Rowan Beaird recommends 6 compelling books from the 1950s
The author recommends works by Patricia Highsmith, Shirley Jackson, and more

- 'The Price of Salt' by Patricia Highsmith (1952)
- 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' by James Baldwin (1953)
- 'Bonjour Tristesse' by Françoise Sagan (1954)
- 'Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction' by J.D. Salinger (1955)
- 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson (1959)
- 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' by Truman Capote (1958)
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Rowan Beaird's debut novel, "The Divorcées," is set in 1951 at a Reno "divorce ranch" — a hotel catering to women seeking to end their marriages quickly by establishing six weeks' residency in Nevada. Below, Beaird recommends six essential novels of the era.
'The Price of Salt' by Patricia Highsmith (1952)
Highsmith once said that the protagonist of this novel, Therese, "came from my own bones." But due to its sexual content, The Price of Salt was originally published under a pseudonym. This love story, between Therese and the complex Carol, is Highsmith at her best, and it dares to give readers something we rarely expect from her work: a happy ending. Buy it here.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Go Tell It on the Mountain' by James Baldwin (1953)
I love books with a tight timeline, and this semi-autobiographical novel unfolds over the course of a single day. As always, Baldwin's writing is fierce and powerful, and he creates a rich character study as his protagonist wrestles with sexuality, religion, and family secrets. Buy it here.
'Bonjour Tristesse' by Françoise Sagan (1954)
Published when Sagan was only 18, "Bonjour Tristesse" was a sensation and a scandal. It's a remarkable portrait of teenage girlhood. It was said that the book would "deal a fatal blow to the image of young French women in the eyes of foreigners." If that doesn't make you want to read it, I don't know what will. Buy it here.
'Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction' by J.D. Salinger (1955)
This book, another of Salinger's installments about the Glass family, comprises two novellas. The first tells of Seymour's wedding day; the second is his brother Buddy's attempt to introduce Seymour to the reader. Both stories are at once funny and devastating; beautiful portraits of the love shared between siblings. Buy it here.
'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson (1959)
Hill House is a place of ghosts, but Jackson knows real terror comes from what can't be seen. Her novel creates a haze around the actual hauntings, focusing instead on the instability of the characters, creating a sense of destabilization that stays with the reader. Buy it here. 24,264
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
'Breakfast at Tiffany's' by Truman Capote (1958)
It's difficult to separate this novella from the iconic Audrey Hepburn film, but the original text is darker and infinitely more interesting. Harper's Bazaar pulled the story over fears about the reaction of one advertiser: Tiffany's. Luckily, Capote's sharp, elegant story found a home in Esquire. Buy it here.
This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats Thurmond
Speed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bondi seeks death penalty for Luigi Mangione
Speed Read Mangione was charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats win costly Wisconsin court seat
Speed Read Democrats prevailed in an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Elon Musk's robust financial support of the Republican candidate
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
Roast lamb shoulder with ginger and fresh turmeric recipe
The Week Recommends Succulent and tender and falls off the bone with ease
By The Week UK Published
-
Adolescence and the toxic online world: what's the solution?
Talking Point The hit Netflix show is a window into the manosphere, red pills and incels
By The Week UK Published
-
Snow White: Disney's 'earnest effort to meet an impossible brief'
Talking Point Live-action remake of Disney classic is not the disaster it could have been – but where's the personality?
By The Week UK Published
-
Don McCullin picks his favourite books
The Week Recommends The photojournalist shares works by Daniel Defoe, Lesley Blanch and Roland Philipps
By The Week UK Published
-
6 breathtaking homes in capital cities
Feature Featuring a glass conservatory in Atlanta and a loft library in Boston
By The Week US Published
-
Playhouse Creatures: 'dream-like' play is 'lively, funny and sharp-witted'
Anna Chancellor offers a 'glinting performance' alongside a 'strong' supporting cast
By The Week UK Published