Greatest Novelists of All Time

Carrying on with this summer of classic literature appreciation, I now shall focus on the authors of these classic novels. There are many authors who are celebrated for one particular work of great literature, such as Herman Melville, Jack Kerouac, or Bram Stoker. Or there are families of great writers such as the three Bronte sisters who each produced one of their own significant works of literature; Anne Bronte wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Charlotte wrote Jayne Eyre, and Emily wrote Wuthering Heights.

However in this post I want to celebrate the authors who produced multiple works of masterful literature. I believe it is the author's total collection of notable works that defines their legacy, not just one magnum opus or a "one hit wonder". The writers included on this list have demonstrated their masterful quality of writing in various novels. This is by no means celebrating which author wrote the most books, rather which author wrote the most great books. It is the amount of masterful novels they wrote that distinguish one above the other in my opinion. (I will celebrate the greatest authors in a different post.)


Honorable Mention


Thomas Hardy

Years: 87 (1840-1928)
Nationality: English
University: King's College London
Literary Style: Victorian Realism, Naturalism
Philosophy: Agnosticism, Deism, Spiritism
Notable Awards:
Notable Works:

• Far From the Madding Crowd (1874)
• The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)
• Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891)
• Jude the Obscure (1895)

Significance: He is a highly acclaimed author from the Victorian Era, also a notable poet. His realistic drama often demonstrates rural innocence in the face of societal struggles. The tragedy of Tess of d'Urbervilles is considered his most famous work, while Far From the Madding Crowd also has brought him great literary praise.


William Faulkner

Years: 64 (1897-1964)
Nationality: American
University: University of Mississippi
Literary Style: Realism, modernism
Notable Awards: Noble Prize (1949), Pulitzer Prize (1955)
Notable Works:

• The Sound and the Fury (1929)
• As I Lay Dying (1930)
• Light in August (1932)
• Absalom, Absalom! (1936)
• A Fable (1954)

Significance: He is considered among the great modern American authors, depicting realistic stories set in the southern parts of Mississippi. Despite his infamous drinking problem, he also wrote various short stories, poems, essays, and plays throughout his career. I am still not quite yet familiar with his work, however have come to understand the The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom are regarded as his literary masterpieces.


JR Tolkein

Years: 81 (1892-1973)
Nationality: English
University: Oxford University
Literary Style:
Philosophy: Roman Catholic, Anti-Communism, Anti-Fascism, Nature Conservationist
Notable Works:

• The Hobbit (1937)
• The Lord of the Rings (1954)

Significance: Often considered the father of the high fantasy genre along with his inkling pal, CS Lewis. Tolkein served in WWI before he worked as an academic scholar writing various critiques on classic works of literature such as Beowulf. He also published various poems and children's stories during this time. In his later years one of his publishers stumbled upon his fantasy novel of The Hobbit and encouraged him to expand on it which he did. Tolkein thus spent the later half of his life expanding on his fantasy world of Middle Earth, including incredible detail, poetry, and original languages. His epic novel Lord of the Rings thus became his ultimate claim to fame and is considered the greatest fantasy novel to this day.


John Steinbeck

Years: 66 (1902-1968)
Nationality: American
University: Stanford University
Literary Style: Realism, Imaginary
Philosophy: Episcopalian, Communist Sympathizer
Notable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1940), Noble Prize (1962)
Notable Works:

• Tortilla Flat (1935)
• Of Mice and Men (1937)
• The Red Pony (1937)
• The Grapes of Wrath (1939)
• Cannery Row (1945)
• East of Eden (1952)

Significance: Steinbeck is considered among the great modern American authors of our time, and in the likes of Mark Twain he demonstrated a realistic rural perspective to his novels. Most of his stories take place in the southwest countryside during the Great Depression years, where the protagonists are often facing some form of poverty or financial peril. His most famous novels that I am familiar with are Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.


Jules Verne

Years: 77 (1828-1905)
Nationality: French
University: Lycee Georges Clemenceau
Literary Style: Science Fiction, Fantasy, avant-garde, surrealism
Philosophy: Raised Catholic, became a Deist in later years
Notable Works:

• Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
• Around the World in Eighty Days (1873)
• The Mysterious Island (1874)

Significance: Often considered as the father of science fiction, along with HG Wells, he wrote 54 adventure novels known as his Voyages Extraordinaires. The premise of most his novels are some form of incredible journey to unknown regions of the world. His surrealist approach mixed with scientific studies, broadened the minds and possibilities of fiction writing. He also wrote a series of short stories, essays, poems, and plays.


HG Wells

Years: 79 (1866-1946)
Nationality: English
University: Royal College of Science (Imperial College London)
Literary Style: Science Fiction
Philosophy: Socialist, Pacifist, Didactic, In favor of a world state and proponent of the League of Nations, Agnostic towards religion
Notable Works:

• The Time Machine (1895)
• The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896)
• The Invisible Man (1897)
• The War of the Worlds (1898)
• The First Men in the Moon (1901)
• The War in the Air (1907)
• When the Sleeper Wakes (1910)
• The Shape of Things to Come (1933)

Significance: In the similar manner as Jules Verne, HG Wells furthered the genre of science fiction to the English public and beyond. He was a self proclaimed futurist and quite the enthusiast for scientific and political advancements. Along with his many stories of Utopian society, time travel, and alien invasions he wrote essays on history, politics, science and a wide range of other topics. His two works I am most familiar with are The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.


Robert Louis Stevenson

Years: 44 (1850-1894)
Nationality: Scottish
University: The University of Edinburgh
Literary Style: Adventure, Mystery, Horror, Historical
Philosophy: Conservatism
Notable Works:

• Treasure Island (1883)
• A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)
• Kidnapped (1886)
• Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
• The Black Arrow (1888)

Significance: He was a traveling writer from Scotland who visited many places throughout Europe before he wrote his most famous works Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His iconic pirate character of Long John Silver was inspired by one of his friends from his London writer's circle. Also of note, he married a magazine writer from Indianapolis named Fanny and he died suddenly at the very young age of 44.



