Like all great works of art, the great novels, short story collections, and plays of the 1950s defined not just the decade they were released but also the decades that followed. From books that explore the horrors of the recently ended World War II to future-oriented speculative science fiction masterpieces, from the start of two of the most celebrated high fantasy series of all time to some of the most grounded character-centric dramas, and everything in between, many of the books of the 1950s defined the latter half of the 20th century.
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis (1950)
C.S. Lewis introduced readers to the world of Narnia with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950, followed over the next six years by the other six other novels that make up the series. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe remains the most popular of the books and inspired the most successful movie adaptation. The story follows four siblings transported to a fantastical world through a wardrobe where they must fight to save the land from an evil witch with the help of a mystical lion. It’s a book with clear Christian themes that’s accessible to all and tells an exciting adventure story that’s satisfying whether readers are invested in its Christian symbolism or not.
2. I, Robot – Isaac Asimov (1950)
It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot, which collected short stories Asimov had written throughout the 1940s. The story “Runaround,” originally published in 1942, introduced the world to Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics,” which set out rules for robots’ existence and have become a key part of much science fiction since then. In 2004, more than fifty years after the publication of I, Robot, book critic Ted Kreiter of The Saturday Evening Post wrote that “the Three Laws of Robotics [Asimov] invented revolutionized the science fiction genre and made robots far more interesting than they ever had been before.”
3. Strangers on a Train – Patricia Highsmith (1950)
Like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Strangers on a Train is just as important for what it ushered in as it is. The novel, which sees the two eponymous strangers on a train make a plan to both commit a murder for the other, was Patricia Highsmith’s first published novel. It introduced book lovers to her brilliant mix of psychological portraiture and crime fiction that delved into existential and moral themes. Themes she would go on to similarly explore in many of her other novels, including her series of books about Tom Ripley. It also helped her career that Alfred Hitchcock adapted the book to the screen just a year after its release.
4. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger (1951)
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is almost synonymous with teen angst more than seventy years after its publication, and anytime anyone says something is “phony,” it’s impossible not to think of the book’s central character, Holden Caulfield. The book centers on Holden’s experiences wandering around New York City, encountering various characters about whom he offers lengthy opinions to the reader. The Catcher in the Rye is a classic coming-of-age story that will not lose any of its power soon.
5. The Day of the Triffids – John Wyndham (1951)
John Wyndham’s The Day of the Triffids is far from the first post-apocalyptic novel. But its detailed exploration of a human-caused apocalypse and the infighting amongst humans that would follow the collapse of society make it one of the most vital. The novel has been praised by other science fiction authors like Margaret Atwood and Arthur C. Clarke and inspired the film 28 Days Later.
6. The End of the Affair – Graham Greene (1951)
Graham Greene is one of the most celebrated English writers of the 20th century, and some, including author Alex Preston, have called The End of the Affair Greene’s “masterpiece.” The novel centers on an affair during World War II that significantly reflects Greene’s own experiences, both romantically and in the German bombing of England. But it’s how The End of the Affair tackles faith, and Catholicism in particular, that has made it a classic. The book grapples with what faith means in a world beset by violence, evil, and wanton death but ultimately affirms belief in God.
7. From Here to Eternity – James Jones (1951)
Like The End of the Affair, From Here to Eternity is an autobiographical novel about the author’s experiences during World War II. But this time, the author, James Jones, was American and stationed in Hawaii. From Here to Eternity draws so heavily from Jones’s life and the lives of his fellow soldiers that one of them sued Jones, his publishers, and Columbia Pictures for defamation after the novel made its way to the screen in 1955. Whatever the novel’s relationship to the truth, its portrait of soldiers is deeply affecting, garnering it a place in America’s canon and the canon of great war novels.
8. The Price of Salt – Patricia Highsmith as ‘Claire Morgan’ (1952)
Two years after her debut novel Strangers on a Train, Patricia Highsmith released her second novel under a pseudonym, and it’s not hard to understand why. The Price of Salt is an explicitly lesbian romance novel with a happy ending for its central couple, the first of its kind, and a purposeful rebuke of how gay characters were treated in literature up to that point. The novel quickly became a classic in lesbian circles upon its publication, and its reputation has only grown over the years.
9. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White (1952)
Charlotte’s Web is such a classic story that it feels almost like an American myth that’s been with us forever. E.B. White’s novel first hit shelves in 1952, quickly becoming a hit. It went on to win several awards in the years after its release. The novel’s consideration of death and loss of innocence in a way that’s accessible to readers of all ages has made it a ubiquitous story since its release more than seventy years ago.
10. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway (1952)
While Ernest Hemingway’s previous novel, Across the River and Into the Trees, hadn’t done particularly well with critics, The Old Man and the Sea quickly became a hit. Over time, the novel about a fisherman dedicating himself to catching a massive marlin has become one of the most debated books in Hemingway’s bibliography, with arguments about its quality and its meanings continuing to flourish decades later.
11. Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison (1952)
Not to be confused with H.G. Wells’s science fiction story The Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is a coming-of-age novel that also functions as social portraiture of Black life in the first half of the 20th century. The book’s lead character makes his way through various social groups and situations, each allowing Ellison to explore a different aspect or ideology prominent to Black life. Anthony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange, praised it as a “masterpiece,” and novelist Lev Grossman called it “the quintessential American picaresque of the 20th century.”
12. The Crucible – Arthur Miller (1953)
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible so clearly uses its dramatization of the Salem witch trials as an indictment of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s hunt for communists in America that the Senator and his House Un-American Activities Committee couldn’t ignore it. Three years after the play was first published and performed, Miller was subpoenaed to testify before the committee, proving the allegory true. While the play wasn’t a huge hit upon release, it remains Miller’s most famous and widely performed work, likely because its themes about mob mentality are sadly always relevant.
13. Go Tell It on the Mountain – James Baldwin (1953)
Like Invisible Man, Go Tell It on the Mountain is another social portrait novel by a Black writer that examines various aspects of Black life in the early 20th century. James Baldwin’s novel considers the Pentecostal Church and how it both oppresses and uplifts Black people while also engaging with themes of race and sexuality. It’s a fascinating and powerful novel banned multiple times, ostensibly for its explicitness but far more likely for its political power.
14. Casino Royale – Ian Fleming (1953)
Casino Royale’s influence cannot be overstated. James Bond’s first outing was an immediate hit in Britain and quickly picked up for adaptations into television, comics, and film (though the first film adaptation didn’t arrive until 1967 and was more parody than adaptation). Fleming’s Casino Royale changed the media landscape, introducing audiences to the spy who has since become a household name.
15. Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury (1953)
Fahrenheit 451 may not have birthed a franchise like Casino Royale. But the book about “firemen” who burn books and the fireman who learns the error of his ways has become the poster child for those standing up to the ongoing phenomenon of book banning. While it’s disheartening that the novel is still so relevant, it speaks to the importance of a book about loving and defending books.
16. Lord of the Flies – William Golding (1954)
Like Charlotte’s Web, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies feels like it’s always been with us. The story about a group of boys stranded on an island who do their best to form a society but are undone by self-interest is almost a dark parable. It’s a bleak book that reflects uncomfortable truths about human nature, so, unsurprisingly, it’s a favorite of horror author Stephen King, who authored the introduction to the edition celebrating Golding’s centenary.
17. The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien (1954)
While The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe preceded The Fellowship of the Ring by four years, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s own first foray into the fantastical world of Middle Earth arrived in stores more than a decade earlier in 1937, high fantasy as we know it would not exist without The Lord of the Rings trilogy begun by Fellowship. The novel isn’t just a brilliant piece of world-building but also thematically rich and beautifully written, making it one of the greatest books of all time.
18. I Am Legend – Richard Matheson (1954)
Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is an exciting and disturbing portrait of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vampire-like creatures. It’s also a foundational text for zombie stories as it inspired George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, which shaped the modern conception of zombies. I Am Legend has also been adapted into film three times, the most recent one becoming the center of a conspiracy conversation following the spread of COVID-19.
19. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Tennessee Williams (1955)
Tennessee Williams was one of America’s great playwrights, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof remains one of his most celebrated plays. The play centers on the familial relationships of a wealthy Southern family and explores somewhat controversial themes for its time, like forbidden desire and despair in the face of death. It’s been staged many times and famously adapted into a film starring Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor.
20. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov (1955)
Lolita may be the most misinterpreted book of all time. Vladimir Nabokov’s novel is the first-person account of a child predator of his abduction of a twelve-year-old girl, so the novel has some disturbingly romantic passages about the relationship. But the reality of his abuse slips through, and the fictional introduction to the novel emphasizes that the narrator is not to be trusted. It’s a beautifully written and profoundly upsetting novel that’s a fantastic piece of literature. But it birthed a slew of poor adaptations, and its cultural impact is complicated. It’s so complicated that there’s a whole podcast about it.
21. Night – Elie Wiesel (1956)
Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night, describes his experiences with his father in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald Nazi concentration camps during World War II. It’s a harrowing account of the horrors of the concentration camps that’s just as difficult to read as it is incredibly vital. Since its publication in Yiddish in 1956, the novel has been translated into more than thirty languages and is a crucial piece of Holocaust literature.
22. The Cat in the Hat – Dr. Seuss (1957)
After some success with his previous books, Theodore “Dr. Seuss” Geisel became a major star with the publication of The Cat in the Hat in 1957. The book, which centers on an anthropomorphic cat who pays a visit to two children and causes much mischief, was written for early reading students. Its simple language, excellent illustrations, and funny story made Geisel a sensation.
23. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – Dr. Seuss (1957)
Just a few months after the publication of The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss offered up How the Grinch Stole Christmas! which, like his previous book, became a hit for its creative world and illustrations. When the book was adapted into an animated TV special narrated by Boris Karloff in 1966, the story became a Christmas classic that many return to every year.
24. Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand (1957)
Atlas Shrugged has greatly impacted many of its readers, some of whom then adopted its philosophy of “objectivism.” Author Ayn Rand’s “objectivist” philosophy argues all people should act out of what she called “rational selfishness.” The novel, which centers on a group of wealthy business owners who decide to retreat from a society they feel mooches from them, has long been a favorite of libertarian politicians, including Ronald Reagan, and its influence on American politics has been significant.
25. On the Road – Jack Kerouac (1957)
On the Road isn’t a Beat book; it’s the Beat book. The semi-fictionalized autobiographical novel follows two central characters as they repeatedly travel across the United States and interact with figures from the literary scene, offering readers a glimpse into the community to which author Jack Kerouac belonged. The novel’s raw style and sometimes shocking content inspired many authors and musicians in the latter half of the 20th century, including The Doors and Bob Dylan.
26. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote (1958)
Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s introduced the world to Holly Golightly, who has become an almost mythic figure in American culture, albeit Audrey Hepburn’s iconic portrayal of the character in the 1961 film adaptation played a significant role in that. Breakfast at Tiffany’s is primarily a portrait of Holly from the perspective of a young writer who’s her neighbor in 1943 New York City, allowing the reader to first see her performed frivolity and slowly learn that there is a well of pain underneath that frivolity.
27. Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe (1958)
Things Fall Apart, written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, was one of the first English language novels to be written from the perspective of an African character. Unlike the novels about Africa written by European colonizers, Things Fall Apart paints its African characters as sympathetic and layered human beings. It’s a remarkable novel exploring pre-colonial Nigerian society and the arrival of European colonizers that’s widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written.
28. The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson (1959)
Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House is, as author Sophie Missing says, the “definitive haunted house story.” The novel about a group of four strangers investigating a possible haunting is a spooky story. But it’s Jackson’s writing and brilliant psychological portraiture for her characters make The Haunting of Hill House such a beloved classic. It’s been adapted to the screen multiple times, including last year’s Netflix miniseries.
29. A Raisin in the Sun – Lorraine Hansberry (1959)
A Raisin in the Sun made history in 1959 when it became the first play written by a Black woman to be performed on Broadway. The play is an incisive and emotionally resonant exploration of a Black family’s experiences in South Chicago after the death of their patriarch. Lorraine Hansberry uses this setup and a life insurance policy payout to examine housing discrimination and complicated feelings about assimilation. It’s a powerful play that essayist Frank Rich has argued “changed American theater forever.”
30. Naked Lunch – William S. Burroughs (1959)
If On the Road is the Beat novel, Naked Lunch is for those seeking to be more adventurous. The novel doesn’t have a clear narrative; instead, it offers various incredibly written and salacious vignettes about the experiences of its central character, William Lee. The novel’s vulgarity led to significant censorship and a trial after a Boston bookseller was arrested for selling the book, but over time, its chaotic prose led the novel to be considered a classic.
