Books Set in the 80s
When I was looking through my best books of the year, I realized how many 5-star books set in the 80s I read and wanted to make a list of my favorites.
I cannot believe that books set in the 80s are considered historical fiction! But, growing up in the 80s gives me a unique perspective on books written about that time. If you want to go even farther back, check out my list of books set in the 70s. They are really groovy!
I love the nostalgic feeling that comes with reading about a time without cell phones, a time when people were not accessible 24/7. These books feel recent enough that people can relate, but far enough that these still qualify as historical fiction.
I cannot believe how easy it was to put together this list. It is full of Kirsten and my favorite books set in the 80s and they are all 4 and 5 star reads.
The Best Books Set in the 80s
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre of books about the 1980s. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
Best Fiction Book set in the 80s
The Paris Novel- Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
Literary Fiction Set in the 80s
The Great Believers – Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
Mystery Thriller Books Set in the 80s
The Berlin Letters – Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books Set in the 80s
Oona Out of Order – Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
Books About 80s Music and Musicians
The Lightning Bottles – Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
YA Books Set in the 80s
Eleanor and Park – Click to read the review and see more fantastic books in this subgenre
*Books Set in the 1980s Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Fiction Books Set in the 1980s
The Paris Novel
Author: Ruth Reichl
Year: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 14+
Plot
When Stella’s mother dies and leaves her with a one-way ticket to Paris, Stella steps outside her orderly life for the first time to experience Paris. At first, Stella falls into a boring routine that does not let her experience Paris until she finds a vintage clothing store. Inside, she tries on a Dior dress that changes her life forever. The dress bolsters her courage to try Oysters at Les Deux Margorts restaurant.
There, she meets Jules, an octogenarian who takes her under his wing. Soon she is experiencing Paris the way it is meant to be experienced. She discovers a passion for food, fashion, and life that she never thought possible in her wildest imagination
Why Jackie loves it
This book felt like a trip to Paris. Even as I am writing the description, I have a smile on my face thinking about the food in this book. Reichl’s book is truly a feast for all of the senses. The food, the art, the tumbleweeds at Shakespeare & company all make me fee like I am in Paris in the 80s. I adored every minute of this delightful book.
Find this book in: Books Set in Paris / Books Set in the 80s /
The Love Elixir of August Stern
Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Year: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of The Matchmaker’s Gift
Age Range:15+
Plot
Augusta Stern grew up in Brooklyn with her pharmacist father. Shortly after her mother died, Augusta’s Great Aunt Esther moved into their house. Ester had her own cures for women’s problems that were overlooked by male doctors and pharmacists. August is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her Aunt.
The book follows Augusta in two timelines. One in the 20’s and the other sixty years later. At 80, Augusta is forced into retirement after lying about her age for the last 20 years. Her niece helps her find a nice active senior community in Florida so she can retire in nice weather. Shortly after her arrival, she bumps into the man who broke her heart more than 60 years ago.
Now she will have to address the mistakes of her past if she wants to move forward.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this book and Augusta’s fiery personality. She takes no crap from anyone. A lot of that stems from old wounds, but even at 80 years old, she is not so stuck and set in her ways that she cannot change. Some of the parts of this book had me laughing out loud.
Find this book in: Best New Historical Fiction Books of 2024 / Books Set in the 80s
The Immortalists
Author: Chloe Benjamin
Year: 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: A “Best Book of the Year”: Washington Post
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
What would you do if you knew the day that you were going to die? Would want to know? The four Gold children find out the information that will shape their lives in this amazing family drama book. We follow the Gold children over the next 5 decades. Simon heads to the West Coast, Klara becomes a magician in Las Vegas, Daniel becomes an army doctor, and Varya seeks out the research of immortality.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Mental Illness
Why Jackie loves it
This book is beautifully written. Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.
Why Kirsten loves it
This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.
