Whether it’s via their tone, topic, or tenor, certain works just say “America.” Here is one such title, suggested by David O. Stewart, author of George Washington: The Political Rise of America’s Founding Father and a member of the Independent’s board of directors:

• The Five of Hearts: An Intimate Portrait of Henry Adams and His Friends, 1880-1918 by Patricia O’Toole. “A multidimensional exploration of America at the beginning of the last century, told through the group around historian and novelist Adams, Secretary of State John Hay, geologist Clarence King, and their wives,” says Stewart. “They called themselves the Five of Hearts, and O’Toole’s book touches every reader’s heart.”

Each year, the Grateful American™ Foundation, through its Book Prize, honors excellence in children’s historical nonfiction and fiction focused on the people and events that have shaped the U.S. since its birth. Learn more about the prize here.