The Most Popular Book Published the Year You Were Born

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Genre: Fiction

Banned by 14 states as “pornography,” this steamy tale would be classified today as a bodice-ripper in the romance genre.

An orphaned young woman works her way through the ranks of the 17th-century English society by using her feminine wiles to enchant rich and important men.

More: 19 Books You've Gotta Read Before You See the Movie

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Best known for the sweeping saga Rebecca (which was turned into a film by Alfred Hitchcock), this other novel by author Daphne du Maurier is set in the 1600s, with the English Civil War as a backdrop.

This tragic love story follows Honor Harris and Sir Richard Grenville, young lovers who are separated by war. Their paths cross again, but these star-crossed lovers don't have an easy romance.

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Genre: Fiction

Russell Janney's first, and most popular novel, was turned into a motion picture starring Fred MacMurray (from My Three Sons) and Frank Sinatra.

This fiction novel tells the story of a press agent, Bill Dunnigan, who brings the body of deceased actress Olga Treskovna to a coal mining town for burying. Much of the story is told in flashback to the relationship between Olga and Bill.

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Genre: Fiction

This sequel was Douglas' follow-up to the massively popular bestseller, The Robe. And this was a hit, too, taking the second-most popular book spot in 1949 as well.

The Robe focused on the life of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion, while this book instead centered on Simon Peter, one of Jesus' apostles and the one who denied him. There were movies made of both Biblical sagas.

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Genre: Historical Fiction

This novel was written by a Finnish author and turned into a movie. It follows the story of a physician as he travels around ancient Egypt, and in exile in what is now Syria. Waltari weaves in historical details and famous Egyptian heroes into his then very popular tale.

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Genre: Children's

With a prequel emerging several years later, today The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second of seven books in C.S. Lewis' suspenseful series, The Chronicles of Narnia, although it was published first. It relays the story of four siblings who step through a wardrobe door and find themselves in the fantasmic land of Narnia.

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Genre: Fiction

One of the most iconic books of the 1950s, The Catcher in the Rye shares the teenage struggles of 16-year-old protagonist Holden Caulfield as he navigates the crossroads between childhood and adulthood.

The novel reveals several edgy themes like underage drinking, dropping out of school, and sexual experiences, which have made it one of the most banned books from school reading lists of all time.

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Genre: Children's

For generations, Charlotte's Web has enlightened young audiences on important life lessons surrounding friendship, love, and even death in an age-appropriate story and reading style that serves as a great transition piece between picture books and wordier novels.

More: Timeless Children's Books That'll Turn Them Into a Bookworm

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Genre: Drama

Separated into four fast-moving acts, this historical play depicts the harsh realities of the Salem witch trials, while exploring the complexities associated with acknowledging and experiencing personal guilt and engaging in socially constructed notions of mass hysteria.

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Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Not to be confused with The Lord of the Rings, which was also first published in 1954, this classic novel by William Golding is worthy of acknowledgement in its own right.

When a plane crash-lands a group of schoolboys on an uncharted island, they initially relish in their newfound freedom. But as order quickly disintegrates, their reality becomes terrifying in this epic tale of adventure and suspense.

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Genre: Fiction

This controversial novel-turned-cultural-icon reveals the manipulative, pedophilic relationship between an obsessive middle-aged man and a 12-year-old girl, his ideal nymphet. The story is a meditation on love that combines both humor and horror into a tale that'll make you cringe and laugh at the same time.

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Genre: Fiction

Set in Amsterdam, this short story follows a well-respected French judge who is haunted and changed by the follies of his past.

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Genre: Children's

Along with several Dr. Seuss classics like Green Eggs and Ham and Oh, the Places You'll Go!, The Cat in the Hat is an iconic picture book that has helped children learn and become excited about reading for decades.

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Genre: Fiction

Breakfast at Tiffany's is perhaps best known for Audrey Hepburn's iconic performance as Manhattan socialite Holly Golightly in the film adaptation, but the book itself is well worth a read.

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Genre: Fiction

Set just before World War II in New England, the story follows two prep-school boys and the series of unfortunate events that changes them and their close relationship into one that's complicated and competitive. Their loss of innocence is synonymous with the changes in America during that period as it neared closer to war.