Top Ten Greatest Authors


10. Ernest Hemingway

Years: 61 (1899-1961)
Nationality: American
Literary Style: Roman a clef, historical fiction, romance
Philosophy: Communist sympathizer
Notable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1953) Noble Prize (1954)
Notable Works:

• The Sun Also Rises (1926)
• A Farewell to Arms (1929)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)
• The Old Man and the Sea (1952)

Significance: Regarded as one of the most iconic American authors of the modern era, he and his pal Scott Fitzgerald initiated the Lost Generation literary movement during the 1920s. Hemingway's unique literary appeal was his roman a clef style that he used in his novels. As a journalist during WWI, the Spanish Civil War, and WWII he had many first hand experiences of traumatic events. He was thus able to use these unique experiences, as characters and plot settings in many of his most famous novels. Many of his books embody themes of war, romance, adventure, and loss.


9. Alexandre Dumas

Years: 68 (1802-1870)
Nationality: French
Literary Style: Historical Fiction
Notable Works:

• The Three Musketeers (1844)
• The Count of Monte Cristo (1844)
• Twenty Years After (1845)
• The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later (1847)

Significance: Often regarded as one of the greatest French novelists of all time, alongside Victor Hugo, Dumas was brought up in unusual circumstances. His parents were of Haitian descent, which made Alexandre an undesirable mixed race, yet still brought up into an aristocratic lifestyle. He worked as a writer for King Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans during the 1830s where he wrote many successful plays and magazine articles. In the 1840s he switched over to novels and wrote two of his most famous works, The Three Musketeers and The Counte of Monte Cristo. Both were historical settings of the Bourbon Dynasty and the Napoleonic Era.


8. George Orwell

Years: 46 (1903-1950)
Nationality: English
University: Eton College
Literary Style: Dystopian, Satire, Roman a clef
Philosophy: Socialism, Anti-fascism, anti-Stalinism, Polemic
Notable Works:

• The Road to Wigan Pier (1937)
• Homage to Catalonia (1938)
• Animal Farm (1945)
• Nineteen Eighty Four (1949)

Significance: Perhaps one of the most politically outspoken authors in history, Orwell was a stern literary voice against the totalitarianism of his time. During the rise of Fascist Italy, Spain, Communist Russia, and Nazi Germany, Orwell worked as a teacher, journalist, and volunteer to speak against the evils of fascism. He ultimately was able to use his intellect in writing two allegory novels, mimicking the political horrors of government controlled state. Animal Farm represented the broken system of Communist Russia, while 1984 represented the Dystopian fear based system implemented by Nazi Germany. Both novels today are regarded as masterpieces that demonstrate Orwell's genius collaboration of literature and politics.


7. Victor Hugo

Years: 83 (1802-1885)
Nationality: French
Literary Style: Historical Fiction
Philosophy: Republicanism, Rationalism
Notable Works:

• Hernani (1830)
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831)
• Les Contemplations (1856)
• La Legende des Siecles (1859)
• Les Miserables (1862)
• Toilers of the Sea (1866)

Significance: He lived a very active life and learned much of French politics as a young child from his father who was a high ranking officer in Napoleon's army, and his mother who was Catholic and supported the monarchy. These conflicting views only expanded Victor's cultural awareness of which he would go on to write many successful poems, plays, and novels. His most famous works of literature are the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables which both demonstrate his affection for the people of France. He also got involved in politics throughout his writing career where he served as a conservative and later as a liberal for the national assembly. His political views changed over time yet his patriotic love of France remained true throughout his life, which is why he is one of France's most celebrated authors today.


6. James Joyce

Years: 58 (1882-1941)
Nationality: Irish
University: University College Dublin
Literary Style: Stream of Consciousness
Philosophy: Irish Nationalist, Socialism, Individualism, Agnostic Catholic
Notable Works:

• Dubliners (1914)
• A Portrait of the Young Artist as a Man (1916)
• Ulysses (1922)
• Finnegan's Wake (1939)

Significance: In the likes of various other great Irish writers such as Johnathan Swift and Oscar Wilde, James Joyce was the total representation of a free thinking Irish man. He was especially proud of his Irish country and heritage yet also sought adventure in the continental Europe. His first major work, The Dubliners, was a collection of short stories demonstrating society in the capital of Ireland. His second two major works demonstrated his philosophical thoughts, particularly A Portrait of the Young Artist as a Man which he related much of his youthful experiences to the protagonist Stephen Dedalus. His magnum opus came later with Ulysses which was a parallel to The Odyssey. In this novel Joyce used a groundbreaking writing style that demonstrated his characters' stream-of-consciousness thus presenting more philosophy and depth to the book.


5. Mark Twain

Years: 74 (1835-1910)
Nationality: American
Literary Style: Humorist,
Philosophy: Anti-Imperialist, Abolitionist, Supported Labor Movement, Presbyterian, Freemason
Notable Works:

• The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
• The Prince and Pauper (1881)
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889)
• Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)

Significance: Often regarded as the father of American literature Mark Twain's adventoruous novels are demonstrating in his equally interesting life. He grew up in the river town of Hannibal where he worked as riverboat pilot and later a journalist for his brother's company for some time. He traveled the country with his brother working in mining camps, writing journalist stories, and having other various adventures. By the time he was 40 he began writing some of his most groundbreaking novels which demonstrated his wit and humorist style. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn became instant classics and to this day are regarded as the greatest of American novels. Thru these groundbreaking novels, Mark Twain created a bridge from classic western literature to modern literature.


4. Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Years: 59 (1821-1881)
Nationality: Russian
University: Military Engineering Technical Institute in St. Petersburg
Literary Style: Psychological fiction. Realism
Philosophy: Russian Orthodox, anti-imperialist, in favor of Russian independence.
Notable Works:

• Notes from the Underground (1864)
• Crime and Punishment (1866)
• The Gambler (1867)
• The Idiot (1869)
• Demons (1872)
• The Brothers Karamazov (1879)

Significance: He is regarded as the father of the psychological novel, taking readers inside character's minds unlike ever done before. He lived a political life, quite critical of the Tsarist government of his time. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to death in 1849, but the sentence was later uplifted and instead he served 4 years in prison and 6 years in exile. It was after these experiences that he became a noteworthy journalist and later one of Russia's most acclaimed novelists. Much of Dostoyevsky's novels demonstrate philosophical and political topics such as the debate of God's existence or the poverty within the Russian Empire. He also presented darker psychological themes such as the sub-conscious, morality, suicide, and human manipulation. Most of his literary work would fall into the category of existentialism which demonstrates the characters actions, feelings, and thoughts.


