Harper Lee, influential author of To Kill a Mockingbird, addressed racism in the American South through the perspective of a young girl. The novel, a classic, won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film.
"The Great Gatsby: Fitzgerald's must-read novel critiques the American Dream in 1920s Jazz Age, following Nick and enigmatic Jay Gatsby."
James Joyce's masterpiece, Ulysses (1922), draws inspiration from Odysseus's journey and follows Bloom, Dedalus, and Molly in a single day in Dublin.
J.D. Salinger's 1951 novel, The Catcher in the Rye, follows Holden Caulfield's search for truth and rebellion against adult phoniness, exploring the theme of lost innocence.
Jane Austen's beloved novel, "Pride and Prejudice" (1813), depicts the complex relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy in Regency-era England with wit and social commentary.
Mark Twain's iconic novel, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884/1885), condemns racism in pre-Civil War South. Huck and Jim's journey down the Mississippi River challenges societal norms and revolutionizes American literature.
Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse" (1927) portrays the Ramsay family's visits to the Isle of Skye, employing stream of consciousness and exploring themes of subjectivity and perception. A modernist masterpiece.
William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" (1929) intricately explores the Compson family's decline in Jefferson, Mississippi, through multiple narrative styles. A transformative work for Faulkner's career.
George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-four" (1949) warns against totalitarianism, surveillance, and propaganda in a dystopian future. Its impact on culture is profound, with concepts like Big Brother entering mainstream consciousness.
Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" (1860-1861) follows the education of orphan Pip in 19th-century London, featuring memorable characters and vivid imagery.