The Hidden Gems
of the 1920's
A Voyage to Arcturus
David Linsay
Jolting awake on the strange planet Tormance, Maskull finds himself stranded in an alien desert. Guided only by a mysterious drumbeat, he treks across this foreign world. Exploring what it truly means to be human, this novel is a timeless work of science fiction.
Science Fiction: 1920
Main Street
Sinclair Lewis
Newly wed, a young woman moves from the city with her husband to a small, conservative Midwest town. To her dismay, the residents ostracize her for her liberal ideas. This work of satire is Lewis’ commentary on ‘the stifling conformity and lack of intellectual stimulation in rural America.”
Satire: 1920
R.U.R.: Rossum's Universal Robots
Karel Capek
A companies’ humanoid robots were invented to serve mankind. Until they evolve, and revolt, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. Capek delves into the moral impact of AI and the consequences of playing God.
Science Fiction: 1920
The Great Impersonation
E. Phillips Oppenheim
While on a trip to Africa, the English aristocrat Everard, stumbled across his German doppelganger. Months later Everard returns to his high society life, those closest to him notice some new and suspicious behavior. Was it really Everard who came back?
Thriller: 1920
Harriet and the Piper
Kathleen Norris
A dangerous man from Harriet’s past arrives to court her best friend, but she can’t warn her without revealing her own dark secrets. Will this destroy the peaceful life she’s built?
Contemporary: 1920
The Valley of Silent Men
James Oliver Curwood
Everyone in the Valley has their own reasons to keep the truth about the recent murder out of the light. Even the Chief of Police would rather cover the whole thing up. But a deathbed confession threatens to uncover all the secrets buried in this small, mountain-pass town.
Romance: 1920
If Winter Comes
A.S.M. Hutchinson
After his WWI enlistment, Mark is left suffering from a severe injury and trapped in a loveless marriage. Not a perfect man, but driven to do the right thing, Mark attempts to help a single mother, Effie. But rumors spread that Effie is his mistress. No good deed goes unpunished.
Contemporary: 1921
The Beautiful and Damned
F. Scott Fitzgerald
A snapshot of the decadent lifestyles of the New York socialites in the roaring 20’s. Gloria and Anthony Patch have nothing to do but bide their time until their huge inheritance comes through.
Romance: 1922
The Worm Ouroboros
E. R. Eddison
Drawing inspiration from the Norse myths, this classic work of fantasy depicts the endless war between two kingdoms on Mercury. Known for presenting “the cyclical nature of history, symbolized by the Ouroboros.”
Fantasy: 1922
This Freedom
A.S.M. Hutchinson
Written during the rise of first-wave feminism, This Freedom follows a young woman as she leaves her overbearing father for life as a suffragette. The novel garnered a lot of controversy at the time for its satirical criticism of feminism.
Satire: 1922
Ulysses
James Joyce
The entirety of the novel takes place over the course of a single day in the life of Leopold Bloom. Paying homage to the epic poem, The Odyssey, is written in a unique, lyrical, stream of consciousness style.
The book was so controversial at the time of publication, it was banned in the U.S. after the 1921 Obscenity Trial.
July 16th
Confessions of Zeno
Italo Svevo
On the road to self-improvement, Zeno seeks the help of a psychotherapist who suggests he write a journal to work through his issues.
“A hymn to self-delusion and procrastination.”
Semi-Autobiographical: 1923
Whose Body?
Dorothy L. Sayers
Lord Peter Winsey’s first murder case quickly becomes complicated when an unidentified body is found in a stranger’s bathtub and another man goes missing the same day.
Mystery: 1923
Black Oxen
Gertrude Franklin Horn
Following a mystical rejuvenation treatment, the middle-aged Mary is transformed into a young, beautiful woman. With her newfound youth she quickly falls seduces Manhattan playboy, who makes a connection between Mary and a socialite who went missing two years before.
Thriller: 1923
We
Yevgeny Zamyatin
The novel that inspired George Orwell’s 1984, portrays a society striving for perfection. Blindly accepting the status quo, the residents of OneState exist without passion until one member realizes he has an individual soul.
