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Launch Special

Season 1 Episode 1 | 1hr 51m 35s

The country’s 100 favorite novels are announced in a two-hour celebration of reading, hosted by Meredith Vieira. Celebrities, authors, and book lovers reveal the novels that have affected their lives. The national vote gets under way, to decide America’s Best-Loved Novel.

Aired: 05/10/18 | Expires: 03/31/21
The Great American Read is made possible by the Anne Ray Foundation and public television viewers. Additional engagement funding for The Great American Read is made possible by CPB.
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The final episode will celebrate all 100 books and unveil the #1 best-loved book.
We explore how America’s favorite novels about other worlds reflect our own world.
We explore books that show what we do for love, in all its many forms.
We explore the lessons from novels featuring villains, monsters and evil forces.
We highlight books that feature heroic characters and explore why we love them.
How do the books we love answer the question “Who am I?”
The search for America’s best-loved novel hits high gear as votes roll in.
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Aaron Glantz and Sophie Hills discuss AI companies' efforts to influence the midterms.
News Wrap: AI giant Anthropic preparing for initial public offering
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Netanyahu faces Israeli voters in first election since Oct. 7 and Gaza war
Lula prevails in Brazil but Flávio Bolsonaro refuses to concede
How do you study a wetland when it isn't wet? Jordon and Rae enter a very dry Everglades.
Campaigns spend big to sway voters with increasingly personal attack ads
Student-led movement ousts Serbia's right-wing ruler in historic election
Spiritual leaders unite to help keep the peace on Election Day
Meredith Vieira and others discuss the search for America’s favorite book.
Wil Wheaton discusses the impact of the sci-fi book, Dune.
Sarah Jessica Parker shares why Things Fall Apart is one of her most-favorite novels.
George R. R. Martin discusses the impact The Great Gatsby made on his life.
Hosted by Meredith Vieira, the search for America’s best-loved novel.
America’s 100 best-loved books are revealed, launching the campaign & the nationwide vote.
Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses why Gulliver's Travels is his favorite novel.
Venus Williams shares why The Chronicles of Narnia is one of her favorite novels.
James Patterson discusses his favorite novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Allison Williams discusses why she loves the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.