Books like Couples

Couples by John Updike reads as wry, intimate. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

The Stories of John Cheever

John Cheever

Both explore society & class

79% genome match

Goodbye, Columbus

Philip Roth

Both explore class & love

79% genome match

The Safety of Objects

A. M. Homes

Shares the academia thread

71% genome match

Little Fires Everywhere

Celeste Ng · 2017

Shares the academia thread

69% genome match

The Assistant

Bernard Malamud

Both explore class

68% genome match

Rabbit at Rest

John Updike · 1996

Both explore society & class

66% genome match

Dreaming of You

Lisa Kleypas

Shares the academia thread

77% genome match

Seize the Day

Saul Bellow

Both explore class & society

74% genome match

Narcopolis

Jeet Thayil

Shares the academia thread

69% genome match

The Good Earth

Pearl S. Buck · 2027

Both explore class & society

72% genome match

The Little Stranger

Sarah Waters

Shares the academia thread

71% genome match

The Hours Before Dawn

Celia Fremlin

Shares the academia thread

69% genome match