While there are plenty of travel guides and biographical books about Bloomington, there happen to be quite a few novels and fiction books based in this Midwestern college town. If you're looking for engaging reads that feature Bloomington as the primary setting, here are five books you may want to check out.
Karen Kingsbury
Karen Kingsbury is a New York Times bestselling and beloved Christian author from Fairfax, Virginia. She has written over 60 books, and there are eight movies made based on her books. Out of the many books Kingsbury has published, she has five different major book series all based in Bloomington. These series include the “Redemption” series, the “Firstborn” series, the “Sunrise" series, the “Above the Line" series and the “Bailey Flanigan" series.
Each series includes between four and five books all surrounding the Baxter family. Within each series, the family is faced with life-changing decisions that impact their faith in Christianity and their family dynamic. Each series forces the Baxters to confront tragedies, past mistakes and relationship issues.
With around 400 pages per book, each series is a quick read that will keep you invested. These books can be purchased on Kingsbury’s website and on Amazon.
“Temptation University” by Mark A. Roeder
Mark A. Roeder is an author from southern Indiana who has published novels, short stories and nonfiction books. His storylines follow queer youth and their experiences living in southern Indiana.
Roeder’s book “Temptation University,” published in 2011, follows Brendan, who is beginning his college football career at IU. While he is off at college, his relationship with his boyfriend, Casper, is strained when he finds himself attracted to the quarterback of the IU football team, Gabrial. When Gabrial begins to express interest in Brendan, he must decide whether to stay in his relationship with Casper or pursue something new with Gabrial.
“Temptation University” has 316 pages and is a thrilling LGBTQ+ romance novel that will keep you on your toes. This book can be purchased on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble as an eBook.
“The Inner Circle" by T.C. Boyle
American novelist T.C. Boyle is from Peekskill, New York and has established himself as a prominent fiction author since the publication of his debut novel, “Water Music,” in 1981.
“The Inner Circle” is a historical fiction novel published in 2004 that centers around the life of Dr. Alfred Kinsey, the pioneering sexologist who conducted groundbreaking research on human sexuality, and his time at IU. The story is told from the perspective of John Milk, who becomes a part of Kinsey’s inner circle of researchers and explores the complex ethical implications of Kinsey’s research. Milk narrates Kinsey’s work and the lengths to which he and his team will go to gather data, including participating in sexual activities themselves to document the full range of human sexual expression.
While this book is historical fiction, it is important to note that it is misleading and contains many inaccuracies. The Kinsey Institute has transparently detailed their research on its website, highlighting that sexual activities were never participated in by researchers, experiments were never carried out on children and that Kinsey himself did not condone child-adult sexual contact.
With 433 pages, Boyle strategically weaves historical facts with fiction to create a story that educates on the importance of Kinsey’s research. “The Inner Circle” can be purchased on Amazon and from Penguin Random House.
“We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” by Karen Joy Fowler
Karen Joy Fowler is a science fiction and fantasy novelist from Bloomington. Fowler has been on The New York Times bestsellers list and has awards including a World Fantasy Award, the 2014 Man Booker Prize and the 2022 Booker Prize.
Fowler’s “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves,” published in 2013, is about Rosemary, a student at U.C. Davis, who reflects on her life in Indiana. Her family lived with a bonobo, a species of primate, named Fern who disappeared one day. Rosemary’s brother, Lowell, runs away in search of Fern. In the present day, Rosemary discovers that her university holds a secret tied to her past.
“We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” has 310 pages of coming-of-age tales alongside nail-biting suspense. This book can be purchased on Amazon and at Target.
“Dreams of Rock Stardom Unfulfilled” by F.W. Hoffmann
A professor of library and information science, F.W. Hoffmann has written more than 50 books and has won the Choice Magazine Best Academic Books award.
“Dreams of Rock Stardom Unfulfilled” was published in 2016, is 154 pages and shares a story about a Bloomington-based rock band, The Space Cadets. As they work toward fame and fortune, they realize that choosing to sign a deal with a record company can set an artist back, rather than help them. This book can be purchased on Amazon.