3. Jane Austen

Years: 41 (1775-1817)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, romance, feminism, parody
Philosophy: Feminist, Anglican, individualism
Notable Works:

• Sense and Sensibility (1811)
• Pride and Prejudice (1813)
• Mansfield Park (1814)
• Emma (1815)
• Northranger Abbey (1818)
• Persuasion (1818)

Significance: She is in my opinion the greatest female author of all time, since she paved the way for many great female writers to come. In her time married women were not allowed to sign publishing contracts so she had to publish much of her early work anonymously. She later acquired an agent and experienced some success in her later years. Most her novels relate to English landowners and the upper class societies, and most her protagonists are females. Austen's claim to fame was her ability to demonstrate women as free thinking and capable of reasoning rather than the normal romantic representation in most novels. In all her famous novels, there is a general theme of individualism, feminism, and irony of the social classes. She died at the very young age of 41, never married nor had children, however her work has gone on to inspire so many readers and writers alike.


2. Leo Tolstoy

Years: 82 (1828-1910)
Nationality: Russian

Literary Style: Realism, Romance, Historical Fiction
Philosophy: Christian Anarchism, Pacifism, Spiritualism
Notable Works:

• War and Peace (1869)
• Anna Karenina (1878)
• The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886)
• The Kingdom of God is Within You (1894)
• Resurrection (1899)

Significance: Often considered one of the greatest Russian authors of all time, Leo Tolstoy wrote two masterful novels yet also instilled a philosophical movement during his elder years. He was born into wealth however changed his political stance after serving in the Crimean War of the 1850s. During this time he met Victor Hugo and other various French anarchists and changed his philosophy on life. His historical novel of War and Peace was inspired by Hugo's Les Miserables and also his experience of war. Ten years later he published his famous romance novel, Anna Karenina, which in my opinion is the greatest love affair story of all time. His later works demonstrated his philosophical ideals of Christian Anarchism and spiritualism. He became somewhat of a prophet to many throughout Russia and even developed a school of thought known as the Tolystan Movement that emphasized a simple life.


1. Charles Dickens

Years: 58 (1812-1870)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, Satire
Philosophy: Agnostic Christian, Advocate for the poor
Notable Works:

• The Pickwick Papers (1836)
• Oliver Twist (1837)
• Nicholas Nickleby (1838)
• A Christmas Carol (1843)
• Dombey and Son (1846)
• David Copperfield (1850)
• Bleak House (1852)
• Little Dorrit (1855)
• A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
• Great Expectations (1860)

Significance: No author has produced as many famous novels then that of the English writer, Charles Dickens. Unlike many other famous writers, Dickens was born into a working class family and had to work as a young child in a shoe factory to support his family, after his father was arrested. Although he had no formal education, Dickens displayed great ambition as a young man and found work as a journalist editor in London. By the 1830s he was submitting journalist stories to various newspapers and magazines and became editor of a magazine company in 1836. By this time Dickens had demonstrated his passion for writing and soon after he began his work as a novelist. His novel Oliver Twist, demonstrated the first ever child protagonist and the story became very popular throughout London and was even admired by Queen Victoria. Dickens was able to use his harsh experience working as a child, to write about orphans and the working class in a satirical style. Throughout the height of his career he published a steady stream of popular novels, with very iconic characters such as Ebeneezer Scrooge, Uriah Heep, Miss Havisham, Tiny Tim, and so many more. His novels and characters have become staples of British culture today. It is for this massive amount of great material, as well as his cultural impact, that makes Charles Dickens the greatest author of all time.  

Literature: 100 Classic Novels

Carrying on with this recent appreciation for literature I want to highlight what I consider the greatest novels of all time. This is by no means a ranking from top to bottom, yet rather 100 books that I consider as literature classics. These are the books that represent a significant historical and cultural quality in my opinion. They are books that I have always heard of since I can remember. Books that I have either read myself at some point or have heard them referenced elsewhere as classic masterpieces.

Many of the books on this list, I still need to read or dive much deeper into to have a better grasp. Therefore this post also serves as a study for myself to understand many of the critically acclaimed works. I have chosen this list based on what I know as well as the summation of various top scholars.  Perhaps in my later, more experienced years I can give a proper ranking of these books. For now however I will just give a brief summary of the list of books that I consider to be the most definitive works of human history. I intend to later have a couple more posts regarding the greatest authors and poets of all time.

Also fair warning, I did not include the written works of Shakespeare in this list since they are considered plays for the theater, which I believe would fall into a different category from novels. Playwrights, scriptwriters, and even musical songwriters are creating visual and audio productions rather than just a textual novel. Not to take away from their brilliance, but I believe they should be included in a separate post from this one regarding novelists. Also I have already written quite extensively on the works and biography of Shakespeare, and can say without question that he is not only the greatest playwright of all time, but the greatest writer of all time. Now onto the novels!


100 Classic Books


Don Quixote

Author: Miguel de Cervantes
Date Published: 1605
Country: Spain  
Pages: 863 (2 parts)
Synopsis: This novel is often considered one of the greatest novels of all time and was very influential during the Spanish Golden Age. It tells the comical story of a noble man who foolishly decides to become a knight under the guise of Don Quixote and recruits one of his farmers, Sancho Panza to be his squire. Together they go on many foolish adventures in an attempt to fix society. 

My Experience: I have never read the book, yet am quite familiar of the title, the characters, and the overall significance it holds. 

Hunchback of Notre Dame

Author: Victor Hugo
Date Published: 1833
Country: France
Pages: 940 (3 volumes)
Synopsis: Set in Paris, 1482 this classic novel tells the tale of a monstrous bell-ringer named Quasimodo who resides in the cathedral of Notre Dame. He falls for a gypsy lady named Esmeralda and most protect her from a wicked deacon. Quasimodo is able to save her by pushing the deacon off the cathedral yet later dies with her of starvation.

My Experience: I have not read this book yet know of it from the popular Walt Disney adaptation in 1996 of which I first became familiar with the story and the iconic cathedral in Paris.


Moby Dick

Author: Herman Melville
Date Published: 1851
Country: American
Pages: 378
Synopsis: Tells the tale of Captain Ahab's mad quest for revenge on a killer white sperm whale that injured him in years past. The entire crew takes on Ahab's obsession with the whale which leads to their utter demise. The book is an American classic renown for it's sea-faring characters.

My Experience: I am currently listening to this audio book as I write this blog, and am very familiar with the content. I remember studying the book in our English classes during the school. I also was quite inspired by the 1998 movie starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab and enjoyed the whole premise of being out on sea on an adventure. I recently watched the 1956 classic movie starring Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab and it was just as entertaining. It's a classic American novel and one of the all great books.


