The Ultimate Reading List
Alright, so as I have promised, here is my list of books to read by my twenty-fifth year.But first, a little backstory. How did I come up with this list? Well..... while I'd like to say that I'm just really knowledgable in the literary world, in fact it was a little more cut-and-paste action, and a lot less contemplative production. I went online and searched for five different "Top 100 novels/books" lists. Three were on popular civilian web forums created by avid readers. Two were by publishing companies who had compiled the lists based on their critics. Copy, paste, remove duplicates, remove obvious typos and brain spasm choices ("Twilight series, "Harry Potter series," etc.), and viola! Thus, a list is created of some two hundred and sixty books of classic literature, dramatic novels, science fiction, romance, and popular fiction. While I won't be adding any new novels to this particular list, suggestions are always welcome for the list to read during years twenty-five to thirty!
Look it over, and see if you're up to the challenge! This is to be an evolving list that I will keep coming back to so don't freak out if it looks different once in a while. I'll be keeping track of those I finish as I read through this list, and hopefully I'll eventually be inspired to review them... Enjoy~
THE LORD OF THE RINGS BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN
THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY
CATCH-22 BY JOSEPH HELLER
LOLITA BY VLADIMIR NABOKOV
ULYSSES BY JAMES JOYCE
WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTE
LES MISERABLES BY VICTOR HUGO
GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY CHARLES DICKENS
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY
ANNA KARENINA BY LEO TOLSTOY
JANE EYRE BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE
EAST OF EDEN BY JOHN STEINBECK
DON QUIXOTE BY MIGUEL DE CERVANTES
THE SOUND AND THE FURY BY WILLIAM FAULKNER
THE KITE RUNNER BY KHALED HOSSEINI
THE HOBBIT BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN
WAR AND PEACE BY LEO TOLSTOY
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE BY KURT VONNEGUT
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA BY C.S. LEWIS
GONE WITH THE WIND BY MARGARET MITCHELL
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY BY OSCAR WILDE
A TALE OF TWO CITIES BY CHARLES DICKENS
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE BY GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ
THE SUN ALSO RISES BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
FRANKENSTEIN BY MARY SHELLEY
THE STRANGER BY ALBERT CAMUS
INVISIBLE MAN BY RALPH ELLISON
LIFE OF PI BY YANN MARTEL
THE STAND BY STEPHEN KING
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST BY KEN KESEY
THE DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN
A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN BY JAMES JOYCE
REBECCA BY DAPHNE DU MAURIER
WATERSHIP DOWN BY RICHARD ADAMS
FIGHT CLUB BY CHUCK PALAHNIUK
MOBY DICK BY HERMAN MELVILLE
A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES BY JOHN KENNEDY TOOLE
DUNE BY FRANK HERBERT
A FAREWELL TO ARMS BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
ON THE ROAD BY JACK KEROUAC
MADAME BOVARY BY GUSTAVE FLAUBERT
THE POISONWOOD BIBLE BY BARBARA KINGSOLVER
PALE FIRE BY VLADIMIR NABOKOV
THE IDIOT BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY
MIDDLEMARCH BY GEORGE ELIOT
THE MASTER AND MARGARITA BY MIKHAIL BULGAKOV
OF HUMAN BONDAGE BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM
I, CLAUDIUS BY ROBERT GRAVES
THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING BY MILAN KUNDERA
GRAVITY'S RAINBOW BY THOMAS PYNCHON
HEART OF DARKNESS BY JOSEPH CONRAD
THE BELL JAR BY SYLVIA PLATH
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME BY MARK HADDON
TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES BY THOMAS HARDY
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE BY VIRGINIA WOOLF
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES BY L.M. MONTGOMERY
THE NAME OF THE ROSE BY UMBERTO ECO
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER BY CARSON MCCULLERS
VANITY FAIR BY WILLIAM THACKERAY
MIDDLESEX BY JEFFREY EUGENIDES
LITTLE WOMEN BY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT
BLOOD MERIDIAN BY CORMAC MCCARTHY
A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY BY JOHN IRVING
PERSUASION BY JANE AUSTEN
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA BY GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ
THE HANDMAID'S TALE BY MARGARET ATWOOD
THE SECRET HISTORY BY DONNA TARTT
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME BY VICTOR HUGO
BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON
LIGHT IN AUGUST BY WILLIAM FAULKNER
THE TRIAL BY FRANZ KAFKA
ATONEMENT BY IAN MCEWAN
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO BY BORIS PASTERNAK
AS I LAY DYING BY WILLIAM FAULKNER
DARKNESS AT NOON BY ARTHUR KOESTLER
SONS AND LOVERS BY D.H. LAWRENCE
UNDER THE VOLCANO BY MALCOLM LOWRY
THE WAY OF ALL FLESH BY SAMUEL BUTLER
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY BY THEODORE DREISER
NATIVE SON BY RICHAR WRIGHT
HENDERSON THE RAIN KING BY SAUL BELLOW
APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA BY JOHN O'HARA
U.S.A. TRILOGY BY JOHN DOS PASSOS
WINESBURG, OHIO BY SHERWOOD ANDERSON
A PASSAGE TO INDIA BY E.M. FORSTER
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE BY HENRY JAMES
THE AMBASSADORS BY HENRY JAMES
TENDER IS THE NIGHT BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
THE STUDS LONIGAN TRILOGY BY JAMES T. FARRELL
THE GOOD SOLDIER BY FORD MADOX FORD
THE GOLDEN BOWL BY HENRY JAMES
SISTER CARRIE BY THEODORE DREISER
A HANDFUL OF DUST BY EVELYN WAUGH
ALL THE KING'S MEN BY ROBERT PENN WARREN
THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY BY THORNTON WILDER
HOWARDS END BY E.M. FORSTER
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN BY JAMES BALDWIN
THE HEART OF THE MATTER BY GRAHAM GREENE
DELIVERANCE BY JAMES DICKEY
A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME SERIES BY ANTHONY POWELL
POINT COUNTER POINT BY ALDOUS HUXLEY
THE SECRET AGENT BY JOSEPH CONRAD
NOSTROMO BY JOSEPH CONRAD
THE RAINBOW BY D.H. LAWRENCE
WOMEN IN LOVE BY D.H. LAWRENCE
TROPIC OF CANCER BY HENRY MILLER
THE NAKED AND THE DEAD BY NORMAN MAILER
PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT BY PHILIP ROTH
THE MALTESE FALCON BY DASHIELL HAMMET
PARADE'S END BY FORD MADOX FORD
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE BY EDITH WHARTON
ZULEIKA DOBSON BY MAX BEERBOHM
THE MOVIEGOER BY WALKER PERCY
DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP BY WILLA CATHER
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY BY JAMES JONES
THE WAPSHOT CHRONICLES BY JOHN CHEEVER
MAIN STREET BY SINCLAIR LEWIS
THE HOUSE OF MIRTH BE EDITH WHARTON
THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET BY LAWRENCE DURELL
A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA BY RICHARD HUGHES
A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS BY V.S. NAIPAUL
THE DAY OF THE LOCUST BY NATHANAEL WEST
SCOOP BY EVELYN WAUGH
THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE BY MURIEL SPARK
FINNEGAN'S WAKE BY JAMES JOYCE
KIM BY RUDYARD KIPLING
A ROOM WITH A VIEW BY E.M. FORSTER
BRIDESHEAD REVISTED BY EVELYN WAUGH
THE ADVENTURES OF AUGIE MARCH BY SAUL BELLOW
ANGLE OF REPOSE BY WALLACE STEGNER
A BEND IN THE RIVER BY V.S. NAIPAUL
THE DEATH OF THE HEART BY ELIZABETH BOWEN
LORD JIM BY JOSEPH CONRAD
RAGTIME BY E.L. DOCTOROW
THE OLD WIVES' TALE BY ARNOLD BENNETT
THE CALL OF THE WILD BY JACK LONDON
