Best Books of the Decade: 1950s

1.
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye 3.80 avg rating — 3,800,055 ratings
2.
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 3.97 avg rating — 2,718,324 ratings
3.
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies 3.70 avg rating — 3,117,089 ratings
4.
Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web 4.21 avg rating — 1,993,865 ratings
5.
Lolita
Lolita 3.87 avg rating — 919,109 ratings
6.
The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea 3.81 avg rating — 1,265,494 ratings
7.
East of Eden
East of Eden 4.43 avg rating — 602,045 ratings
8.
Night
Night 4.38 avg rating — 1,334,063 ratings
9.
Flowers for Algernon
Flowers for Algernon 4.23 avg rating — 763,452 ratings
10.
The Chronicles of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7)
The Chronicles of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7) 4.28 avg rating — 694,051 ratings
11.
On the Road
On the Road 3.61 avg rating — 438,455 ratings
12.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
by: Dr. Seuss
4.38 avg rating — 439,070 ratings
13.
The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles 4.16 avg rating — 279,611 ratings
14.
The Crucible
The Crucible 3.61 avg rating — 452,125 ratings
15.
Invisible Man
Invisible Man 3.92 avg rating — 198,715 ratings
16.
The Cat in the Hat (Cat in the Hat, #1)
The Cat in the Hat (Cat in the Hat, #1)
by: Dr. Seuss
4.19 avg rating — 575,217 ratings
17.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories 3.83 avg rating — 286,542 ratings
18.
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1)
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 403,039 ratings
19.
The Once and Future King (The Once and Future King, #1-5)
The Once and Future King (The Once and Future King, #1-5) 4.07 avg rating — 116,431 ratings
20.
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot 3.84 avg rating — 217,085 ratings
21.
Foundation (Foundation, #1)
Foundation (Foundation, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 580,838 ratings
21.
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House 3.81 avg rating — 365,215 ratings
23.
The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)
The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6) 4.05 avg rating — 588,207 ratings
24.
A Separate Peace
A Separate Peace 3.60 avg rating — 229,376 ratings
25.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3) 4.09 avg rating — 497,853 ratings
26.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The Witch of Blackbird Pond 4.02 avg rating — 157,953 ratings
27.
Doctor Zhivago
Doctor Zhivago 4.01 avg rating — 101,096 ratings
28.
The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)
The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5) 3.91 avg rating — 381,958 ratings
29.
I, Robot (Robot, #0.1)
I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) 4.21 avg rating — 369,866 ratings
30.
Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who!
by: Dr. Seuss
4.22 avg rating — 112,865 ratings
31.
The End of the Affair
The End of the Affair 3.90 avg rating — 68,980 ratings
32.
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2)
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2) 3.98 avg rating — 472,792 ratings
33.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings 4.54 avg rating — 716,435 ratings
34.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1) 3.95 avg rating — 110,488 ratings
35.
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
by: Ayn Rand
3.69 avg rating — 402,763 ratings
36.
The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)
The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4) 3.95 avg rating — 322,471 ratings
37.
Franny and Zooey
Franny and Zooey 3.96 avg rating — 235,143 ratings
38.
Exodus
Exodus
by: Leon Uris
4.34 avg rating — 100,893 ratings
39.
Nine Stories
Nine Stories 4.18 avg rating — 152,899 ratings
40.
The Fall
The Fall 4.03 avg rating — 127,507 ratings
41.
The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1)
The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 100,176 ratings
42.
Hawaii
Hawaii 4.22 avg rating — 80,869 ratings
43.
Howl and Other Poems
Howl and Other Poems 4.13 avg rating — 117,393 ratings
44.
The Quiet American
The Quiet American 3.98 avg rating — 68,858 ratings
45.
Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1)
Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1) 4.28 avg rating — 146,257 ratings
46.
The Tin Drum
The Tin Drum 3.95 avg rating — 45,956 ratings
47.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 4.06 avg rating — 63,542 ratings
48.
The Sirens of Titan
The Sirens of Titan 4.15 avg rating — 153,651 ratings
49.
A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories
A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories 4.17 avg rating — 48,596 ratings
50.
The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7)
The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7) 4.01 avg rating — 298,087 ratings
51.
The Day of the Triffids
The Day of the Triffids 4.01 avg rating — 115,094 ratings
52.
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1) 4.40 avg rating — 3,050,522 ratings
53.