The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexandre Dumas
Date Published: 1844
Country: France
Pages: 1312
Synopsis: Set during the Bourbon Restoration, the protagonist, Edmond Dantes, gets falsely accused and imprisoned for being a Napoleon supporter. He is able to escape his incarceration and finds a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo where he is able to devise a plot to seek revenge on those who wronged him in the first place
My Experience: I have not read this book yet am familiar with it, mostly from the 2006 film, V for Vendetta, in which the character of Edmond Dantes is a key influence in the movie.


Crime and Punishment

Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Date Published: 1866
Country: Russian
Pages: 545
Synopsis: A dropout college student becomes madly convinced that he should kill and rob a pawnbroker and use that money to become a better man. However after he commits the murder he is overcome with guilt and confusion.

My Experience: I bought the book some time ago and have made several attempts to read it, yet simply could not follow along with the content. I vaguely remember a mention of this book in the TV series, Lost.



In Search of Lost Time

Author: Marcel Proust
Date Published: 1913-1927
Country: France
Pages: 4215
Synopsis: The protagonist reflects on his adolescent days and the many missed opportunities throughout his complex life. The theme of the novel is involuntary memory as the protagonist often falls into flashbacks of his past.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this author nor his classic novel that is regarded as a masterpiece. I do remember Steve Carrell's character being a scholar of the author, in the 2006 comedy Little Miss Sunshine.


War and Peace

Author: Leo Tolstoy
Date Published: 1869
Country: Russian
Pages: 1225
Synopsis: The story is set during the Napoleonic Wars, particularly as Napoleon invades Russia in 1812. There are 5 stories going on all of wealthy Russian families and their affairs as it relates to one another and the current political events. The novel is a mixture of romance and drama, laced heavily with Tolstoyan philosophy on the importance of the people.

My Experience: I tackled this behemoth novel in 2010, and I believe it took my a couple years to finish it. Given my struggles with ADD, I was able to fairly follow along with the multiple story lines of Russian aristocrats, particularly the romance between Pierre and Natasha.


Gulliver's Travels

Author: Jonathan Swift
Date Published: 1726
Country: Irish
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 330
Synopsis: A traveling surgeon undergoes a series of shipwrecks and attacks that send him to far-off magical destinations. Such as an island of little people, an island of giants, a floating island, and an island of talking horses in which the humans are referred to as Yahoos.

My Experience: I remember studying this novel in my English class in high school and getting quite a quick out of the fantasy/comedy with my friends. We even watched the 1996 film starring Ted Danson in our class which I enjoyed.


The Sound and the Fury

Author: William Faulkner
Date Published: 1929
Country: American
Pages: 326
Synopsis: Tells the story of a declining wealthy family in Mississippi as it slowly loses its financial prowess in a span of 30 years. The story is uniquely narrated from three different perspectives, all brothers within the family.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that is highly regarded.


I, Claudius  

Author: Robert Graves
Date Published: 1934
Country: English
Pages: 468
Synopsis: It is written in the style of an auto-biography from the perspective of the roman emperor Claudius who reigned from 41 to 53. It provides a unique historical insight to the character's life as he witnesses many defining moments of the Roman Empire such as the assassination of Julius Caesar.

My Experience: I have not read the book, however I did watch parts of the critically acclaimed TV series, produced by BBC. My aunt-in-law Devon let me borrow this and I watched several episodes.

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Date Published: 1925
Country: American
Pages: 218
Synopsis: The narrator recounts his experience of the "Great Gatsby" a wealthy man he met in New York City during the Roaring 20s. Gatsby was able to amass a large amount of wealth thru organised crime, and he hosts great parties so that he can re-unite with his former lover, Daisy. Gatsby is finally able to meet with Daisy, thanks to the narrator, and thus the love affair begins. However Daisy is unwilling to leave her husband and children for him which only drives Gatsby to further madness and his eventual death. Having witnessed the whole account, the narrator passionately believes Gatsby was wronged in the entire situation.

My Experience: I read the book in school, but became even more familiar with it after the 2012 film release starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I enjoy the movie very much, and have seen it many times now that I own it. It was also the first audio book I started this summer when I bought my first Alexa speaker and discovered Audible books.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Date Published: 1892
Country: English
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 307
Synopsis: It is a collection of twelve short stories revolving around the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson. The original book later inspired an entire franchise of stories based off the heroic character.
My Experience: Since I can remember the word Sherlock Holmes has been associated with brilliant crime detectives. The first thing that comes to mind is the 2009 and 2011 films starring Robert Downey Jr in the title role.

The Portrait of a Lady

Author: Henry James
Date Published: 1881
Country: English
Pages: 520
Synopsis: A young enthusiastic American woman travels to London to meet with her aunt, where she inherits a large sum of money. She travels the country with joyful freedom until she becomes intertwined in a love triangle with fellow Americans. The central theme of the story is how the character must confront her destiny, that being a free-spirited character becomes trapped in the commitment of marriage.

My Experience: I have asolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is a highly regarded classic.

  

The Illiad

Author: Homer
Date Published: 8th century BC
Country: Greek
Genre: Epic poem
Pages: 15,693 lines
Synopsis: This epic of Greek mythology tells the tale of the Trojan War and serves as one of the main sources of Greek mythology. In the poem the beautiful Greek princess, Helen, is seduced and stolen by the Trojan Prince Paris thus leading to a massive war between the Greek and Trojan Armies. King Agamemnon gathers the largest force of Greek armies the world has ever seen, including many of the greatest heroes such as Achilles, Ajax, and Odysseus. The Trojans however have a strong wall and are led by their valiant captain Hector. The poem details this drawn out 10 year war, with various hero battles, war games, and of course the infamous Trojan Horse trick that leads to the fall of Troy.

My Experience: I have read and studied the novel numerous times, beginning with my junior high teacher, Mr. Loy, who sparked my interest in Greek Mythology. I enjoyed the 2004 film Adaptation, Troy, starring Brad Pitt. I have read the book, played the video games, and studied the heroic characters numerous times.

Middlemarch

Author: George Eliot
Date Published: 1871
Country: English
Pages: 736
Synopsis: Set in 1829 in the fictitious English town of Middlemarch there are various characters and stories intersecting with one another in the backdrop of various historical events such as the Reform Act of 1832 and the rise of railways.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that is is a highly regarded classic.

