The Modernist movement in the early 20th century was one which indelibly shaped the literary landscape of the globe, particularly in the United States and Paris. It's ranks include the "Lost generation," as Gertrude Stein put it, of Hemingway, Faulkner, and Joyce. There was a trend within those great works, particularly by the male writers of the times, on what it truly meant to be a man. For that reason, I compiled five of my favorite modernist books that every young man should read, before becoming an adult.
* These will not be listed in any specific order.

1. A Farewell to Arms; Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway's 1929 novel, "A farewell to Arms," is a classic bildungsroman, with one boy, Fredrick Henry figuring out what it means to be a man, at the end of World War 1. Every guy under the age of 20 should crack open this novel, as it gives genuine insight into love, pain, and what it means to be a man.

2. The Great Gatsby; F. Scott Fitzgerald

This American classic, which is already assigned in most U.S. high schools, touches on some of the most basic human elements of loneliness, greed and the dangers of materialism. It is for this reason Gatsby makes the list, as every young man will deal with these emotions at some point.

3. Native Son; Richard Wright

I have often joked with friends that this novel is the equivalent to an anxiety attack in print. However, Wright, with his matter-of-fact tone, and lofty urban descriptions creates the character, of Bigger, a young black man living in 1940's Chicago. This read is particularly important for young white men to read, I would say, as it is one of the most honest, most understated glimpses into African American culture, something many (white,) men seem to be, genuinely, lacking in.

4. Ulysses; James Joyce.

Aside from being, possibly, the most syntactically perfect novel ever written, Joyce's Ulysses captures, almost picturesquely, the absurdities of life. Despite this, Joyce's Humor and cynicism are the true takeaways for young men reading the work, as a cool head and a quick tongue are, seemingly, dying traits in today's young men.

5. The Catcher in the Rye; J.D. Salinger

This novel serves as the perfect cap to the previous four books, as while each of the pieces mentioned above focus on how to be a man, "Catcher," deals with how to handle losing your innocence, and accepting adulthood. This is an important trait in growing up that many forget.