Find this book in: Family Sagas / Carnival and Circus Books / Books About Mental Illness / Books Set in the 80s
Plot
Ernt Allbright has come home from the Vietnam War traumatized and as his mental state deteriorates, his wife, Cora, and daughter, Leni, must learn to navigate the Alaskan wilderness on their own. It has elements of survivalists, anarchy, and mistrust for the world, but is tempered with young love, community, and hope.
Trigger Warnings
Domestic abuse, Alcoholism
Why Kirsten loves it
This isolation book is so haunting. I could not get it out of my head. Kristin Hannah is an amazing writer with wonderful characters. Her stories feel realistic almost to a fault. They are heartbreaking and heartwarming and utterly unforgettable. I did not think that I would like a book about Alaska but, I could not put it down.
Why Jackie loves it
Another Kristin Hannah story, another NYT best seller – and for good reason! I liked this coming-of-age story set in the Alaskan wilderness. The setting is truly its own character, bringing an element of desperation to that story that wouldn’t exist in another locale.
Find this book in: Books set in the 1970s / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Isolation Books / Winter Books / Family Drama / Best Books of 2018 / Books Like Where the Crawdads Sing / Books Set in the 80s
Literary Fiction Set in the 80s
The Great Believers
Author: Rebecca Makkai
Year:
Genre:
More info: Pulitzer Prize Finalist
National Book Award Finalist
ALA Carnegie Medal Winner
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Yale Tishman is the development director of an art gallery that is about to bring in an extraordinary collection of art from the 1920s. He has just lost his friend Nico to AIDS and is losing friends all around him. Fast forward to 2015 when Nico’s little sister is in Paris searching for her daughter who disappeared with a cult three years earlier. This book intertwines two stories in the 80s and present day. The juxtaposition of the two time periods in this story is captivating.
Trigger Warnings
Cults, AIDS epidemic
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of those rare books that really has it all. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize as well as the National Book Award and definitely lives up to its hype. This is a beautifully written and poignant book about the AIDS epidemic in Chicago in the 1980s and its aftermath 30 years later. I cannot say enough about this book – it’s one of the best books of 2019!
Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Books About Cults / Best Books of 2019
The Secret History
Author: Donna Tartt
Year: 1992
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: December 2022 Read with Jenna Book Pick
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Richard is one of a select group of six students who have been hand-picked to work under the guidance of a classics teacher named Julian Morrow. Richard is narrating the story and he begins by telling about the death of one of the students named Bunny.
As the story progresses, it is clear that this secret society of students rides the line of morality. The strained friendships and sexual tensions continue to push the edge until Bunny is killed.
Trigger Warnings
Murder, Alcoholism, Suicide
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of the books about secret societies that was deeply disturbing and difficult to read. It certainly earns its place on our list of dark academia books and books about cults! And as with most books set in college, this one is a perfect book for fall.
Find this book in: Books set in College / Books about Cults / Books about Secret Societies / Best Fall Books / Dark Academia Books / Books Set in the 80s
Pachinko
Author: Min Jin Lee
Year: 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, National Book Award Finalist
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
This family saga book is an epic tale of a family through the generations from 1910-1989. I absolutely adored the first half of the book. I felt like I knew each of the characters so well. I rooted for them and loved them.
From Korea to Japan, this is an epic historical fiction novel that begins when Sunja, the daughter of a fisherman, has an affair with a wealthy stranger. She finds out he is married and she is pregnant with his child. When she decides to reject her son’s father, it begins a saga that is an unputdownable read.
Trigger Warnings
Racism, Suicide
Why Jackie loves it
Even though the book was close to 500 pages, I felt like the second half of the book was rushed. This is a rare occasion in which I wish there was more to the book, particularly the ending. I wanted to know more about the later characters so I could relate to the characters as I did at the beginning.
Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Family Sagas
Mystery Thriller Books Set in the 80s
Plot
Luisa Voekler is in the CIA and while her colleagues are working on Cold War assignments, she is stuck decoding messages from World War II.
