The year 1913 was a significant one in the world of literature. In addition to notable works from existing authors, such as Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Woodlanders’, several works were published which are known as the ten best books of 1913. Here is our pick of the top ten best books published in 1913.
List of The Ten Best Books of 1913
1. Dubliners by James Joyce: This collection of fifteen short stories, penned by the Irish author James Joyce, was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. Joyce’s modernist style depicts the city of Dublin with unprecedented vividness, and the stories capture the everyday struggles of its inhabitants with poignant insight.
2. The Hollow Land by William Morris: Morris’s early utopian novel follows a group of travelers as they explore a mythical ‘hollow land’. Its lyrical prose style and vivid imagery put Morris at the forefront of the English Arts Movement
3. Howards End by E.M.Forster: This powerful novel follows the fortunes of three families living in Edwardian England and focuses on their search for mutual understanding in a climate of rising social tensions. Its themes of class, culture, and morality have made it a timeless classic.
4. Prisons and Prisoners by Peter Kropotkin: This work by the famous anarchist thinker Peter Kropotkin provides a critical analysis of the failings of the prison system in 19th-century Russia. It is a passionate call for reform and human dignity in an unjust world.
5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: Regarded as one of the greatest novels of all time, Tolstoy’s epic tragedy follows five distinct characters as they pursue love, passion, and redemption – all set amidst the cultural and moral turmoil of Imperial Russia.
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6. Djuna Barnes’s The Book of Repulsive Women: Published in 1913, this unique collection of poems is Barnes’ first collection: a blend of surrealist imagery and spare, modernistic language that often shocks and surprises.
7. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: This powerful novel concentrates on the struggles of the Bergson’s, immigrant Swedish-Americans striving to make their home on the untamed lands of the American Midwest. It captures both the harshness and beauty of the pioneering spirit.
8. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: This popular adventure novel made Burroughs an instant celebrity. After being abandoned in the African jungle, the protagonist is raised by a group of apes and soon matures into a highly-evolved fighting machine.
9. The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox Jr: Set amidst the rugged hills of Kentucky, this exciting novel tells the story of a love triangle between a veteran of the civil war, a coal miner, and a mountain girl. It is an affecting romantic saga woven within a page-turning narrative.
10. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery: Written by the author of the later Anne of Green Gables series, this novel is a charming coming-of-age story set in the fictional Prince Edward Island. With realistic characters and plenty of wit and humor, it has continued to delight generations of readers.
Conclusion of Ten Best Books of 1913
These ten best books of 1913 all bear witness to the immense creativity and energy of authors at that time. Each book stands as a valuable contribution to the world of literature – and readers today are still able to appreciate and treasure them.