Since ancient times, books have been an essential component of human culture, acting as a channel for the passage of ideas, knowledge, and stories from one generation to the next. A staggering number of literary works have caught the attention of millions of readers throughout the past 200 years. The world of literature has changed dramatically throughout the years, from timeless masterpieces to current bestsellers, and many novels have made a lasting impression. The most popular books of the past 200 years will be explored in this article, along with their social impact and enduring appeal.
Here are a few examples of influential and successful books of the past two centuries:
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes wrote the Spanish epic classic Don Quixote. The full title of the book is El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha (which changes to El ingenioso caballero don Quixote de la Mancha in Part 2). In 1605 and 1615, it was first published in two parts. It is generally referred to as one of the greatest works ever written and the first modern book. It is a foundational piece of Western literature. Don Quixote is one of the most often translated books and the best-selling novel of all time.
The plot centers on the adventures of Alonso Quijano, a lowly hidalgo from La Mancha who reads so many chivalric romances that he either loses his mind or fakes it to assume the identity of Don Quixote de la Mancha, a knight-errant (caballero andante), to revive chivalry and defend his country.
He selects Sancho Panza, a straightforward farmer, to be his squire. Don Quixote’s high rhetoric, which regularly makes references to knighthood and is already seen by most as being out of date or incomprehensible, is frequently countered by Sancho Panza with a particular, earthy wit, occasionally leaving his master feeling quite impressed. Don Quixote chooses to believe that he is living out a legendary knightly tale in the early section of the novel rather than accepting reality as it is.
The Three Musketeers (1844) by Alexandre Dumas, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain, and Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) by Edmond Rostand, as well as the word quixotic, are all examples of how influential the novel was on the literary world.
When it was initially released, Don Quixote was frequently viewed as a comic book. It became more well-known after the French Revolution for its presumptive fundamental ethic, which holds that people can be intellectual in some respects even while their society is highly fantastical. This book was seen as captivating, entrancing, or disentrancing in this dynamic and a didactic topic. Although it was perceived as social commentary in the 19th century, it was difficult to determine “which side Cervantes was on.” By the 20th century, the novel had attained a canonical status as one of the foundations of letters in literature. The book was considered by many reviewers as a tragedy in which Don Quixote’s idealism and nobility are viewed by the post-chivalric world as inadequate and are defeated and rendered useless by a common reality devoid of his “true” romantic tendencies tailored for the taste of royalty.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, a book on manners by Jane Austen, was released in 1813. The story depicts Elizabeth Bennet’s growth as a character as she discovers the consequences of making snap decisions and comes to understand the distinction between apparent virtue and true goodness.
Although Mr. Bennet has five daughters and owns the Longbourn estate in Hertfordshire, his property is encumbered and can only be passed to a male heir. His wife does not have any inheritance either, so his family will be in dire straits when he passes away. As a result, the plot is motivated by the need for at least one of the daughters to marry successfully to support the others.
Pride and Prejudice has frequently been listed among the “most-loved books” by literary critics and the general reading population. With over 20 million copies sold, it has grown to be one of the most-read novels in English literature and has influenced a lot of contemporary writers. For more than a century, dramatic adaptations, reprints, unauthorized sequels, films, and TV shows have portrayed the iconic characters and timeless ideas of Pride and Prejudice.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harper Lee, an American author, published her book To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960. It is one of the most often assigned novels in American schools and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide after being translated into more than 40 different languages. It received a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. The book won praise for its sensitive treatment of a young child’s first exposure to racism and discrimination in the American South.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The first three books of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings were published in 1954: The Fellowship of the Ring; 1955: The Two Towers; and 1955: The Return of the King. The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s posthumous book published in 1977, followed the Third Age of Middle-earth-set novel as a sequel to The Hobbit (1937). The Lord of the Rings tells the story of a band of somewhat reticent heroes who set out to defend their world against absolute evil. Tolkien’s extensive philological and folkloric knowledge served as the foundation for its many realms and creatures.
The magical Ring of Invisibility is given to Frodo Baggins by his uncle Bilbo when he becomes 33, which is the hobbit equivalent of maturity. A Christ-like character named Frodo realizes that the ring can corrupt its wearer as well as govern the entire universe. A group of hobbits, elves, dwarfs, and men band together to craft a plan to toss the ring into the Crack of Doom’s volcanic fires to melt it away. The terrible Sauron and his Black Riders confront them on their perilous journey.
High fantasy is often regarded as having its beginnings with The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and these two works have had a significant impact on the genre as a whole.
Peter Jackson, a New Zealander, turned The Lord of the Rings into a magnificent film trilogy. Both monetarily and critically, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002, 2003), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) were huge hits. A record-tying 11 Academy Awards, including best picture and best director, went to the third movie. Here you can find plenty of affordable books by ADLE International even to limited earners. ADLE International started at the helm of online book selling. It offers a complete selection from rare, collectibles to textbooks and kindle edition books.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
American author J. It is called The Catcher in the Rye. D. Salinger was first serialized in 1945–1946 and then published in book form in 1951. Although it was written with adults in mind, teens frequently read it because of its themes of alienation and angst as well as its critique of society’s superficiality. The book also addresses complex issues like depression and sex as well as innocence, identity, belonging, loss, and connection. Holden Caulfield, the primary character, has emerged as a symbol of adolescent disobedience. Caulfield, who is almost of age, offers his opinion on a wide range of subjects while recounting recent occurrences in his life.
There are numerous translations of The Catcher. Over 65 million books have been sold overall, with annual sales of about 1 million copies. The book was selected as one of the top 100 English-language books of the 20th century by Modern Library and its readers, and it appeared in Time’s 2005 list of the 100 best books published in English since 1923. It was ranked 15th in the BBC survey “The Big Read” in 2003.
1984 by George Orwell
The 1949 publication of George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-four, often known as 1984, served as a warning against tyranny. Readers were deeply affected by the terrifying dystopia, and his ideas infiltrated popular society at a level that was only seldom possible with novels. Big Brother and the Thought Police, among other notions from the novel, are widely understood and readily recognizable as terms for contemporary social and political atrocities.
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling, a British author, created the fictional character Harry Potter, a young wizard. Rowling. His teenage adventures were the basis of seven wildly successful novels (1997–2007), which were turned into eight films (2001–11). In 2016, a play and a book of the play’s script were published.
After exploring the literary triumphs that have captivated readers over the last two centuries, delve into the ancient origins of the written word with ‘Which Are the Oldest Books Ever Written and Still Existing?’. This piece unveils the timeless manuscripts that have not only survived millennia but also laid the foundations for our enduring literary heritage.