Harris Voekler is a journalist who was separated from his daughter after the Berlin Wall went up. When Luisa discovers letters written to her by the father she thought was dead, she begins to learn the truth about her family and risks everything to rescue her father.
Why Jackie loves it
I have not read many historical fiction books about Germany between 1961 and 1990. I found this book fascinating. The book starts as a dual timeline narrative until the stories come together. The codebreaking, the politics, the secrets, and the lies made for a fast-paced read that I absolutely loved.
Find this book in: Books About Female Spies / Best Books About Puzzles / Ultimate List of Best Historical Fiction Books / Best Beach Reads 2024 / Best Historical Fiction of 2024 / Books Set in the 80s
Party Girls Die in Pearls
Author: Plum Sykes
Year: 2017
Genre: Historical Mystery
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This British mystery book takes place at Oxford University in the 1980s when a socialite is murdered. Ursula Flowerbutton, an English country girl, is trying to investigate the murder for the college paper while trying to befriend the glamorous crowd.
Why Kirsten loves it
It’s a comedic spoof and the outfit descriptions alone had me giggling. I hope it becomes a series of mystery books because I would love to read more of Flowerbutton and her Sloane Ranger friends. The secret societies and prestigious schools make this one of our lighter dark academia books set in college. It’s just a really fun pick.
Find this book in: Best Historical Mystery Books / British Mysteries / Dark Academia Books / Books Set in College / Best Cozy Mystery Books / Books Set in the 80s
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books Set in the 80s
Oona Out of Order
Author: Margarita Montimore
Year: 2020
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
More info: April 2020 GMA Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
I absolutely loved this story about Oona who at the stroke of midnight on her 19th birthday, finds herself in her 51-year-old body. She is greeted by a stranger who is waiting for her in her home and tells her that every year, she will jump to another point in her life- she will live her life out of order.
This is an emotional, well-written story that will not only keep you quickly turning pages but also make you think about the small things in life that we take for granted.
Why Jackie loves it
This is such a unique book that left me wanting more with every turn of the page. Because this book is a nonlinear narrative, you never know what is going to happen or what age Oona will be.
Find this book in: New Year’s Eve Books / Best Time Travel Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Feel-Good Books / Books Set in the 80s
Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Year: 2011
Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi
More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller, A Major Motion Picture
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
In 2045, most people spent their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality world. When the elusive creator of the OASIS dies and leaves clues behind, the first person to solve the riddles will be in control of the entire OASIS and a massive fortune.
When Wade Watts solves the first clue, he might fight for his survival to win along with his group of misfit friends. Love, a fight for survival, and a group of loyal friends all give me Lunar Chronicle vibes.
Why Jackie loves it
While this book is technically set in the future, everything about it screams 1980. As someone who lived her teenage years in the 80s, I consider myself an expert. This book is so unlike anything else I have read. It is smart and well-written. As a sci-fi, I feel like this would appeal to those who do not normally read sci-fi as well.
Find this book in: Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time / Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Set in the 80s / Best Books About Puzzles / Books Like the Lunar Chronicles
1984
Author: George Orwell
Year: 1949
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
More info: PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This dystopian novel was published in 1949, just 4 years after the end of WWII. Therefore, it is not surprising that this novel centers around totalitarianism and a state he modeled after Nazi Germany.
This book takes place in an imagined 1984 in which the world is in a constant state of war. This is where the term Big Brother originated. Of all the big three dystopian novels, to me, this one is the scariest and the darkest. That is probably because everything he wrote was based on something that had happened already- we just got an alternate ending.
Why Jackie likes it
I would not say that I love this book, but I will say that it is a must-read. This is dark dystopian at its finest and, remarkably, does not seem to be so far off from the world in which Big Brother is watching. This fact makes the book even scarier.
Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Best Dystopian Novels of All Time
Books About 80s Musicians and Music
The Lightning Bottles
Author: Marissa Stapley
Year: 2024
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of Lucky (September 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick)
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:18+
Plot
Jane Pyre and her husband Elijah Hart were a rock duo known as the Lightning Bottles. But when Elijah disappeared 5 years ago, Jane became the most hated woman in rock. Fans already resented Jane, hated her coldness, and did not believe that she was the written voice of the music. Jane buys a house in the German countryside to escape the public and moves next door to a teenage girl who is a Lightning Bottles superfan.
She claims that she has proof Elijah is alive and trying to send messages to Jane. The two embark on a cross-country road trip in search of answers as they follow clues.
Trigger Warnings
Drug Addiction
Why Jackie loves it
From the first page, I was completely hooked on this fantastic book. I love that the story is a dual-timeline narrative that moves between the present and the beginning of Jane and Elijah’s love story. The characters are rich and believable, and loveable because of their flaws.
Find this book in: Novels About Music, Bands, and Musicians / Popular Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books Set in the 80s
Malibu Rising
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: June 2021 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick,
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Nina Riva is having her annual summer party which is famous for its epic scale and exclusivity. But this year, the party will end with devastation. Nina and her siblings are famous children of one of the biggest rock stars of all time and they each have their secrets. Perfect for a list of books about music, right?
Why Kirsten loves it
I have loved the last two books by Taylor Jenkins Reid so much that I often recommend them to friends for their universal appeal. I had high hopes for this family saga but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
Why Jackie loves it
I enjoyed the book but I felt that it was a little drawn out at times. Still, I loved Nina’s character and her ability to surf puts her on our list of books about women in sports!
Adaptation Information
The same team that adapted Little Fires Everywhere is set to adapt this book to TV for Hulu. Liz Tigelaar will produce it and Amy Talkington will be the writer.
Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies and TV Series / Taylor Jenkins Reid Books in Order / Books like Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo / Novels About Music / Family Sagas / Hollywood Novels
The Music Shop
Author: Rachel Joyce
Year: 2018
Genre: Literature and Fiction
More info: Named one of The Best Books of the Year by The Times (UK) and The Washington Post.
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
Music is big in my house so this contemporary fiction book spoke to me. Frank is a man who helps everyone with their problems by giving them the music they need from his little music shop. It sells only vinyl.
When a woman faints outside his shop, Frank realizes he can’t hear the music she needs. His life changes forever. This book about music has a similar feel to Little Paris Bookshop/Perfume Collector.
Why Jackie loves it
This book gave me such a nostalgic feel – It is set in 1988. However, the story and the plot will give you a nostalgic feel as well- when people had no cell phones and we had to turn to each other, rather than the internet, for a feeling of connection.
Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Books About Music / Best Audiobooks of All Time
YA Books Set in the 80s
Eleanor and Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Year: 2013
Genre: YA Romance
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 13 – 18
Plot
When Park moves over on the bus to make room for Eleanor, their unlikely friendship starts. This isn’t a lovey-dovey, hearts-flashing, music-playing romance. Rather, it is a story about friendship, daring to be different, and finding someone who loves you exactly the way you are.
Trigger Warnings
Domestic Abuse
Why Kirsten loves it
This isn’t a lovey-dovey, hearts-flashing, music-playing romance. Rather, it is a story about friendship, daring to be different, and finding someone who loves you exactly the way you are. This is one of those books that is perfect for everyone to read.
Find this book in: YA Romance Books / High School Romance Books / Books Set in the 80s
Plot
Without the restrictions of school for the summer, Billy has endless days of video gaming and hanging out with friends. When he learns of the upcoming releases of Vanna White’s Playboy debut, he and his friends decide to get their hands on the magazine despite being underage. How? Billy is tasked to seduce the shopkeeper’s daughter, Mary.
He was not expecting this plan to lead to really falling for her. This coming-of-age story explores the bridge between childhood and adolescence with all the charm of a cell phone-free childhood.