Lord of the Rings

Author: JR Tolkein
Date Published: 1954-1955
Country: English
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: Fellowship of the Ring (479), Two Towers (415), Return of the King (347)
Synopsis: It is a fantasy tale and sequel to the Hobbit, in which Middle Earth must unite to destroy a ring that would give the evil Sauron dominion over all. It is an epic tale of good vs. evil, an alliance of humans, dwarves, elves, and hobbits vs the evil goblins, trolls, and orcs of Sauron.

My Experience: It was in high school when I first discovered this epic book as it was released in a series of three films. I was very much inspired by the movies, and later bought all the books and read thru them on my own leisure. I later read each of these books in a more thorough effort and can say I truthfully did comprehend and enjoy it. I found the writing style to be quite similar to that of the bible, with genealogy details and long versus of song and poems. This background detail only heightened the drama of the book, which I consider among my all time favorites.

Vanity Fair

Author: William Makepeace Thackeray
Date Published: 1847
Country: English
Pages: 624
Synopsis: The story takes place in Britain at the tail end of the Napoleonic Wars revolving around the lives of two friends Becky and Emmy. They are complete opposites in class and character and go on to live opposite lives, one marrying for wealth while the other marries for love.

My Experience: I've heard of the famous fashion magazine before and also the 2004 film starring Reese Witherspoon. It is my understanding that Vanity Fair is a fictitious location ruled by the devil in the novel, Pilgrim's Progress.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde
Date Published: 1890
Country: Irish
Pages: 288
Synopsis: A young handsome man, Dorian Gray is the subject of a painting that becomes very popular throughout the art community. He later meets a wealthy aristocrat who demonstrates to Dorian a hedonistic lifestyle in which sensual pleasure comes above morals. Obsessed with this new found idea of hedonism Dorian wishes that the portrait would age instead of him which and his wish comes true. While Dorian lives a libertine life indulging in vices, his portrait becomes more and more wicked until it drives Dorian himself into madness.

My Experience: I have never read this book, however am familiar with the title and have done a slight study on the Irish author Oscar Wilde who was renown for his satirical plays and rather eccentric lifestyle.

The Sun Also Rises

Author: Ernest Hemingway
Date Published: 1926
Country: American
Pages: 260
Synopsis: Tells the story of two lovebirds set in Paris in the 1920s and their free-thinking group of friends. Together they share memorable nights in Paris and Spain quite reflective of the lifestyle Hemingway lived in the 1920s. This work is considered one of Hemingway's most famous novels and demonstrates his Roman a clef writing technique that pulls from his own personal experiences.

My Experience: I have never read this book, yet am quite familiar with Hemingway's biography and this work is listed as one of his finest works.

The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Date Published: 1850
Country: American
Pages: 272
Synopsis: Set during the 1640s in Massachusetts Bay Colony where the society is devout Puritans, a young adulteress woman has a child. Her sentence is that she must wear a red "A" that rest of her life and tells of her struggles to overcome harsh judgement while raising her daughter.

My Experience: I have read the audio-book, and it is a classic work of American literature that we studied in grade school and high school. I have never seen any film adaptations yet, only that there was a modern retake on the story starring Emma Stone in the 2010 film, Easy A.

Pilgrim's Progress

Author: John Bunyan
Date Published: 1678
Country: English
Genre: Religious Allegory
Pages: 432
Synopsis: It is told as a dream of a man traveling from a City of Destruction to the Celestial City and the many good and wicked characters he meets along the way. It is ultimately a representation of the desired life journey every Christian should make.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, only that it is a religious allegory in the likes of the Divine Comedy or Paradise Lost.

The House of Mirth

Author: Edith Wharton
Date Published: 1905
Country: American
Pages: 272
Synopsis: A wealthy young lady from an upper class New York family is approaching her 30th birthday still without any marital prospects. The character is conflicted by the high standards from her family and a desire to be free. It traces her slow decline to high privilege to impoverished loneliness.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is considered a highly regarded classic.


Leaves of Grass

Author: Walt Whitman
Date Published: 1855
Country: American
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 46
Synopsis: This book constitutes the collection of poems of the renowned American poet, Walt Whitman. It has over 400 poems in it relating to themes of nature, life, and philosophy. Whitman was a proponent of the Transcendentalist movement of the 1850s, and this magnum opus work demonstrates that vision. To this day it is considered one of the greatest works of American poetry, alongside Emily Dickinson.

My Experience: I have known of the poet since I can remember yet am not so familiar with this particular collection. To be fair I am not even as familiar with his poetry as I am with that of Emily Dickinson or even Robert Frost. I am however familiar with the poet himself as he was very influential in the cultural history of New York City and the Transcendentalist movement of American literature.


Catcher in the Rye

Author: JD Salinger

Date Published: 1951
Country: American
Pages: 277
Synopsis: This American classic novel tells the coming-of-age story of the 16 year old Holden Caulfield as he copes with adult-hood. He is expelled from his high school and goes on a personal voyage to understand the complex layers of adulthood in what he considers as superficial phoniness.

My Experience: I have yet to read this American classic, but have heard numerous references about the book and the life of JD Salinger. It is considered a Great American Novel and one of the all time literature masterpieces.

Doctor Zhivago

Author: Boris Pasternak
Date Published: 1957
Country: Russian
Pages: 592
Synopsis: This novel tells the story of Doctor Zhivago and his love affair with the beautiful Lara, in the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The story demonstrates the negative affects of Communism thru the life of Doctor Zhivago. He is an upstanding citizen, a doctor, poet, family man and ever optimistic until the new Communist regime pulls him away from all of that. His love affair with Lara only further adds to his slow decline to dismay.

My Experience: This is one of my all time favorite movies, as it does a tremendous job in capturing the historical event that was the Russian Revolution. Pasternak's character of Dr. Zhivago alludes to a personal transformation that many Russian citizens must have endured during that time.

David Copperfield

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1849
Country: English
Pages: 624
Synopsis: Often considered one of Charles Dicken's greatest works, this is a semi auto-biography of his life and can be considered a coming of age story. The protagonist David Copperfield tells his life story as an adult of the transition he underwent as a child. He lived happy years with his mother, until she married a cruel business man, and his life became much more difficult. Through these hardships David discovers what it means to be an adult in English society and he finds love along the way.

My Experience: I have yet to read this literature classic, however am a fan of Charles Dickens and hope to one day dive into the story thru some form of media. 

