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1958 Books

From bestselling novels to critically acclaimed works, 1958 was filled with captivating stories that have stood the test of time. In this list, we highlight the most popular books of 1958, celebrating the titles that topped the charts and won the hearts of book lovers everywhere.

On The Beach
Written by: Nevil Shute
Outline: Nevil Shute's most important novel, which was a bestseller for decades after it was published in 1957, is an unforgettable vision about a post-apocalyptic future. The few survivors left in Australia are now waiting for the radioactive cloud to pass …
A Death In The Family
Written by: James Agee
Outline: This classic American novel is being republished to commemorate the 100th anniversary James Agee's birthday. Published in 1957, just two years after the death of its author, A Death in the Family was published.
Our Man In Havana
Written by: Graham Greene
Outline: Wormold is MI6's man at Havana. He was a former vacuum cleaner salesman who became a reluctant secret agent because of economic necessity. He files fake reports that are based on Charles Lamb’s Tales to keep his job.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Written by: Elizabeth George Speare
Outline: Kit Tyler, an orphaned girl, struggles to adapt to the harsh realities of the Connecticut Colony, feeling like a caged tropical bird in her stern Puritan community. However, she finds solace in the company of the Quaker woman known as …
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Written by: Irving Stone
Outline: New American Library commemorates the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo's David by publishing a special edition of Irving Stone's acclaimed biographical novel, which vividly portrays the artist's tumultuous personal life and the divine inspiration behind his unparalleled artistic achievements.
The Dharma Bums
Written by: Jack Kerouac
Outline: The text describes the journey of two young men seeking spiritual enlightenment through unconventional means, including indulgence in wine, poetry, and solitude in nature. Published shortly after the seminal work that defined the Beat Generation, the narrative is characterized by …
Old Yeller
Written by: Fred Gipson
Outline: Travis initially disliked the stray dog, Old Yeller, for its unsightly appearance and thieving behavior. However, the dog's intelligence and resourcefulness proved invaluable in protecting Travis's family on the Texas frontier, especially with the father away. Despite their initial differences, …
Exodus
Written by: Leon Uris
Outline: Leon Uris' novel is an acclaimed international bestseller that vividly depicts the tumultuous birth of Israel amidst a backdrop of geopolitical turmoil and the personal struggles of an American nurse and an Israeli freedom fighter during a transformative era.
The Leopard
Written by: Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Written by: Dr. Seuss
Outline: Dr. Seuss's unique blend of rhyme, rhythm, and repetition in his hilarious stories, zany pictures, and riotous rhymes has been delighting and helping children of all ages and abilities to read for over fifty years, making him a global best-selling …