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The Great Washington Novel List Is Missing Something

Roll Call After Dark readers may have seen a column by my colleague and fellow editor, Jason Dick, outlining five great novels on Washington, D.C.

Hill Navigator is a great proponent of fiction reading in general. Too much of the world revolves around nonfiction, and the more well-written fiction available, the better. But that is not the debate we’re going to have here.

Dick’s list had a notable theme — all of the authors were men. That’s right, a summer reading list of some of D.C.’s favorite novel-writing guys. Not exactly the diversity Hill Navigator was hoping for.

So in an attempt to refute this list, I began scouring my own fiction collection. I went through several Goodreads and Amazon lists, only to find that there are hardly any novels written by women about Washington, D.C. The handful I found I hadn’t read, and thus couldn’t possibly recommend.

I sought other opinions and sent a few emails to some well-read colleagues. One responded with “Gone With the Wind?” which Hill Navigator acknowledges is an excellent book and would make fantastic summer reading, although it does not take place in Washington, D.C. But that is exactly what D.C. needs — a “Gone with the Wind” equivalent written by a woman and that showcases the magnanimous history of our great city from a perspective that is dearly needed.

So Hill Navigator opens it up to you, dear readers. Any novels written by women about Washington, D.C., that you’d recommend? Email HillNavigator@rollcall.com or leave the suggestion in the comments. Even with some exciting summer plans of our own, we’re always looking for good books.

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