pre-1930 | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
books by decade
the 1950s
books I’ve enjoyed, broken down by decade
for all time, for all ages, for everyone
1953
The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
1957
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
short stories
1950
EPICAC by Kurt Vonnegut
1953
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
1956
Miss Temptation by Kurt Vonnegut
adult fiction
1951
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
1953
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Someone Like You by Roald Dahl (short story collection)
1954
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
1957
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
non-fiction
1952
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
1954
History’s 100 Greatest Events by Samuel Nisenson & William A. De Witt
YA / middle
1953
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
children : elementary
1950
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #1)
1951
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #2)
1952
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #3)
1953
Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #4)
1954
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #5)
1955
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #6)
1956
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia #7)
children : picture books
1950
Dick Whittington and His Cat by Marcia Brown
Sunshine: A Story About the City of New York by Ludwig Bemelman (1950)
1951
Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry
1952
The Biggest Bear by Lynn Ward
1953
The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter
Madeline’s Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans (winner of 1954 Caldecott)
The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
1954
Cinderella translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown (1954)
1955
Frog Went A-Courtin’ by retold by John Langstaff, pictures by Feodor Rojankovsky (1955, Caldecott Winner)
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
1956
Madeline and the Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans
Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans
1957
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Curious George Gets a Medal by H.A. Rey
Little Bear by Maurice Sendak
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
1958
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss
Crictor by Tomi Ungerer
Umbrella by Taro Yashima
1959
Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
Madeline and the Gypsies by Ludwig Bemelmans
coffee table books / other
coming soon
special category
coming soon
haven’t read
coming soon
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