Aeneid

Author: Virgil
Date Published: 29 BC
Country: Roman
Genre: Epic poem
Pages: 9896 lines
Synopsis: This epic poem by Virgil tells the tale of Aeneas, a Trojan who escapes the burning city at the hands of the Greeks. He travels to Italy with fellow Trojans to fight off the Latins and establish a new city that will eventually become Rome. This poem can be seen as a transition of Greek Mythology into Roman Mythology.

My Experience: I am not quite as familiar with this iconic poem of Roman Mythology as I am with it's Greek Mythological counterparts, the Illiad and the Odyssey. Known the less I am aware of it's historical and cultural significance.

Tess of the U'rbervilles

Author: Thomas Hardy
Date Published: 1891
Country: English
Pages: 592
Synopsis: Tells the complex story of the young woman Tess, who journeys to gather an inheritance from the wealthy U'rberville. She is later raped and has a baby as a result, so she lives a secluded lifestyle in the country until the baby dies. She then moves to another county where she meets and falls in love with a gentleman, and she stabs her rapist out of spite. She runs off with her gentleman lover, however is later caught and hanged for murder. 

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is highly regarded as a classic.

On the Road

Author: Jack Kerouac
Date Published: 1957
Country: American
Pages: 320
Synopsis: In the similar style of many of Ernest Hemingway's personal works, this novel is ultimately a roman a clef of the 1950s Beat Movement. The story represents Kerouac's free-spirited travels across the country as he delves into poetry, jazz music, and excessive drug use and partying.

My Experience: I have read this book, and did enjoy several of Kerouac's poetic lines such as the type of mad people who burst like fireworks. I also saw the movie adaptation of this yet was not entirely enticed by it. Nonetheless this book serves as the blueprint of the 1950s Beat Generation, and is considered an all time American classic.

Animal Farm

Author: George Orwell
Date Published: 1945
Country: English
Pages: 112
Synopsis: This is a historical allegory written to represent the injustice of the Stalinist Communist Regime. Orwell creates animal characters on a farm, who each represent certain political leaders as they construct a new political ideology to break free of humans. Only to realize in the end that there is not much difference between animals and humans.

My Experience: We read this book in high school and described Orwell's clever allegory style to compare fictional characters with real historical ones.


Phantom of the Opera

Author: Gaston Leroux
Date Published: 1910
Country: French
Genre: Romance, Horror
Pages: 190
Synopsis: This iconic horror romance novel recounts the tale of the phantom ghost residing at the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris during the 1880s. He claims to be the tutor of the soprano singer, Christine Daae, of whom he becomes obsessed with and calls her his angel of music. He is however deformed and lives in the dungeon of the palace and grows further into madness as Christine begins a relationship with the charming Vicomte Raoul. He eventually kidnaps Christine and makes her chose between the Vicomte or himself. Christine takes pity on the phantom, who then has a change of heart and lets the two escape while he dies of heartbreak.

My Experience: It was not until 2010 that I discovered the famous musical of Phantom of the Opera thru the 2004 film starring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. This film played a major influence on me, and broadened my cultural tastes. I always thought it was a musical play and was not aware until recently that it was originally a novel.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Date Published: 1967
Country: Colombian
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Tells the story of the solitary Buendia family who dwell in a fictitious town they established in Colombia called Macondo. The patriarch Jose is a solitary leader, strong yet also a private man. His character is expanded by his children who each represent a certain trait of their father to become political leaders. The matriarch attempts to keep the family together however they are all eventually consumed by the growing threat of imperialism.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, and just discovered that it was written by a Colombian. It was Marquez's magnum opus and was a key part of the Latin American literature boom of the 1960s.


The Raven

Author: Edgar Allen Poe
Date Published: 1845
Country: American
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 16 pages
Synopsis: This classic American Poem tells the tale of a distressed young man who is lamenting over his lost lover and is only further driven into madness when a talking raven flies into his room and continues to repeat the word "Nevermore".

My Experience: I remember studying this classic American poem in my grade school literature classes and the irony and parodies that came with the talking raven and that classic line, "Quote the Raven, nevermore". It has a unique blend of rhythm and darkness to it. It is the magnum opus of Edgar Allen Poe's grim poetic style.


The Brothers Karamazov

Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Date Published: 1878
Country: Russian
Pages: 824
Synopsis: It is yet another complex Russian novel about a family and their various affairs in Russia. The Karamazov family has conflicting viewpoints on the existence of God which drive them into madness. This conflict of faith, free will, and reason is the theme of Dostoevksy's masterful work.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is yet another long and complex masterpiece of Russian literature.


Lolita

Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Date Published: 1955
Country: American
Pages: 336
Synopsis: This controversial erotic novel, depicts the unusual affair of an older professor named Humbert and his obsession with a young 12 year old girl which he nicknames, Lolita. Humbert narrates the story from jail as he prefaces the affair with a childhood romance he had whilst living near the French Riviera that never came to fruition. As an adult he moves to America and is instantly attracted to the daughter of his landlord, whom he describes has a seductive nymphet style to her. He goes as far as marrying the landlord just so that he can be close to Lolita. As her father in-law he remains obsessively protective of her however he cannot hide his sexual desires for her. She is eventually kidnapped from him, and Humbert goes on for 2 years searching for her. He later gets a letter from her and discovers that she ran off with a wealthy playwright named Quilty whom she loved then broke up with. Humbert gives Lolita the money she seeks to raise her child, then goes off to confront Quilty whom he now believes is to blame for ruining Lolita's childhood. He shoots Quilty then is arrested. He later comes to the realization that he is to blame for Lolita's failed childhood, but that people should be very cautious of nymphets.

My Experience: I vaguely remember we did have to study this novel in high school, which seems a very inappropriate book to teach young students. Nonetheless it serves as an iconic American novel and no doubt a precursor to early erotic novels.

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Author: George Orwell
Date Published: 1949
Country: English
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages: 328
Synopsis: It is set in the future year of 1984 (since the book was written in 1949) where the world has re-aligned after years of world war. Britain serves as the headquarters to the new superstate of Oceania and they are governed by a totalitarian state known as the Party. The leader is known as The Big Brother, thought nobody has ever seen him or can confirm if he actually does exist. Thru fear the Thought Police are able to intimidate anyone who questions their authority. A love affair transpires during the book among two rebellious citizens however they are eventually realigned thru a harsh sequence of torture. The book ends with the terrible regime still in power.

