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1770s: “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine
In the feverish days of the American Revolution, nothing hit home quite like Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.” Published in 1776, this slim pamphlet didn’t just circulate — it exploded, selling around 500,000 copies in a country of just over 2 million people. Paine’s direct, punchy prose made complicated ideas of independence easy for everyone to understand, from colonial farmers to city dwellers. The book’s influence is seen in the Declaration of Independence, which echoed Paine’s call for freedom. Many historians credit “Common Sense” with firing up the masses, giving them the courage and clarity to break from Britain. It was the original viral sensation, passed from hand to hand, read aloud in taverns, and debated by candlelight. Without this book, some scholars argue, the revolution might have fizzled out before it began.
1850s: “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Few books have rattled a nation like “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” When Harriet Beecher Stowe published her anti-slavery novel in 1852, it sold 300,000 copies in its first year, making it the best-selling book of the 19th century after the Bible. The book’s raw depiction of slavery horrified and galvanized readers in the North, while enraging many in the South. President Abraham Lincoln reportedly greeted Stowe as “the little lady who started this great war” — a quote that, even if apocryphal, shows the cultural weight the novel carried. Its emotional storytelling turned the abstract horrors of slavery into something personal and urgent. In the years leading up to the Civil War, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” wasn’t just a book — it was a battle cry.
1920s: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
If the “Roaring Twenties” had a mirror, it would be found in the shimmering, tragic pages of “The Great Gatsby.” Published in 1925, Fitzgerald’s novel at first stumbled commercially, selling just over 20,000 copies. Yet its exploration of wealth, ambition, and moral decay in Jazz Age America has since become the defining story of the decade. Today, “The Great Gatsby” regularly tops lists of the most assigned novels in U.S. high schools, according to a 2024 report by the American Library Association. Gatsby’s longing for the American Dream — and the emptiness at the heart of it — still strikes a chord, especially in times of economic boom and bust. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock might be fiction, but the longing it represents is all too real.
1930s: “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck
No book captured the pain and hope of the Great Depression like John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” When it was published in 1939, the novel flew off shelves, selling 430,000 copies in its first year and quickly winning the Pulitzer Prize. Steinbeck’s story of the Joad family’s desperate trek from Oklahoma to California put a human face on the era’s suffering. The novel stoked national debate about poverty and labor rights, even landing on banned book lists in some states. According to recent data from the Library of Congress, “The Grapes of Wrath” remains one of the most borrowed American novels. Its scenes of dust, hunger, and quiet resilience still echo in classrooms and living rooms across the country.
1950s: “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury
In the shadow of the Cold War, Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” blazed a warning about censorship and conformity. Published in 1953, it imagined a future where books are burned and independent thinking is dangerous. The book’s chilling vision resonated at a time when McCarthyism and anti-communist hysteria gripped the country. “Fahrenheit 451” has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, according to the latest data from Simon & Schuster. In 2022, it was listed by the National Endowment for the Arts as one of the most influential dystopian novels, frequently cited in debates about free speech. Bradbury’s cautionary tale remains relevant as battles over book bans and censorship continue to rage in schools and libraries.
1960s: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
When Harper Lee published “To Kill a Mockingbird” in 1960, she couldn’t have known it would become an American classic — and a lightning rod for debate. The novel, which tackles racism and injustice in the Deep South, has sold over 40 million copies, according to 2023 figures from HarperCollins. Its gentle, wise narrator, Scout, and the moral courage of her father, Atticus Finch, have inspired generations. The book won the Pulitzer Prize and became required reading in schools, shaping how Americans think about justice and empathy. In recent years, “To Kill a Mockingbird” has faced renewed scrutiny over its portrayal of race, showing that its power to provoke discussion endures.
1980s: “Beloved” by Toni Morrison
The 1980s brought Toni Morrison’s haunting masterpiece “Beloved,” published in 1987. The novel, which follows a formerly enslaved woman haunted by her past, won the Pulitzer Prize and cemented Morrison’s place as a literary giant. According to Penguin Random House, “Beloved” has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The book’s raw, poetic language and unflinching look at the trauma of slavery set it apart. In 2020, the New York Times named it the best American novel of the last 50 years. “Beloved” is still a staple in universities and book clubs, and its themes of memory, pain, and resilience continue to resonate, especially as the U.S. confronts its history of racial violence.
1990s: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling
Though the first “Harry Potter” book debuted in the UK in 1997, its U.S. release in 1998 sent shockwaves through American publishing. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” sold over 120 million copies worldwide, and the series reignited a love of reading among young Americans, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. Midnight release parties, massive book sales, and a wave of fantasy novels followed in its wake. The books have also sparked debates about censorship, as some school districts attempted to ban them for their portrayal of magic. The “Harry Potter” phenomenon defined childhood for a generation, making reading cool again at the dawn of the internet age.
2000s: “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown
Few books have sparked as much controversy and conversation as “The Da Vinci Code.” Dan Brown’s thriller, published in 2003, became an instant sensation, selling over 80 million copies by 2025. Its blend of art, history, and conspiracy theories pushed readers to question what they knew about religion and Western culture. The book topped the New York Times bestseller list for 136 weeks and inspired a blockbuster film. According to a 2024 study by the Book Industry Study Group, “The Da Vinci Code” helped fuel a surge in adult fiction sales and made the religious thriller a mainstream genre. Its influence still lingers in pop culture and publishing.
2010s: “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
Published in 2017, Angie Thomas’s “The Hate U Give” became a rallying point for a new generation confronting issues of race and police violence. The book spent 80 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than 3 million copies, based on a 2024 update from HarperCollins. It follows Starr Carter, a Black teen who witnesses a police shooting, and captures the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement. “The Hate U Give” was praised by critics and adapted into a major film, sparking conversations in classrooms and homes nationwide. Its impact is still felt as debates over racial justice and police reform continue to dominate headlines.
End.
Besides founding Festivaltopia, Luca is the co founder of trib, an art and fashion collectiv you find on several regional events and online. Also he is part of the management board at HORiZONTE, a group travel provider in Germany.
