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The Bestselling Books of the Last One Hundred Years: 1955

We started at 1918, bringing you the bestselling books of the last one hundred years. We’re moving along now and we’re already into the middle of the twentieth century but there’s still a long way to go.

We’re covering each year at a time and we’re half way through the 1950s now as we cover 1955 today!

1955 was the kickstart to consumerism and if you were in any doubt, it was the year the first McDonalds restaurant opened. Fishfingers also appeared in the shops for the first time, as the desire for processed and easy to cook food really took hold. Coca-cola appeared in cans for the first time ever, having only been available in bottle previously. In fact you might say 1955 is the year is all started to go wrong! 😉

Among all that, there were plenty of books published and read too, and today we’re featuring the bestselling novels of 1955, and some that didn’t make the list but have stood the test of time.

Marjorie Morningstar – Herman Wouk

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Auntie Mame – Patrick Dennis

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Andersonville – Mackinlay Kantor

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Bonjour Tristesse – Francoise Sagan

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The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit – Sloan Wilson

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Something of Value – Robert Ruark

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Not as a Stranger – Morton Thompson

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No Time for Sergeants – Mac Hymen

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The Tontine – Thomas B. Costaine

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Ten North Frederick – John O’Hara

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1955 also saw the release of J.P Donleavy’s,  The Ginger Man,  Patricia Highsmith’s  The Talented Mr Ripley, and Nabokov’s Lolita.

We’ll continue this series right through to 2018, keep an eye out for 1956, coming soon!

If you’d like to see all the lists so far, try this search 

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