My Cousin Rachel
My Cousin Rachel really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 66,208 ratings
54.
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers 4.01 avg rating — 241,803 ratings
55.
A Murder Is Announced (Miss Marple, #4)
A Murder Is Announced (Miss Marple, #4) 4.01 avg rating — 82,248 ratings
56.
On the Beach
On the Beach 3.98 avg rating — 48,151 ratings
57.
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain 4.05 avg rating — 78,191 ratings
58.
A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun 3.85 avg rating — 107,549 ratings
59.
Casino Royale (James Bond, #1)
Casino Royale (James Bond, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 92,690 ratings
60.
Childhood’s End
Childhood’s End 4.12 avg rating — 169,977 ratings
61.
A Bear Called Paddington (Paddington, #1)
A Bear Called Paddington (Paddington, #1) 4.24 avg rating — 85,610 ratings
62.
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3) 4.58 avg rating — 1,004,331 ratings
63.
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2) 4.50 avg rating — 1,084,043 ratings
64.
Little Bear (Little Bear, #1)
Little Bear (Little Bear, #1) 4.25 avg rating — 59,187 ratings
65.
The Leopard
The Leopard 4.01 avg rating — 44,197 ratings
66.
The Caine Mutiny
The Caine Mutiny 4.29 avg rating — 26,467 ratings
67.
Memoirs of Hadrian
Memoirs of Hadrian 4.22 avg rating — 34,167 ratings
68.
The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5)
The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5) 3.89 avg rating — 37,190 ratings
69.
Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1)
Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 103,166 ratings
70.
A Town Like Alice
A Town Like Alice 4.15 avg rating — 60,757 ratings
71.
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text 3.46 avg rating — 96,890 ratings
72.
The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe, #6)
The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe, #6) 4.19 avg rating — 45,497 ratings
73.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) 4.24 avg rating — 3,058,653 ratings
74.
The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, #1-3)
The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, #1-3) 4.42 avg rating — 107,091 ratings
75.
4:50 from Paddington (Miss Marple, #7)
4:50 from Paddington (Miss Marple, #7) 3.97 avg rating — 73,578 ratings
76.
My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1)
My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 61,489 ratings
77.
Bonjour tristesse
Bonjour tristesse 3.73 avg rating — 66,180 ratings
78.
I Am Legend and Other Stories
I Am Legend and Other Stories really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 135,090 ratings
79.
Giovanni’s Room
Giovanni’s Room 4.34 avg rating — 225,937 ratings
80.
Our Man in Havana
Our Man in Havana 3.94 avg rating — 39,679 ratings
81.
The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums 3.93 avg rating — 99,778 ratings
82.
A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember 4.09 avg rating — 27,685 ratings
83.
Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century
Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century 3.93 avg rating — 23,924 ratings
84.
The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids 3.93 avg rating — 60,774 ratings
85.
Till We Have Faces
Till We Have Faces 4.20 avg rating — 77,506 ratings
86.
Mrs. McGinty's Dead (Hercule Poirot, #32)
Mrs. McGinty's Dead (Hercule Poirot, #32) 3.86 avg rating — 37,810 ratings
87.
Old Yeller
Old Yeller 4.10 avg rating — 102,359 ratings
88.
The Third Man
The Third Man 3.79 avg rating — 16,170 ratings
89.
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
by: Jean Kerr
3.91 avg rating — 4,318 ratings
90.
The Illustrated Man
The Illustrated Man 4.13 avg rating — 105,353 ratings
91.
Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train 3.72 avg rating — 36,822 ratings
92.
Katherine
Katherine 4.21 avg rating — 35,116 ratings
93.
A Child's Christmas in Wales
A Child's Christmas in Wales 4.12 avg rating — 7,958 ratings
94.
Justine (The Alexandria Quartet, #1)
Justine (The Alexandria Quartet, #1) 3.85 avg rating — 9,882 ratings
95.
The Grand Sophy
The Grand Sophy 4.17 avg rating — 35,594 ratings
96.
Pedro Páramo
Pedro Páramo 4.06 avg rating — 92,488 ratings
97.
The Stars My Destination
The Stars My Destination 4.06 avg rating — 54,388 ratings
98.
The Miracle Worker: A Play
The Miracle Worker: A Play 4.19 avg rating — 35,075 ratings
99.
Seize the Day
Seize the Day 3.53 avg rating — 13,345 ratings
100.
Pnin
Pnin 3.88 avg rating — 28,099 ratings
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