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Genre: Fiction

Winner of the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, To Kill a Mockingbird is a gripping coming-of-age tale about a young girl in the South who witnesses her father, a lawyer, risk it all to defend a black man who has been unjustly accused of raping a white woman. She learns of the social inequalities and prejudice that plague the South, and that standing up for what's right isn't always easy.

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Genre: Fiction

In this dark, yet humorous novel, World War II soldier Yossarian is stuck in a predicament that may cause him to violate a Catch-22, a bureaucratic rule in which he would be considered insane if he willingly embarks on combat missions. But if he requests to be removed from serving, he will be proven sane, but would then deemed ineligible for release.

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Genre: Fiction

Mental hospital patient Randle Patrick McMurphy causes constant havoc in the ward by promoting gambling, smuggling in alcohol and women, and defying the dictatorship of Nurse Ratched at every turn. Their continuous battle ends up affecting all of the other patients as they get more involved.

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Genre: Children's

A favorite children's picture book that has been around for ages, Max's imaginative journey was first introduced to young readers in 1963. It goes beyond most bedtime stories with life lessons that stress the importance of respecting your parents, and that even when you don't show them respect, they'll still love you.

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Genre: Children's

1964 was a notable year for children's literature, with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Giving Tree, Harriet the Spy, and Flat Stanley also published, but anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate this special kiddie classic about Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory and all of the wonders inside.

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Genre: Science Fiction

Taking place on the fictional desert planet Arrakis, protagonist Paul is made to rule an inhospitable region where the only thing of value is a drug that extends life and enhances consciousness.

After his family's empire is destroyed, he finds a greater destiny and evolves into a mysterious figure who makes humankind’s most unattainable dream a reality.

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Genre: Fiction

Three struggling young women in New York City are on a mission to get noticed in the entertainment industry, but when they finally make it to thew top, their celebrity status leads them to unthinkable issues like body dysmorphia, pills, cheating, and rehab.

More: Our Editors Recommend These Fiction Books

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Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Ponyboy tries to stay out of trouble, trusting only his brothers and a few friends, while avoiding the Socs, a gang of local rich kids who beat up greasers like him for fun. But everything changes after one eventful night when they take things way too far.

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Genre: Dystopian Fiction

The inspiration behind famed films Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, the novel depicts a post-apocalyptic future where life is now reeling from a nuclear world war. Bounty hunter Rick Deckard is tasked with retiring fugitive androids that have gone violently rogue after being created as part of recovery efforts, but when cornered, they refuse to go down without a brutal fight.

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Genre: Historical Fiction

An anti-war novel told in the voice of an unreliable narrator, the story is centered around the experiences of American soldier Billy Pilgrim, who survives the 1945 firebombing of Dresden, Germany while being held as a prisoner of war. Suffering from PTSD, his experiences infiltrate his post-war life with flashbacks, or what he believes to be time travel.

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Genre: Young Adult Fiction

This iconic Judy Blume novel will take you back to tweendom through the story of 11-year-old Margaret Simon, whose special, open relationship with God helps her go beyond matters of self-exploration and spirituality. The book confronts many classic coming-of-age issues, like boys, body image, friends, and periods, that are all just as relatable today.

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972, this story of discovery follows wheelchair user and ex-historian Lyman Ward in his quest to write his grandparents' biography. While researching the remarkable tales of how they pioneered civilization into the western frontier, he reveals more about his own life, piecing together a clearer portrait of his American family.

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Genre: Children's

For decades, this picture book has been a favorite among kids and parents for its humorous approach to teaching life lessons. It tells the tale of Alexander, who has a day full of disappointments and mishaps. From his best friend deserting him, to having lima beans for dinner, it touches on events all kids can relate to, and sparks conversations about how to handle situations that don't go your way.

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Genre: Fiction

In this much-anticipated sequel to Slaughterhouse-Five, science fiction writer Kilgore Trout learns that a Midwestern car dealer has been taking his stories as truth. The book centers around the events that lead up to their meeting, the meeting itself, and what happens afterward, in a satire that closely examines war, sex, racism, and politics in America.

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Genre: Thriller

Stephen King's first published novel, Carrie is a chilling tale about an unpopular teenage misfit who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to get tortuous revenge on school bullies. She quickly unleashes chaos in her Maine hometown, causing much of the story to be told uniquely through police reports and court documents.