Best Books of the Decade: 1950s

1.
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye 3.80 avg rating — 3,800,404 ratings
2.
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 3.97 avg rating — 2,718,821 ratings
3.
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies 3.70 avg rating — 3,117,399 ratings
4.
Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web 4.21 avg rating — 1,994,064 ratings
5.
Lolita
Lolita 3.87 avg rating — 919,193 ratings
6.
The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea 3.81 avg rating — 1,265,637 ratings
7.
East of Eden
East of Eden 4.43 avg rating — 602,182 ratings
8.
Night
Night 4.38 avg rating — 1,334,191 ratings
9.
Flowers for Algernon
Flowers for Algernon 4.23 avg rating — 763,575 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 — 694,109 ratings
11.
On the Road
On the Road 3.61 avg rating — 438,500 ratings
12.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
by: Dr. Seuss
4.38 avg rating — 439,107 ratings
13.
The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles 4.16 avg rating — 279,632 ratings
14.
The Crucible
The Crucible 3.61 avg rating — 452,156 ratings
15.
Invisible Man
Invisible Man 3.92 avg rating — 198,728 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 — 575,261 ratings
17.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories 3.83 avg rating — 286,562 ratings
18.
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1)
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 403,086 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 — 116,433 ratings
20.
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot 3.84 avg rating — 217,101 ratings
21.
Foundation (Foundation, #1)
Foundation (Foundation, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 580,897 ratings
21.
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House 3.81 avg rating — 365,301 ratings
23.
The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)
The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6) 4.05 avg rating — 588,271 ratings
24.
A Separate Peace
A Separate Peace 3.60 avg rating — 229,386 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 — 497,887 ratings
26.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The Witch of Blackbird Pond 4.02 avg rating — 157,961 ratings
27.
Doctor Zhivago
Doctor Zhivago 4.01 avg rating — 101,107 ratings
28.
The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5)
The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #5) 3.91 avg rating — 381,987 ratings
29.
I, Robot (Robot, #0.1)
I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) 4.21 avg rating — 369,894 ratings
30.
Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who!
by: Dr. Seuss
4.22 avg rating — 112,872 ratings
31.
The End of the Affair
The End of the Affair 3.90 avg rating — 68,989 ratings
32.
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2)
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #2) 3.98 avg rating — 472,823 ratings
33.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings 4.54 avg rating — 716,500 ratings
34.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1) 3.95 avg rating — 110,508 ratings
35.
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
by: Ayn Rand
3.69 avg rating — 402,783 ratings
36.
The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)
The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #4) 3.95 avg rating — 322,492 ratings
37.
Franny and Zooey
Franny and Zooey 3.96 avg rating — 235,155 ratings
38.
Exodus
Exodus
by: Leon Uris
4.34 avg rating — 100,893 ratings
39.
Nine Stories
Nine Stories 4.18 avg rating — 152,905 ratings
40.
The Fall
The Fall 4.03 avg rating — 127,537 ratings
41.
The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1)
The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 100,181 ratings
42.
Hawaii
Hawaii 4.22 avg rating — 80,874 ratings
43.
Howl and Other Poems
Howl and Other Poems 4.13 avg rating — 117,397 ratings
44.
The Quiet American
The Quiet American 3.98 avg rating — 68,865 ratings
45.
Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1)
Harold and the Purple Crayon (Harold, #1) 4.28 avg rating — 146,266 ratings
46.
The Tin Drum
The Tin Drum 3.95 avg rating — 45,957 ratings
47.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 4.06 avg rating — 63,547 ratings
48.
The Sirens of Titan
The Sirens of Titan 4.15 avg rating — 153,667 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 — 48,599 ratings
50.
The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7)
The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7) 4.01 avg rating — 298,113 ratings
51.
The Day of the Triffids
The Day of the Triffids 4.01 avg rating — 115,100 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 — 3,050,888 ratings
53.
My Cousin Rachel
My Cousin Rachel really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 66,216 ratings
54.
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers 4.01 avg rating — 241,828 ratings
55.
A Murder Is Announced (Miss Marple, #4)
A Murder Is Announced (Miss Marple, #4) 4.01 avg rating — 82,266 ratings
56.
On the Beach
On the Beach 3.98 avg rating — 48,156 ratings
57.
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain 4.05 avg rating — 78,202 ratings
58.
A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun 3.85 avg rating — 107,562 ratings
59.
Casino Royale (James Bond, #1)
Casino Royale (James Bond, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 92,704 ratings
60.
Childhood’s End
Childhood’s End 4.12 avg rating — 169,997 ratings
61.
A Bear Called Paddington (Paddington, #1)
A Bear Called Paddington (Paddington, #1) 4.24 avg rating — 85,616 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 — 1,004,485 ratings
63.
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2) 4.50 avg rating — 1,084,205 ratings
64.
Little Bear (Little Bear, #1)
Little Bear (Little Bear, #1) 4.25 avg rating — 59,188 ratings
65.
The Leopard
The Leopard 4.01 avg rating — 44,212 ratings
66.
The Caine Mutiny
The Caine Mutiny 4.29 avg rating — 26,468 ratings
67.
Memoirs of Hadrian
Memoirs of Hadrian 4.22 avg rating — 34,178 ratings
68.
The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5)
The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5) 3.89 avg rating — 37,196 ratings
69.
Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1)
Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 103,172 ratings
70.
A Town Like Alice
A Town Like Alice 4.15 avg rating — 60,761 ratings
71.
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text 3.46 avg rating — 96,896 ratings
72.
The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe, #6)
The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe, #6) 4.19 avg rating — 45,500 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 — 3,059,068 ratings
74.
The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, #1-3)
The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, #1-3) 4.42 avg rating — 107,098 ratings
75.
4:50 from Paddington (Miss Marple, #7)
4:50 from Paddington (Miss Marple, #7) 3.97 avg rating — 73,586 ratings
76.
My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1)
My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 61,493 ratings
77.
Bonjour tristesse
Bonjour tristesse 3.73 avg rating — 66,215 ratings
78.
I Am Legend and Other Stories
I Am Legend and Other Stories really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 135,097 ratings
79.
Giovanni’s Room
Giovanni’s Room 4.34 avg rating — 226,052 ratings
80.
Our Man in Havana
Our Man in Havana 3.94 avg rating — 39,684 ratings
81.
The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums 3.93 avg rating — 99,785 ratings
82.
A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember 4.09 avg rating — 27,689 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 — 23,925 ratings
84.
The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids 3.93 avg rating — 60,778 ratings
85.
Till We Have Faces
Till We Have Faces 4.20 avg rating — 77,515 ratings
86.
Mrs. McGinty's Dead (Hercule Poirot, #32)
Mrs. McGinty's Dead (Hercule Poirot, #32) 3.86 avg rating — 37,820 ratings
87.
Old Yeller
Old Yeller 4.10 avg rating — 102,363 ratings
88.
The Third Man
The Third Man 3.79 avg rating — 16,175 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 — 105,363 ratings
91.
Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train 3.72 avg rating — 36,829 ratings
92.
Katherine
Katherine 4.21 avg rating — 35,119 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 — 35,597 ratings
96.
Pedro Páramo
Pedro Páramo 4.06 avg rating — 92,510 ratings
97.
The Stars My Destination
The Stars My Destination 4.06 avg rating — 54,396 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 — 13,348 ratings
100.
Pnin
Pnin 3.88 avg rating — 28,101 ratings
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