Books By Decade: Writers, Novels And Reading Trends Since The 1920s
A guide to the books of each decade, from Ulysses to BookTok.
Pick an era below for its novels and non-fiction with publication years, the writers who defined it, and how people got hold of a book at the time.
Each guide links to that decade's films, food, calendar and year pages.
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Pick a decade
- 1920s - Modernism breaks the novel apart, and the detective story finds its feet. Guide: /blogs/news/1920s-literature
- 1930s - Penguin makes books cheap, and politics gets into everything. Guide: /blogs/news/1930s-literature
- 1940s - Paper rationing, wartime reading, and two of the century's great warnings. Guide: /blogs/news/1940s-literature
- 1950s - Angry young men, Middle-earth, and the paperback in every pocket. Guide: /blogs/news/1950s-literature
- 1960s - The Chatterley trial opens the floodgates, and everything gets louder. Guide: /blogs/news/1960s-literature
- 1970s - Thrillers, horror and the paperback blockbuster. Guide: /blogs/news/1970s-literature
- 1980s - Big novels, big advances, and British fiction going international. Guide: /blogs/news/1980s-literature
- 1990s - Harry Potter, Irvine Welsh and the book everyone on the train was reading. Guide: /blogs/news/1990s-literature
- 2000s - Richard and Judy, Amazon, and the last decade before the screen took over. Guide: /blogs/news/2000s-literature
- 2010s - E-books, self-publishing, BookTube and the cookbook as a bestseller. Guide: /blogs/news/2010s-literature
- 2020s - BookTok sells the backlist, romantasy takes over, and print refuses to die. Guide: /blogs/news/2020s-literature
How reading changed
- 1920s-1930s: modernism and detective fiction, then Penguin makes books cheap in 1935.
- 1940s-1950s: paper rationing and wartime reading, then the paperback in every pocket.
- 1960s-1970s: the Chatterley trial, the Booker Prize, and the airport blockbuster.
- 1980s-1990s: big advances, bookshop chains, and Harry Potter.
- 2000s-2020s: Amazon, the Kindle, BookTok and print holding on.
How to write it so it lands
- For a book group, take one title per decade and read them in order - the change in style is the point.
- Charity shops are full of the seventies and eighties bestsellers on these lists.
- Pair a decade's books with its films guide; half of them were adapted.
Where to shop next
- 1920s books and writers
- 1930s books and writers
- 1940s books and writers
- 1950s books and writers
- 1960s books and writers
- 1970s books and writers
- 1980s books and writers
- 1990s books and writers
- 2000s books and writers
- 2010s books and writers
- 2020s books and writers
- The 2020s so far
- The 2010s: the whole decade
- The 2000s: the whole decade
- The 1990s: the whole decade
- The 1980s: the whole decade
- The 1970s: the whole decade
- The 1960s: the whole decade
- The 1950s: the whole decade
- The 1940s: the whole decade
- The 1930s: the whole decade
- The 1920s: the whole decade
- Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
- Decade films: best movies and directors by era
- Decade history: key events, politics and culture by era
- Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
- Food by decade: dishes and food trends
- Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
- Decade calendar: every year from 1920
- Decade trivia: fun facts by era
- Decade trivia game: play for points
- Nostalgia gift shop
- Milestone birthday cards
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Good luck cards
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
What decades are covered?
Every decade from the 1920s to the present, each with its books, writers, publishing trends and reading habits.
Are these real books with real publication years?
Yes. Every title, writer and date is real. The picks are editorial - nothing invented.
Can I use these for a book group or a quiz?
Yes, freely. Print them, read them out, copy them - no permission needed.
What is a good example of decade literature guides?
"1920s-1930s: modernism and detective fiction, then Penguin makes books cheap in 1935." is one of 16 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.