If you loved

Books like The Immigrants

A sweeping, dramatic epic of ambition, forbidden love, and the relentless pursuit of the American Dream in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Immigrants.

turbulent
grandiose
passionate
nostalgic

01
The fortunate pilgrim
Mario Puzo · 1964
A gritty, deeply empathetic portrait of a matriarch holding her family together against the crushing weight of the American Dream.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
02
The Source
James A. Michener · 1900
A monumental, time-traveling excavation of human faith and civilization layered within a single patch of ancient earth.
Shares:
- earnest
- sweeping
03
House of Sand and Fog
Andre Dubus III
A slow-motion collision of desperate hopes that leaves you breathless and heartbroken.
Shares:
- the American Dream
04
Hawai
James A. Michener · 1972
A sweeping, multi-generational epic that immerses you in the geological and human history of an island paradise, tracing the beautiful and tragic collisions of cultures over centuries.
Shares:
- earnest
- sweeping
05
The Proud Breed
Celeste De Blasis
A sweeping, sun-drenched saga of fierce love and empire-building set against the golden backdrop of early California.
Shares:
- passionate
- nostalgic
- earnest
- sweeping
06
Christ in Concrete
Pietro Di Donato
A gritty, unflinching portrait of immigrant survival and the crushing weight of urban poverty.
Shares:
- earnest
07
The Winds of War
Herman Wouk
A sweeping, immersive journey that anchors the overwhelming tide of global history in the intimate heartbreaks of a single family.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
- sweeping
08
Mama's bank account
Kathryn Forbes · 1943
A warm, episodic embrace of a book that celebrates the quiet heroism and boundless resourcefulness of a mother holding her family together.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
09
Call It Sleep
Henry Roth · 2004
A feverish, sensory plunge into the terrifying and transcendent mind of a child navigating a gritty, alien metropolis.
Feels:
- claustrophobic
- feverish
- gritty
10
Pachinko
Min Jin Lee
A sweeping, deeply empathetic epic that traces the quiet sacrifices and enduring resilience of a family caught in the currents of history.
Shares:
- earnest
11
These is my words
Nancy Turner · 1998
A heartfelt and spirited frontier saga that captures the turbulent journey of a woman forging her life and legacy in the harsh American West.
Shares:
- turbulent
- nostalgic
- earnest
- sweeping
12
The Immortalists
Chloe Benjamin
A sweeping, bittersweet family saga that asks whether knowing the date of your death frees you to live or dooms you to fear.
Shares:
- earnest

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