Dystopian Science Fiction: 1924
The Vortex
Jose Eustasio Rivera
Running away from his questionable past, Arturo seeks refuge in a place where he can escape the pressure to conform, the Amazon. Rather than finding solace, he finds himself wrapped up in the most vile genocide forgotten by history: Belgium’s rubber trade.
Historical Fiction: 1924
An American Tragedy
Theodore Dreiser
Based on the real murder case of Grace Brown, An American Tragedy, shows how one man will do anything to gain Success.
Thriller: 1925
The Informer
Liam O'Flaherty
Set in Dublin after the Irish Civil War, Nolan gives up the location of a wanted IRA member to the police for a reward. Revolutionaries hunt him down when word spreads he’s betrayed his comrades.
Historical Thriller: 1925
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Anita Loos
Read the diaries of the iconic Lorelei Lee, the woman who was the blueprint for Marilyn Monroe. Each entry pokes fun at different cultural icons and events of the 20’s as this flapper goes on a globe-trotting adventure.
Girly Pop: 1925
Payment Deferred
C.S. Forester
Destitute and desperate for money, the Marbles are given the perfect opportunity to solve all their financial problems with a shovel and bottle of Cyanide.
Psychological Thriller: 1926
One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand
Luigi Pirandello
A comment that his nose leans slightly to the left causes Vitangelo to develop an obsession with the difference in the way he perceives himself compared to how other’s see him.
Psychological Thriller: 1926
Deluge
Sydney Fowler Wright
Influenced by the biblical flood, Wright’s apocalyptic novel depicts the destruction of modern civilization and the diverse group of survivors who quickly realize they lack the skills necessary to survive. A commentary on the dangers of advancing technology and abandonment of traditional practices.
Dystopian: 1927
Lost Ecstacy
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Shortly after Kay falls in love with Tom, he is accused of a ruthless murder. Refusing to believe he could have committed such a vile crime, Kay sets out to prove his innocence but finds herself in ever-greater danger.
Romantic Thriller: 1927
Story of the Eye
Georges Bataille
Disturbing and graphic, Bataille’s work has become a cult classic that comes with a warning, “graphically sexual and only suited for adults who are not easily offended.” It’s the story of two teens and their increasingly repulsive pornographic exploits that ultimately end in murder.
Surrealist Horror: 1928
The Twelve Chairs
Ilf & Petrov
During the Russian Revolution the family jewels were sewn into one of the chairs of a dining set. Now scattered throughout the Soviet Union, Ipplit must track down each one in the hope it contains the priceless heirlooms.
Adventure: 1928
Machinal
Sophie Threadwell
A protagonist, referred to only as “Young Woman” feels suffocated by her mundane life and feels the only way to escape is by murdering her husband.
Sophie Treadwell wrote Machinal based on the real homicide case of Ruth Snyder who was executed for killing her husband. Her version is a direct response to the novelization of the case by James M. Cain in Double Identity.
Thriller: 1928
The Amphibian
Alexander Belyaev
As a result of an experimental surgery performed by his mad scientist father, Icthyander can breathe under water. He’s long been the subject of local legends, then one ambitious South American merchant making a bet he will catch the “Sea Devil”. An exploration of exploitation and non-consensual scientific experimentation.
Science Fiction: 1928
The Greene Murder Case
S.S. Van Dine
Detective Philo Vance arrives to solve a mystery: one of the daughters in the Greene family has been shot. Shortly after his arrival, two of the sons and the allegedly invalid mother are found dead as well. Who is picking off the Greene family one by one?
Murder Mystery: 1928
The Patient in Room 18
Mignon G. Eberhart
Requiring radium for a medical treatment, Mr. Jackson is given a deadly dos e of morphine instead. Now the radium is missing, there’s a dead doctor in the closet and the night watchman has vanished. With plenty of twists, this book is guaranteed to be a page-turner.
Thriller: 1929
Disclaimer: I’ve linked the free online versions for the books above if it was available. Enjoy your reading adventures!
"If You Only Read the Books that Everyone Else is Reading, You can Only Think What Everyone Else Is Thinking."
Karuki Murakami
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