The 25 best books of the 1950s
The 25 highest-ranked books first published in the 1950s in our ranking of 2,819, scored on how much readers love them, their prize, best-list and bestseller record, and current buzz. We rank 75 books of the 1950s in all. How we rank
- 1
The Lord of the Rings89.9Must-Read ScoreThe Lord of the Rings
It's the book that made modern fantasy, and it still has no equal for depth of world, sense of history, and a friendship you'll feel at the end.
- 2
Notes of a Native Son88.6Must-Read ScoreNotes of a Native Son
Baldwin is one of the great prose writers in English, and these essays are as urgent and beautifully written today as in 1955.
- 3
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe87.6Must-Read ScoreThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
It's one of the most beloved children's books ever written, a perfect adventure that adults reread with delight.
- 4
The Caine Mutiny86.4Must-Read ScoreThe Caine Mutiny
It's a terrific, absorbing novel about duty, authority and growing up, with one of the most famous courtroom scenes in American fiction.
- 5
East of Eden86.3Must-Read ScoreEast of Eden
Steinbeck called it his masterpiece, and many readers agree: a big, generous, gripping family saga with one of literature's great villains and a profoundly hopeful idea at its heart.
- 6
Foundation84.0Must-Read ScoreFoundation
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read, and the series won a special Hugo as the best science fiction series of all time.
- 7The Story of Art82.1Must-Read Score
The Story of Art
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books and is one of the best-selling art books ever.
- 8
Exodus82.0Must-Read ScoreExodus
It spent months at #1 on the New York Times list, was one of the best-selling novels of its time and became a film with Paul Newman.
- 9
From Here to Eternity81.3Must-Read ScoreFrom Here to Eternity
It won the National Book Award, spent months at #1 on the New York Times list, and is on the Modern Library's list of the best novels.
- 10
Charlotte's Web80.9Must-Read ScoreCharlotte's Web
It's one of the best-selling children's books ever, about 50 million copies, and a pick on both the BBC's Big Read and the PBS Great American Read.
- 11
The Recognitions78.9Must-Read ScoreThe Recognitions
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels.
- 12
Advise and Consent.78.5Must-Read ScoreAdvise and Consent.
It won the Pulitzer Prize and spent months at #1 on the New York Times list.
- 13
Go Tell It on the Mountain77.9Must-Read ScoreGo Tell It on the Mountain
It's on TIME's list of the best novels and the Modern Library's.
- 14
Memoirs of Hadrian77.5Must-Read ScoreMemoirs of Hadrian
It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books, and it's one of the most convincing portraits of a historical mind ever written.
- 15
Lolita77.3Must-Read ScoreLolita
It's one of the best-selling books ever, on TIME's list of the best novels and one of the most celebrated English-language novels of the century.
- 16
Invisible Man76.4Must-Read ScoreInvisible Man
It won the National Book Award and is on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels.
- 17The Long Goodbye76.1Must-Read Score
The Long Goodbye
It won the Edgar Award for Best Novel, and many consider it Raymond Chandler's masterpiece.
- 18
Gift From the Sea75.8Must-Read ScoreGift From the Sea
It spent 46 weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and has never gone out of print.
- 19Kon-Tiki75.7Must-Read Score
Kon-Tiki
It's one of the best-selling books ever, with about 20 million copies sold, and it spent 34 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
- 20Giovanni's Room75.5Must-Read Score
Giovanni's Room
It's one of the most important novels ever written about love between men, and one of James Baldwin's finest.
- 21A Night to Remember75.2Must-Read Score
A Night to Remember
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 1955, and it remains the classic account of the disaster.
- 22Night74.9Must-Read Score
Night
It's one of the most widely read books about the Holocaust and has been read by millions of students.
- 23Sweet Thursday74.8Must-Read Score
Sweet Thursday
It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1954.
- 24
A Man Called Peter73.8Must-Read ScoreA Man Called Peter
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list, and the 1955 film was a hit.
- 25
The Catcher in the Rye73.5Must-Read ScoreThe Catcher in the Rye
It's one of the best-selling novels ever and is on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels.