In a culture plagued with romance novels about vampires and werewolves, it's hard to find any good books that are worth reading. The twentieth century was a time for exploring and pushing the limits when it came to writing, willing to publish books that challenged the norms of the society. Here are a few writers that were able to break that barrier.

10. John Steinbeck

Book Recommendation: Of Mice And Men

Known mostly for his work in western literature, Steinbeck was a well known and well respected author. He had the ability to write both fiction and nonfiction, winning prizes in both genres. Steinbeck knew how to draw specific emotions out of his readers, causing him to be extremely successful in his field.

9. Arthur Miller

Book Recommendation: Death Of A Salesman

Arthur was an amazing writer, successfully producing books about social injustice and civil rights throughout his career. His versatility is what made him an amazing and remarkable writer, having the ability to connect and put his audience inside the books he was writing.

8. Harper Lee

Book Recommendation: To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee truly has had an impact on modern literature, her mark still evident to this day. Her writing was blunt, showing the world all of its flaws. In her writing, she had a way of successfully challenging people and their perspectives of the world.

7. Aldous Huxley

Book Recommendation: Brave New World

Huxley was great with his dystopian writing. He expressed his fear for the future through his books, worrying that the idea of totalitarian governments would become plausible in the near future.

6. T.S. Eliot

Poetry Recommendation: The Waste Land

Eliot was known more for poetry rather than novels, having the ability to craft some of the best poetry that the twentieth century had ever seen. Although he was a great and successful poet, he didn't have much material during his career. But hey, this is a prime example of how quality is better than quantity.

5. Jean Paul Sartre

Book Recommendation: Nausea

Known more for his philosophical beliefs and his die-hard loyalty to existentialism, Sartre was able to write a few books throughout his lifetime. He was capable of connecting World War II into his writings, letting his existentialist beliefs show in every novel and play.

4. Ayn Rand

Book Recommendation: Anthem

Although popular because of her novels, Rand was known more for her contribution in philosophy. She helped develop the idea of Objectivism, which is that we have contact with reality through our senses. This was a foreign and new idea, so she was willing to show it in her books. Ayn Rand extremely brave and daring to put such controversial topics into her writings, which makes her so popular still to this day.

3. C.S. Lewis

Book Recommendation: A Grief Observed

Known for his work in Christian Apologetics, Lewis was great at vocalizing his thoughts through his writing. Although some of his most famous writing was from his fiction library, C.S. Lewis was terrific at writing in a philosophical point of view about religion and Christianity.

2. Ernest Hemingway

Book Recommendation: For Whom The Bell Tolls

Hemingway was great at putting his personal experiences into his writing, making the stories more genuine and raw. He was willing to not put up any facades as a writer, which made his writing and books that more valuable and extraordinary.

1. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Book Recommendation: This Side Of Paradise

Best friends with Hemingway, Fitzgerald is a well known author. His books are still read to this day, normally mandatory in high school English curriculums. Fitzgerald is quite interesting because a few of his books were written for his wife, Zelda, who also went on to become a remarkable writer.