LOVING BY HENRY GREEN
MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN BY SALMAN RUSHDIE
TOBACCO ROAD BY ERSKINE CALDWELL
IRONWEED BY WILLIAM KENNEDY
THE MAGUS BY JOHN FOWLES
WIDE SARGASSO SEA BY JEAN RHYS
UNDER THE NET BY IRIS MURDOCH
SOPHIE'S CHOICE BY WILLIAM STYRON
THE SHELTERING SKY BY PAUL BOWLES
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE BY JAMES M. CAIN
THE GINGER MAN BY J.P. DONLEAVY
THE MAGNIFICENT AMERSONS BY BOOTH TARKINGTON
BATTLEFIELD EARTH BY L. RON HUBBARD
ANTHEM BY AYN RAND
WE THE LIVING BY AYN RAND
MISSION EARTH BY L. RON HUBBARD
FEAR BY L. RON HUBBARD
THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
A TOWN LIKE ALICE BY NEVIL SHUTE
SHANE BY JACK SCHAEFER
TRUSTEE FROM THE TOOLROOM BY NEVIL SHUTE
THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN BY JOHN FOWLES
THE WORM OUROBOROS BY E.R. EDDISON
MOONHEART BY CHARLES DE LINT
ABSALOM, ABSALOM! BY WILLIAM FAULKNER
WISE BLOOD BY FLANNERY O'CONNOR
FIFTH BUSINESS BY ROBERTSON DAVIES
SOMEPLACE TO BE FLYING BY CHARLES DE LINT
YARROW BY CHARLES DE LINT
AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS BY H.P. LOVECRAFT
ONE LONELY NIGHT BY MICKEY SPILLANE
MEMORY AND DREAM BY CHARLES DE LINT
TRADER BY CHARLES DE LINT
ON THE BEACH BY NEVIL SHUTE
GREENMANTLE BY CHARLES DE LINT
THE LITTLE COUNTRY BY CHARLES DE LINT
THE RECOGNITIONS BY WILLIAM GADDIS
STARSHIP TROOPERS BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP BY JOHN IRVING
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES BY RAY BRADBURY
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE BY SHIRLEY JACKSON
THE WOOD WIFE BY TERRI WINDLING
THE DOOR INTO SUMMER BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE BY ROBERT PRISIG
AT SWIM-TWO-BIRDS BY FLANN O'BRIEN
ARROWSMITH BY SINCLAIR LEWIS
NAKED LUNCH BY WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER BY TOM CLANCY
GUILTY PLEASURES BY LAURELL K. HAMILTON
THE PUPPET MASTERS BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
IT BY STEPHEN KING
V. BY THOMAS PYNCHON
DOUBLE STAR BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY BY ROBERT HEINLEIN
SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION BY KEN KESEY
MY ANTONIA BY WILLA CATHER
MULENGRO BY CHARLES DE LINT
SUTTREE BY CORMAC MCCARTHY
MYTHAGO WOOD BY ROBERT HODLSTOCK
ILLUSIONS BY RICHARD BACH
THE CUNNING MAN BY ROBERTSON DAVIES
THE SATANIC VERSES BY SALMAN RUSHDIE
WINNIE-THE-POOH BY A.A. MILNE
SONG OF SOLOMON BY TONI MORRISON
PORTRAIT OF A LADY BY HENRY JAMES
SCHINDLER'S LIST BY THOMAS KENEALLY
THE JUNGLE BY UPTON SINCLAIR
MRS. DALLOWAY BY VIRGINIA WOOLF
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ BY L. FRANK BAUM
LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER BY D.H. LAWRENCE
THE AWAKENING BY KATE CHOPIN
IN COLD BLOOD BY TRUMAN CAPOTE
FRANNY AND ZOOEY BY J.D. SALINGER
JAZZ BY TONI MORRISON
A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND BY FLANNERY O'CONNOR
ORLANDO BY VIRGINIA WOOLF
BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES BY TOM WOLFE
CAT'S CRADLE BY KURT VONNEGUT
A SEPARATE PEACE BY JOHN KNOWLES
LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL BY THOMAS WOLFE
IN OUR TIME BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKIAS BY GERTRUDE STEIN
WHITE NOISE BY DON DELILLO
PIONEERS! BY WILLA CATHER
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS BY H.G. WELLS
THE BOSTONIANS BY HENRY JAMES
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS BY KENNETH GRAHAME
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH BY MAURICE SENDAK
BABBITT BY SINCLAIR LEWIS
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
RABBIT, RUN BY JOHN UPDIKE
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD BY E.M. FORSTER
AN EDUCATION BY LYNN BARBER
AN INFINITE JEST BY DAVID FOSTER WALLACE
