perfect for children age 8 to 12. The Island of the Blue Dolphins tells them all about survival, and it can be scary as well as beautiful.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race

Who knew that the contributions of black female mathematicians were behind some of NASA’s biggest achievements? This book has won many prizes, and you shouldn’t miss out on reading about these human computers who helped solve some of the most complex space problems.

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

Christopher Knight is the stranger in the woods. He decides to disappear and live in a tent, surviving by stealing food from the cabins he finds in the woods. Just imagine the survival skills he learned during the more than 20 years he spent by himself and the solitude he experienced.