I want to try an experiment. I’m going to ask a question in this post and I want people to respond with the first legitimate answer that comes to mind, but don’t think about it too much. This isn’t word association, so I don’t want the first thing that comes to mind, but something that actually answers the question. For example, if someone were to ask me, “Who immediately comes to mind when you think of the best football player ever,” the first real answer that I think of without giving the question a lot of consideration is Joe Montana. Capisce?

To participate in this experiment, click the READ More link below to find the question and put your answer in the comments.

What novel first comes to mind when you hear the term, “The Great American Novel?” Please answer the question now before reading further.

The term, “The Great American Novel” has never really been defined. I wonder if we all have some general sense of what that term refers to, even if our answers differ slightly. I’m thinking of making a Top 5 list of my favorite Great American Novels, but I wanted to see what others thought first without giving much thought to it. To see my answer, just highlight the text to the right: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.