1970 197119721973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1972 Books

From bestselling novels to critically acclaimed works, 1972 was filled with captivating stories that have stood the test of time. In this list, we highlight the most popular books of 1972, celebrating the titles that topped the charts and won the hearts of book lovers everywhere.

Born in 1972? Get Your Birth Year Poster!

A beautifully researched, newspaper-style poster of the year.

Step back into 1972. Get yours today!

The Odessa File
Written by: Frederick Forsyth
Outline: A suicide of an elderly German Jew explodes in revelation after revelation. Of a Mafia-like organisation called Odessa...of a real-life fugitive known by the "Butcher of Riga"..of young German journalist, tumed obsessed assassin and.
The Day Of The Jackal
Written by: Frederick Forsyth
Outline: THE CLASSIC THRILLER FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR FREDERICK FOSTER"The Day of the Jackal makes comparable books like The Manchurian Candidate or The Spy Who Came in From the Cold look like Hardy Boy mysteries The
The Exorcist
Written by: William Peter Blatty
Outline: The Exorcist was originally published in 1971. It is now a major TV series on FOX. It is still one of the most controversial novels and became a literary sensation. It spent 47 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller …
Ways of Seeing
Written by: John Berger
Outline: John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" is a groundbreaking and influential work on art, which was initially a BBC television series and later published as a book in 1972. The book has had a significant impact, challenging the traditional perspectives of …
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Written by: Judith Viorst
Outline: Alexander's day took a turn for the worse when he woke up with gum in his hair, his best friend abandoned him, his lunch lacked dessert, and he had to endure lima beans for dinner and kissing on television.
Invisible Cities
Written by: Italo Calvino
Outline: Kublai Khan listens intently to Marco Polo's descriptions of the cities he has visited, though he may not fully believe them. As Marco recounts the unique features of imaginary or real cities, he may be drawing from his own experiences, …
Roadside Picnic
Written by: Arkady Strugatsky
Outline: Red Schuhart, a stalker who illegally ventures into the dangerous Zone to collect mysterious alien artifacts, becomes increasingly drawn to the Zone after a failed expedition with his friend Kirill and troubling news from his girlfriend. Despite being out of …
The Gods Themselves
Written by: Isaac Asimov
Outline: The Earth has access to limitless, free energy from a parallel universe, but this process will eventually lead to the destruction of the Sun and the Earth itself. A small group of individuals, including an Earth scientist, an alien, and …
The Stepford Wives
Written by: Ira Levin
Outline: The Stepford community appears too good to be true for Joanna, Walter, and their children, as it conceals a disturbing secret that profoundly impacts all who discover it. This psychological thriller serves as a scathing commentary on a society obsessed …