There are two good books by Fred Anderson, the major one is called “Crucible of War.”
It is excellent. There is also an English side of the story, of course, that is extensively analyzed by Julian S Corbett, but that focuses on the Naval history of the war. All of these books are great reading.

Don Delillo is important, as well as Cormac McCarthy, and Julian Barnes. Susan Sontag, Sarah Churchwell, and Mary Karr would be great to revel in for a long while.

For a great discussion see Christopher Benfey’s book “Degas in New Orleans.”

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

There is an outstanding article by Sarah Churchwell in the New Statesman about this book. I’m sorry I don’t know how to post a link here.

Read “Anti-Intellectualism in American Life” by Richard Hofstadter. It won a Pulitzer in ‘63 or ‘64. He also wrote “The Paranoid Style in American Politics.” Still valid today.

“In Winter I Get Up at Night” by Jane Urquhart. It is a dreamy and incantatory tale of a coming of age during the Canadian expansion across North America. Like everything she writes it is a thoughtful and thought-provoking.

I completely agree. Congratulations! Carpe some diem.