Why Kirsten loves it
I laughed at how obtuse teenage boys could be and how perfectly Rekulak captured them. All the 80s references reminded me of my childhood, and I was transported back in time. Ultimately, the relationship between Mary and Billy had me eagerly turning the pages.
Find this book in: Books About the 80s
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alice Sáenz
Year: 2012
Genre: YA Romance
More info: Stonewall Book Award, Lambda Literary Award, Printz Honor
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Aristotle and Dante seem to have nothing in common when they first meet other than the fact that they are both loners. But, as they start spending more time together, they learn truths about themselves and develop a friendship that will change them both forever.
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia, Hate crime
Why Jackie loves it
This award-winning LGBTQ book is such a fantastic YA coming-of-age story that is so well written. It has so much emotion that it had me in tears which is not a usual thing for me.
Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Teens / LGBTQ+ Books/ Books Set in the 80s / Best YA Romance Books
The Saturday Night Ghost Club
Author: Craig Davidson
Year: 2019
Genre: Coming of Age Fiction
Age Range: 14+
Plot
I really enjoyed this book with an old-school feel. It has the vibe to Stand by Me or Stranger Things in this coming-of-age story about friends who spend their summer investigating ghost stories and urban legends.
The story is not just light-hearted fun. Rather, it delves a little deeper into some issues while still maintaining the feel of the book. Even though the story takes place in the summer, the ghost stories definitely give off a creepy, Halloween vibe.
Why Jackie loves it
This book takes place in Niagara Falls in the 80s, how could I not gravitate towards that immediately? This book is more than a search for the occult. It really captured the essence of growing up in the 80s.
Find this book in: Books Set in the 1980s / Thriller Horror Books
Plot
I’d seen this book on many anticipated reads lists and was eager to listen when given the opportunity. This poignant tale is told, and narrated, by multiple characters and jumps between the present and the past as it weaves together the story of a family.
At Melody’s coming-of-age ceremony at 16, we discover her parents’ history. Immediately, the story engrossed me and the ending brought me to tears. I felt like I was a part of Melody’s story as I listened to the book.
Trigger Warnings
Racism
Why Kirsten loves it
I highly recommend the audiobook because of the various narrators for each part. All the different voices bring such depth to the performance. Jacqueline Woodson is even one of the narrators!
Find this book in: Coming of Age Books for Adults / Books With Colors in the Title / Books Set in the 80s
Expert Tip
Before you read a book set in the 1980s, here are a few of the important events/ inventions of the decade. Can you remember these? I can! I watched the shuttle launch and remember a world without home computers and the internet.
- The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) – The wall that divided East and West Germany came down and ended the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay is an amazing book about this time period.
- The Launch of the First Space Shuttle (1981)– NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia launched on April 12, 1981. I cannot believe I was alive to watch that.
- The Introduction of Personal Computers– The IBM PC was launched in 1981. This launch was the beginning of mainstreaming personal computers. The Apple Macintosh was introduced in 1984. I remember when we got our first computer. How many of you can also remember?
- Chernobyl Disaster (1986) The catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union) on April 26, 1986, led to the largest uncontrolled radioactive contamination in history.
- Invention of the World Wide Web (1989)– Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web while working at CERN. Can you even imagine a world without the internet?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best books about the 1980s?
There are some fantastic books about the 80s in many genres and it is hard to pick just one. Four fantastic books written in 2024 about the 80s are:
1. The Lightening Bottles by Marissa Stapley
2. Maliby Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
3. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman
4. Berlin Letters by Katherine Raey
What books were popular in the 80s?
The 80s were the heyday of horror books. Some of the scariest thriller horror books of all time were written in the 80s. For example, Steven King’s It, Firestarter, and Misery were all written in the 80s.
Some Classics were also written in the 80s like Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987), The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985), and Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989).
Related Content
Epilogue
Can you believe that books about the 1980s are considered historical fiction? I can’t. What is your favorite book on this list?
Ultimate List of Historical Fiction
Love Historical Fiction? We do too! That’s why we created this list carefully divided by time period.