My Experience: I vaguely recall reading this Orwell novel in high school, perhaps the same year we read Animal Farm. I especially came to understand the writing more after watching the films V for Vendetta and Children of Men both films were heavily influenced by Orwell's Dystopian world that he created. The book is no doubt a political reference to the horrors of a totalitarian state that was witnessed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.


A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Author: James Joyce
Date Published: 1916
Country: Irish
Pages: 176
Synopsis: This is a semi-autobiography of James Joyce told as his coming of age story told thru the consciousness of the main character Stephen Dedalus. The character is a rebellious intellect who questions the Catholic church and is on a journey of higher enlightenment. His character is influenced by the Greek mythological character of Daedalus, who was the father of Icarus, renown as a brilliant craftsman. Stephen eventually exiles himself from Ireland in sets off to Europe in search of new understanding. The novel is more of a philosophical discussion rather than a linear plot and is quite reminiscent to Joyce's later masterpiece in Ulysses.
My Experience: I own this book and have made an attempt to read it yet found it to be more philosophical than story-oriented. Nonetheless it is considered one of the crowned jewels of Irish literature much thanks to their legendary author James Joyce.

Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck
Date Published: 1937
Country: American
Pages: 187
Synopsis: Set on a ranch during the Great Depression years, it tells the story of two traveling friends George and Lennie. George is protective over Lennie, who is quite large and mentally disabled. They both share dreams to start their own farm, yet Lennie continues to get in trouble for his accidental actions. In the end George makes the difficult decision to kill his friend, seeing it as Lennie's best interest to avoid further accusations and hardships. 

My Experience: I cannot remember if we read this in school or not, yet I have been familiar of the novel since I can remember. I have also seen the 1992 adaptation starring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.


Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker
Date Published: 1897
Country: Irish
Genre: Horror
Pages: 488
Synopsis: This iconic Gothic horror story introduces the famous vampire villain named Count Dracula. He resides in a castle in the Romanian region of Transylvania feeding on the blood of others. He is eventually subdued by a heroic professor named Van Helsing. 

My Experience: Although I have never read this novel I am very familiar with the infamous vampire that is Count Dracula. Numerous of adaptations and series have emerged from this classic novel by Bram Stoker.


The Secret Garden

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Date Published: 1911
Country: English
Pages: 375
Synopsis: A young girl living in India loses her parents to a cholera outbreak and must move in with her uncle on an isolated manor. She is quite unhappy for some time until she discovers the wonders of the nearby garden. She even develops a close bond with her handicapped cousin as they share stories and adventures in the garden together.

My Experience: I was not familiar with this classic English novel, until just several weeks ago. I recently listened to the audio-book at work and found it quite enjoyable.


Oliver Twist

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1837
Country: English
Pages: 512
Synopsis: Yet another classic masterpiece by Charles Dickens, it tells the story of an orphan and the harsh conditions in which he lives. He later escapes the orphanage to live a life of crime among pickpockets on the streets of London. After many hardships Oliver is adopted by a well-to-do family.

My Experience: I have not read this classic by Charles Dickens however am familiar with the classic 1968 musical film, Oliver!, most renown for the scene in which Oliver asks the soup-man for a 2nd serving.

Absalom, Absalom! 

Author: William Faulkner
Date Published: 1936
Country: American
Pages: 384
Synopsis: Yet another southern classic from Faulkner this story tells the tale of Thomas Sutpen as he attempts to break away from his wealthy family and build his own dynasty. The book later reveals that Thomas was originally born to a poor family in West Virginia and he was married to a part black woman. His escape to Mississippi was an escape from his life which eventually catches up with him in the end.

My Experience: I have heard of the title and the author yet have no experience of the content that makes up this classic American novel.

Wuthering Heights

Author: Emily Bronte
Date Published: 1847
Country: English
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Tells the tale of an English orphan named Heathcliff, who is brought into the Wuthering Heights estate as a young child by the wealthy Earnshaw family. Heathcliff however struggles with his lack of standing in society and devises a complex 17 year plot to control the estate. He however is torn by losing his soul-mate and eventually falls into a mad sickness and dies by the end of the novel.

My Experience: I am vaguely familiar with the title and the character of Heathcliff, however not much so with the content that makes up this classic English novel.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain
Date Published: 1884
Country: American
Pages: 366
Synopsis: This classic American novel by Mark Twain, tells the tale of the river-child Huck Finn and his many adventures along the Mississippi River. After acquiring a treasure with his pal Tom Sawyer, Huck runs away from his alcohol father and befriends a run-away slave named Jim. Together they meet many odd people along the river on their journey to freedom.

My Experience: We read this book in my junior high years and I always remember it being the defining classic of American literature. I also remember the popular 1993 Disney film starring Elijah Wood as the title character. I have listened to this book twice thru this summer on audio-book and can say it is one of the main sources to my recent inspiration in literature. 

Madame Bovary

Author: Gustave Flaubert
Date Published: 1856
Country: French
Pages: 190 pages
Synopsis: Tells the tale of a provincial wife, Mrs. Bovary who is bored with her life and marriage to a country doctor. She seeks passion and excitement and throughout the book she has two affairs that fulfill these needs. However both affairs end abruptly and this inability to sustain this excitement leads to her eventual madness and suicide.

My Experience: I am familiar with the title, yet have never read this classic French novel. I am also familiar with the 2014 film starring Mia Wasikowska.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Author: Jules Verne
Date Published: 1870
Country: French
Genre: Adventure
Pages: 426
Synopsis: Reports begin to spread of a sea monster in the Pacific Ocean and a group of marine biologists journey from New York to explore the waters. They later discover that it is not a sea-monster yet rather a mad scientist named Captain Nemo, who has built an extremely advanced submarine. Captain Nemo takes the biologists as captives and shows them the many mysterious places underwater however informs them they can never return to society.

My Experience: I have never read this novel, yet have often heard it referenced in Sci Fi adventure films, specifically in Back to the Future as it was one of Doctor Brown's main influences. I have also yet to see the classic 1954 Walt Disney film adaptation.

The Age of Innocence

Author: Edith Wharton
Date Published: 1920
Country: American
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Set during the American Gilded Age of the 1870s, it tells the story a love affair among a high class society in New York City. An ambitious lawyer from a wealthy family is paired with the daughter of another wealthy family in a arranged marriage. However the lawyer falls for his fiancee's older cousin in a complex love affair. Wishing to live his fiancee for the cousin, he is later trapped by the marriage and an expected pregnancy. The cousin moves to Europe while the lawyer spends his adulthood in New York with his wife and child.

