American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
★ Most-read book of 2001 · #1 on Best Books of 2001
Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel mixes Americana with strands of ancient and modern mythology into one story. Everything revolves around Shadow, a mysterious, taciturn figure, making it a good pick for readers curious about mythology old and new.
Best for: Fantasy readers who enjoy Americana mixed with ancient and modern mythology.
American Gods is #1 on BookWard's Best Books of 2001, out of 35 2001 books that cleared our data bar.
What American Gods is about
Shadow Moon walks out of prison early after learning his wife Laura has died in a car accident, and that she was having an affair with his best friend. With nothing left to go home to, he takes a job as bodyguard to a charming con man called Mr. Wednesday and travels across the United States with him.
Wednesday turns out to be far more than a swindler. He is recruiting Old Gods, whose powers have faded, to stand against the New Gods who embody technology, media and pop culture. Along the way Shadow runs into a leprechaun, a magical coin and a stretch of hiding in a quiet Wisconsin town under a false name. Gaiman mixes Americana with ancient and modern myth, and the tone is dark, atmospheric and full of questions about belief, immigration, grief and what people worship now.
American Gods on the Best Books of 2001
American Gods came out in 2001. Of the 35 books first published in 2001 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #1 on our Best Books of 2001 list.
Why it made the list: 857 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (61 ratings); 31 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
It earns Most-read of 2001 and reader favorite and being read right now.
Nearby on the 2001 list
- Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time Brian Tracy, #2
- Crucial Conversations Kerry Patterson, #3
See all Best Books of 2001 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2000 Best Books of 2002.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 683 want to read it, 31 are reading it now and 143 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.2 out of 5 from 61 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 97 | 55% |
| Reader love | 97 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 91 | 20% |
Questions about American Gods
When was American Gods published?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman was first published in 2001.
Was American Gods one of the best books of 2001?
American Gods is #1 on BookWard's Best Books of 2001, out of 35 2001 books that cleared our data bar. 857 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (61 ratings); 31 are reading it right now.
Why is American Gods on the Best Books of 2001 list?
857 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (61 ratings); 31 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2001
- Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time Brian Tracy, #2
- Crucial Conversations Kerry Patterson, #3
- Point Blanc Anthony Horowitz, #4
- Getting Things Done David Allen, #5
- Unbroken Laura Hillenbrand, #6
- Deception Point Dan Brown, #7
See the full Best Books of 2001, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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