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Flavorwire's 50 of the Greatest Debut Novels Since 1950

"For a reader, there’s something magical about picking up a first novel — that promise of discovery, the possibility of finding a new writer whose work you can love for years to come, the likelihood of semi-autobiography for you to mull over. The debut is even more important for the writer — after all, you only get one first impression. Luckily, there are a lot of fantastic first impressions to be had. In fact, the year’s best might have been published just this month. After the jump, check out some of the greatest first novels written since 1950 — some that sparked great careers, some that are still the writers’ best work, and some that remain free-standing (but hopefully not for long!). Don’t see your favorite debut here? Add it to the list in the comments."
--- Emily Temple, Flavorwire
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The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai
1
Geek Love (Katherine Dunn)
Geek Love
2
Katherine Dunn
The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
The Bell Jar
3
Sylvia Plath
The Secret History (Donna Tartt)
The Secret History
4
Donna Tartt
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
The Catcher in the Rye
5
J.D. Salinger
The Virgin Suicides (Jeffrey Eugenides)
The Virgin Suicides
6
Jeffrey Eugenides
The Mezzanine
The Mezzanine
7
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Díaz)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
8
Junot Díaz
The Recognitions (William Gaddis)
The Recognitions
9
William Gaddis
Neuromancer (William Gibson)
Neuromancer
10
William Gibson
Lucky Jim (Jim Dixon)
Lucky Jim
11
Jim Dixon
The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison)
The Bluest Eye
12
Toni Morrison
Speedboat
Speedboat
13
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Jeanette Winterson)
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
14
Jeanette Winterson
Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
Lord of the Flies
15
William Golding
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
To Kill a Mockingbird
16
Harper Lee
Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World
Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World
17
We the Animals
We the Animals
18
Wise Blood (Flannery O'Connor)
Wise Blood
19
Flannery O'Connor
White Teeth (Zadie Smith)
White Teeth
20
Zadie Smith
Lanark (Alasdair Gray)
Lanark
21
Alasdair Gray
V (Thomas Pynchon)
V
22
Thomas Pynchon
Bastard Out of Carolina (Dorothy Allison)
Bastard Out of Carolina
23
Dorothy Allison
The Known World (Edward P. Jones)
The Known World
24
Edward P. Jones
The Wasp Factory (Iain Banks)
The Wasp Factory
25
Iain Banks
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Hunter S. Thompson)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
26
Hunter S. Thompson
The Tin Drum (Günter Grass)
The Tin Drum
27
Günter Grass
Housekeeping (Marilynne Robinson)
Housekeeping
28
Marilynne Robinson
Revolutionary Road (Richard Yates)
Revolutionary Road
29
Richard Yates
Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe)
Things Fall Apart
30
Chinua Achebe
Go Tell It on the Mountain (James Baldwin)
Go Tell It on the Mountain
31
James Baldwin
The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood)
The Edible Woman
32
Margaret Atwood
Dr Zivago
Dr Zivago
33
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison)
Invisible Man
34
Ralph Ellison
Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan)
Joy Luck Club
35
Amy Tan
Leaving the Atocha Station
Leaving the Atocha Station
36
The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco)
The Name of the Rose
37
Umberto Eco
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke)
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
38
Susanna Clarke
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
39
Ken Kesey
Love Medicine (Louise Erdrich)
Love Medicine
40
Louise Erdrich
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