New York Times best books of last 125 years

How many have you read?

1984

This potent book still resonates with modern-day politics.

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Written by George Orwell and initially published in 1949.

All the Light We Cannot See

A must-read for those who love World War II related books.

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Written by Anthony Doerr and published in 2014, a Pulitzer Prize-winning book

Beloved

About the mental and physical trauma caused by slavery.

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This powerful book by Toni Morrison, published in 1987, is an important book that helps to educate readers about the mental and physical trauma caused by slavery.

Catch-22

Critiques the absurdities of war and human existence.

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Joseph Heller’s 1961

Charlotte’s Web

A mainstay in children’s literature.

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E.B. White’s book about a spider, a little girl, and a pig was released in 1952

The Fellowship of the Ring

The world would never be the same again.

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J.R.R. Tolkien’s books are pure classics that took the world by storm. This book was published in 1954

Gone With the Wind

A must-read for any bookworm!

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The classics are classics for a good reason! This novel by Margaret Mitchell, published in 1936, sold like hotcakes and has been made into plays and films

The Great Gatsby

Another classic must-read

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This book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925, is another classic must-read even if it wasn’t a hit with the public when it was first released.

The Handmaid’s Tale

This book simply must be read by everyone

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Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s 1986 book found great fame with HBO’s television series in recent years.

It does not matter if you’ve seen the series or not; this book simply must be read by everyone, in particular in light of recent political activity in the United States.

Lolita

A look inside the mind of a man obsessed with a young girl

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This book by Vladimir Nabokov, initially published in 1955 in France, scandalized the world.

A look inside the mind of a man obsessed with a young girl is quite disturbing, even if it is fiction…

15 More Books

Everyone should read

With the help of readers, the New York Times ‘Book Review’ editors have developed a list of the best books from the past 125 years.

The result is a list of 25 finalists submitted from readers across the globe, and now the public is allowed to vote for the winner.

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