1900s Books
These are a few recommendations that we have for books written in the 1900s. Twentieth-century novels are influenced by the changes in beliefs and political ideas after the events of the First World War and the disappearance of the British Empire. Modernism, starting and continuing in the 1900s, was a period in literary history where writers rebelled against clear-cut storytelling and formulaic verse from the previous century.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian satirical black comedy novel by English writer Anthony Burgess, published in 1962. It is set in a near-future society that has a youth subculture of extreme violence. The teenage protagonist, Alex, narrates his violent exploits and his experiences with state authorities intent on reforming him.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
No Longer Human is a 1948 Japanese novel by Osamu Dazai. The literal translation of the title is "Disqualified From Being Human". No Longer Human is told in the form of notebooks left by one Ōba Yōzō (大庭葉蔵), a troubled man incapable of revealing his true self to others, and who, instead, maintains a facade of hollow jocularity. It tells the poignant and fascinating story of a young man who is caught between the breakup of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas.
1984 by George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian social science fiction novel and cautionary tale written by English writer George Orwell. It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final book completed in his lifetime. The novel follows the life of Winston Smith, a low ranking member of 'the Party', who is frustrated by the omnipresent eyes of the party, and its ominous ruler Big Brother. 'Big Brother' controls every aspect of people's lives.
The Fox and the Hound by Daniel P. Mannix
The Fox and the Hound is a 1967 novel written by American novelist Daniel P. Mannix and illustrated by John Schoenherr. The world painted by Mannix is brilliantly told from the eyes of two animals- the fox, Tod, and the hound, Copper. It follows the lives of Tod, a red fox raised by a human for the first year of his life, and Copper, a half-bloodhound dog owned by a local hunter, referred to as the Master.
The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
The Caves of Steel is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov. It is a detective story and illustrates an idea Asimov advocated, that science fiction can be applied to any literary genre, rather than just being a limited genre in itself. It is the story of an unlikely pairing between a New York City police detective, Elijah Baley and Spacer robot, R. Daneel Olivaw. These two must work together to solve the murder of a Spacer, bring the assailant to justice, and hide the investigation from the general public.