To be clear, it doesn't bother me if the authors themselves are liberals, as long as the book/story doesn't have woke nonsense. In that sense, I guess older novels would be the best bet.
EDIT - Holy moly, thanks for all of the suggestions. I have my work cut out for me, looking into all these authors this summer.
Did my post in Smith1980's thread get you interested or just coincidence?
Not coincidental at all. Basically went straight to the library
Awesome, glad it hit home. It's a fascinating read.