The American vs War and remembrance: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Fiction

The American Henry James · 1877 ★★★★☆ 3.7 473 pages · ≈ 8 h 46 m · Challenging

“On a brilliant day in May, in the year 1868, a gentlemen was reclining at his ease on the great circular divan which at that period occupied the centre of the Salon Carre, in the Museum of the Louvre.”

A reprint of Henry James' "The America" that includes a textual history of the novel, background and source materials, and critical articles by James and others.

Culture conflict Widows in fiction Separation American Manuscripts

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War and remembrance Herman Wouk · 1978 ★★★★☆ 4.4 Challenging

From the Middle East, to Moscow, to Hitler's death camps, the members of the Henry family face grave danger as they fight in the Second World War.

1 film adaptation

Henry 18.05 English literature War stories World War II

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Side by side

The verdict

Readers rate War and remembrance highest: War and remembrance 4.4 · The American 3.7.
War and remembrance has the widest readership — 39994 ratings behind its score.
The American runs the darker storyline; War and remembrance stays the lighter read.

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How to choose

Want the crowd-tested pick? War and remembrance 39994 ratings vs 7301 for The American Just want the better-reviewed one? War and remembrance 4.4 vs 3.7 from readers In the mood for something dark? The American a darker storyline than War and remembrance Want something lighter? War and remembrance an easier tone than The American

Scores by source

	The American	War and remembrance
Goodreads	3.7 (7301)	4.4 (39994)
Hardcover	3.5 (10)	4.4 (27)
Apple Books	4.5 (87)	4.5 (454)
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Reception

	The American	War and remembrance
Ratings	7301	39994
Editions	126	61
Film adaptations	1	1
Want to read	9405	15770
Reading it now	656	1987
Written reviews	588	1242
Wikipedia attention	1265	2022
Pages	473	—
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Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: The American or War and remembrance?

War and remembrance has the higher combined reader rating across sources (War and remembrance 4.4/5, The American 3.7/5).

Which is harder to read: The American or War and remembrance?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The American: Challenging; War and remembrance: Challenging.

Have both books been made into films?

The American: no film adaptation on record; War and remembrance: 1 film adaptation.