1983 Books
From bestselling novels to critically acclaimed works, 1983 was filled with captivating stories that have stood the test of time. In this list, we highlight the most popular books of 1983, celebrating the titles that topped the charts and won the hearts of book lovers everywhere.
Lord Jim
Written by: Joseph Conrad
Outline: Jim, a young British seaman, abandons a ship full of pilgrims, but the passengers are later saved, leading to his public censure. Joseph Conrad, a Polish author who wrote in English, is regarded as one of the greatest novelists of …
The Day Of The Jackal
Written by: Frederick Forsyth
Outline: THE CLASSIC THRILLER FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR FREDERICK FOSTER"The Day of the Jackal makes comparable books like The Manchurian Candidate or The Spy Who Came in From the Cold look like Hardy Boy mysteries The
The Unbearable Lightness Of Being
Written by: Milan Kundera
Outline: Milan Kundera's The Unbearable lightness of Being tells the story about a young woman who falls in love with a man who is unable to choose between his love for her or his incorrigible womanizing.
The Secret History
Written by: Donna Tartt
Outline: Donna Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize 2014 for her novel The Goldfinch. She established herself as an important talent with The Secret History which is now a modern classic.
The Dead Zone
Written by: Stephen King
Outline: Johnny
Before We Were Yours
Written by: Lisa Wingate
Outline: The NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER Readers of Orphan Train or The Nightingale will enjoy this "thought-provoking [and] complex story about two families, two decades apart. . . Based on a true story. "Memphis,
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
Written by: Tom Wolfe
Outline: "An American classic" was a Newsweek article that defined a generation. "An amazing book" (The New York Times Book Review), and an unflinching portrait Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters and the 1960s.
The Great Alone
Written by: Kristin Hannah
Outline: Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! "A TOUR DE FORCE." --Kirkus (starred review)Alaska, 1974.Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed. For a family in crisis, it is the ultimate test for survival.
Becoming
Written by: Michelle Obama
Outline: Memoir: This former first lady shares stories about her childhood and time at the White House
Into the Wild
Written by: Jon Krakauer
Outline: A young man from a wealthy family hitchhiked to Alaska in April 1992. He walked alone through the wilderness north and west of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless.
Ragtime
Written by: E. L. Doctorow
Outline: The Modern Library selected Ragtime as one of the 100 greatest novels of all-time. Published in 1975, Ragtime revolutionized our notion of what a novel can be.
The Dark Half
Written by: Stephen King
Outline: Stephen King, master storyteller, presents "Wondrously Scary" (Publishers Weekly), #1 New York Times Bestseller about a writer's haunting pseudonym.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Written by: John Berendt
Outline: In the early morning hours of May 2, 1981, shots rang out from Savannah's grandest mansion. Is it murder? Or self-defense? The shooting and its aftermath were heard throughout the hauntingly beautiful city of shaded squares and moss-hung oaks for …
Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic
Written by: Henri Bergson
Outline: En este ensayo filosófico, Henri Bergson analiza el significado y las funciones de la risa, destacando cómo el humor nos ayuda a mantener nuestra humanidad en la era de la mecanización. Bergson define la comedia como una experiencia que nos …
The Grey Fairy Book
Written by: Andrew Lang
Outline: The enchanting world of fairyland has captivated children across cultures and generations, as evidenced by the phenomenal success of Andrew Lang's fairy tale collections. The Grey Fairy Book, featuring a diverse array of stories from various countries, showcases Lang's exceptional …
Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind
Written by: Richard Maurice Bucke
Outline: This work, Bucke's magnum opus, explores the development of consciousness through the experiences of various historical figures, proposing a theory of three stages: simple consciousness, self-consciousness, and cosmic consciousness, the latter of which he believed represented the next stage of …
The Touchstone
Written by: Edith Wharton
Outline: A young man's rejection of a troubled writer's love haunts him after her death, showcasing Wharton's renowned skills in satirical observation, as seen in her later acclaimed works.
Up from Slavery
Written by: Booker T. Washington
Outline: Booker T. Washington, a prominent African American leader, educator, and orator, overcame the challenges of slavery to advocate for the advancement of his community in the post-Reconstruction era. His autobiography, "Up From Slavery," has inspired generations of Americans and chronicles …
Sister Carrie
Written by: Theodore Dreiser
Outline: Sister Carrie, a groundbreaking American literary work, depicts a country girl's journey to wealth as the mistress of a wealthy man, pioneering the naturalist movement in the United States. The novel's uncompromising subject matter and Dreiser's impartial narrative approach were …
The Three Sisters
Written by: Anton Chekhov
Outline: The play "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekhov, first performed in 1901, explores the lives and aspirations of three sisters longing to return to their beloved Moscow, while navigating the challenges and compromises of their provincial existence. Chekhov's masterful interweaving of …
Reform or Revolution
Written by: Rosa Luxemburg
Outline: Capitalism's inherent contradictions make it unable to overcome its flaws, and the working class cannot eliminate exploitation and economic crises through reforms alone.
Bambi
Written by: Bob Grant
Outline: Disney's Bambi is a classic animated film that tells the story of a young deer and his forest friends. The film explores themes of nature, loss, and the circle of life, and has become a beloved part of Disney's animated …
Three Men on the Bummel
Written by: Jerome K. Jerome
Outline: A "bummel" is a never-ending journey, but ultimately, we must return to our usual routines, whether we like it or not.
Claudine at School
Written by: Colette
Outline: Claudine, a mischievous and clever schoolgirl, leads her friends in causing mayhem at their small school, engaging in a witty battle with the headmistress for the attention of the pretty assistant Aimee. Through the humorous and intricate portrayal of school …
The Teutonic Knights
Written by: Henryk Sienkiewicz
Outline: The Teutonic Knights, a renowned novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Henryk Sienkiewicz, chronicles the epic struggle between the Polish-Lithuanian peoples and the oppressive Teutonic Knights, set against a backdrop of memorable characters, lush landscapes, and the pivotal Battle of Grunwald. …
What happened in 1983?
Discover what the world looked like in 1983: