Novels from the 20th century, more so than any other, are better known for their adaptations than for the original source material. This is not to say that older books don’t have adaptations, of course. Merely that, when one considers some of the titles listed here, it’s not the book that comes to mind first. That being said, novels of the 20th century have had a significant influence over the public discourse, helping to shape the society that we have today, for good or ill.
Novels From The 20th Century That Are Worth Reading
The Handmaid’s Tale
Don’t just watch the show, read the book. Delve into the source material. See the words that sparked the franchise. And, most of all, pay attention.
Silence of the Lambs
While Red Dragon was the first of the series, Silence of the Lambs is the better-written book. It is often described as one of the best thrillers ever written. If you are looking for something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, unsure of what will happen next, this is the book for you.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
More a series of novels than one specific tome, Hitchhiker’s Guide is somewhat more poofy than the other novels I’ve listed. However, it can easily be interpreted as a commentary on unchecked progress. It’s worth a read for the story alone, but if you actually dig into it, you might learn something.
Beloved
This book tackles some of the heaviest subjects to date: the effect of slavery on one’s psychology, what it means to be a man, and the relationship between mother and daughter. This is a deep book that delves into many dark places. As a result, it has had a profound influence on society as a whole.
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
Roots demonstrate the importance of history. The actions of our ancestors have the power to inspire. While the book paints a hopeful outcome to the suffering endured by Kunta, the eventual prosperity that his descendants achieve is a dream that, unfortunately, not enough people are privileged enough to experience. That said, it does show what is possible if you try.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
While the Blade Runner film often overshadows the book on which it was based, Philip K. Dick’s dystopian novel force the read to ask themselves some tough questions, namely what does it mean to be “human”?
A Wrinkle in Time (Personal Favorite Novel)
The narrative is a little goofy; it was written for children after all, but the overall theme is highly important. Above all else, the central theme is that “you are good enough”. It also rejects the idea of conformity, which is something we should all do.
The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar, published in 1963, continues the push for women to be seen by society as more than just wives and mothers. Society’s tendency to trap women into these roles was starting to come up against a steadily growing movement for social and financial independence.
Remember, at this time, women weren’t allowed to open up a bank account without a male co-signer. It would be another 11 years before we were given the “right” to do so without any male involvement. It is highly likely that this book will help to inspire others to push for more rights for women, which they honestly should have had already.
1984
Everyone says they’ve read this book. Turns out, most of them are lying. Nonetheless, almost everyone is familiar with the themes of the book. It’s so often used as an analogy for what’s happening in politics that it would be hard not to know at least something about it.
I would highly recommend that you actually read the book, however. Word-of-mouth synopses do not do it justice. There are aspects of this book that are truly horrifying, based on how things are going, that’s something we all need to be reminded of.
Fahrenheit 451
I’m sure that everyone has their opinions about this book, which stem from being forced to read it for school. I’ll just say that, now you are older, give it a second glance. The themes are far too relevant to cast aside as just something else you had to do for school that you forgot about.
