It Can't Happen HereIt Can't Happen Here
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1936, a charismatic populist senator named Buzz Windrip, promising to restore America's greatness and give every citizen five thousand dollars, wins the presidency. Once in power, he becomes a dictator, with a private militia that crushes dissent. Doremus Jessup, a liberal newspaper editor in Vermont, watches it happen, and joins the resistance.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Written as Hitler rose, it's a warning about how fascism could come to America, and it's been rediscovered again and again.
You'll love it if you liked
The Plot Against America
1984
Main StreetGood to know
It's satirical and dated in style, with violence and executions in the second half.
By the numbers
- Readers12 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller57 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #245 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #686 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2418 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Dark, Adventurous
More by Sinclair Lewis
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The Lord of the Rings
Foundation
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The Left Hand of Darkness
The Gods ThemselvesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is It Can't Happen Here worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #2,418 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is It Can't Happen Here about?
In 1936, a charismatic populist senator named Buzz Windrip, promising to restore America's greatness and give every citizen five thousand dollars, wins the presidency. Once in power, he becomes a dictator, with a private militia that crushes dissent. Doremus Jessup, a liberal newspaper editor in Vermont, watches it happen, and joins the resistance.
How long does it take to read It Can't Happen Here?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after It Can't Happen Here?
If you liked it, try The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, 1984 by George Orwell or Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.