My Experience: I have not read this classic American novel yet have run across it during my recent studies of the Gilded Age in which the story is set. I have also seen the 1993 film starring Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer yet hardly remember the content all that much.

The Winds in the Willows

Author: Kenneth Grahame
Date Published: 1908
Country: English
Genre: Children's Novel
Pages: 208
Synopsis: This children novel tells of four animals, a mole, rat, toad, and badger in the English countryside as they meet and share many adventures together.

My Experience: I have never heard of this novel, only that it is highly regarded as a literary classic.

Gone with the Wind

Author: Margaret Mitchell
Date Published: 1936
Country: American
Pages: 1037
Synopsis: Set during the American Civil War near Atlanta George, Scarlet O'Hara is the spoiled daughter of a wealthy plantation whose life turns upside down during the war. Following the abolition of slavery, she must cope with poverty and the new hardships of managing her plantation without slaves. The story spans some 15 years prior to the war, during the war, and after the war.

My Experience: This novel only stood on it's own merit for a few years until it was surpassed by one of the most iconic American films of all time in 1939. I have seen the film and did quite enjoy the historical context of it all. It is a very well written story of romance and coming-of-age hardships in the midst of epic historical times.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Author: Ernest Hemingway
Date Published: 1940
Country: American
Pages: 480
Synopsis: Yet another Hemingway novel in which he recounts experiences from his lifetime this one is set during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. An American professor of Spanish volunteers to join the Republican Guerrilla army against the Nationalist extremists. He is also a specialist in explosives and falls for a local Spanish woman throughout the story. However in the end he is severely wounded and must sacrifice his life so that he can blow up the bridge.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, only that it is yet another classic American novel based on Hemingway's life experiences.

To Kill a Mockingbird 

Author: Harper Lee
Date Published: 1960
Country: American
Pages: 281
Synopsis: Set during the Depression years in Alabama, it tells the story from a child's perspective of her heroic father Atticus Finch. He is a single father and honorable lawyer who always strides to do the right thing, which includes defending a black man in court for rape. He receives harsh criticism and judgement from the other racists in the town who refuse to accept the other side of the story. And although he makes a clear case that the black man is innocent, he still loses the case due to the racist jury. This controversial novel demonstrates the unfairness of law in the hands of hateful people.

My Experience: We read the book in my junior high days however I vaguely remember it's content. It was not until several years back that I watched the classic 1962 film starring Gregory Pick that I gained a better grasp of the content. This was a great movie based from a great novel and to this day it remains the backbone of classic American literature.

The Hobbit

Author: JR Tolkien
Date Published: 1937
Country: English
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 310
Synopsis: It is Tolkein's iconic fantasy prequel to the Lord of the Rings series about a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and his adventure in the land of Middle Earth. He finds a magical ring and journeys with a band of dwarves and a wizard to reclaim their lost mountain from a terrible dragon.

My Experience: I read this book on my own leisure during my high school days as the Lord of the Rings films were being released. Before I read this book I was more a keen to the science fiction genre presented by Star Wars, however Tolkein's fantasy approach broadened my imagination. The book was adapted into a series of films released in the 2010s.

Mrs. Dalloway

Author: Virginia Wolf
Date Published: 1925
Country: American
Pages: 224
Synopsis: Takes the reader inside the mind of a woman as she prepares for a party and reminisces about her past decisions. Simultaneously a local WWI vet struggles with hallucinations and horrors from the war. The book does well in contrasting her upper class misgivings with that of a suffering soldier.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is a highly regarded classic.

Paradise Lost

Author: John Milton
Date Published: 1667
Country: English
Genre: Epic Poem
Pages: 453
Synopsis: It is a Christian allegory that recounts the biblical stories of Satan and the fall of Adam and Eve. Milton expands on these 2 story arcs with much more detail. He describes Satan as a fallen angel after losing a 3 day epic war against God. He and his rebellious angels are cast out to Hell and God thus commences his plan to create life on earth. Satan however continues to manipulate mankind and his next targets are Adam and Eve. As a snake he tricks Eve, and later Adam into eating the apple of sin which breaks humanity's bond with God.

My Experience: I have often heard of this epic allegory poem that is essentially retelling biblical accounts with much more detail. In the likes of other notable epic poems such as Divine Comedy or Pilgrim's Progress it blends Christian theology with fictitious expansion. I think the effort is an admirable one and I hope to further dive into this material some day.

Brave New World

Author: Alodus Huxley
Date Published: 1932
Country: English
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages: 311
Synopsis: In the likes of Orwell's 1984, this is a Dystopian futuristic novel that is satirizing totalitarian regimes. The story takes place in the distant future, around the year 2540 where Britain has established a global state in London known as the World State. Each of it's citizens are engineered thru technological procedures to instill a lifestyle of perfection based on 3 components; community, identity, and stability. However one of the characters travels to the "savage" location of America and brings back an American to the New World whom captures everyone's curiosity and thus brings about conflict.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is often compared to Orwell's 1984, and is considered a literary classic.

The Grapes of Wrath

Author: John Steinbeck
Date Published: 1939
Country: American
Pages: 464
Synopsis: This classic American novel is set during the Great Depression and gives an insider look into the Dust Bowl drought that hit Oklahoma during the 1930s. The story revolves around the Joad family, a farming family that faces extreme poverty brought on by the harsh drought as well as the Great Depression. They eventually set out to California to seek a better life.

My Experience: I have never read the book yet have often heard it regarded as yet another American classic novel written by Steinbeck. I attempted to watch the classic 1940 film starring Henry Fonda but was either not drawn in or simply distracted. Nonetheless the book is highly regarded as a literary classic.

A Tale of Two Cities

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1859
Country: English
Pages: 341
Synopsis: Broken up into 3 books, this dramatic epic by Charles Dickens is set during the French
Revolution. The first part consists of a doctor reunited with his daughter, Lucie, after 18 years of imprisonment in the Bastille. In the second book she later falls for and marries a French aristocrat named Charles Darney. However by the 3rd book Charles is tried during the Reign of Terror for injustices performed by his wealthy family. He is however saved by a drunken prisoner named Sydney Carton, who also loves Lucie, and bears a similar resemblance to Charles. Sydney trades places with Charles and sacrifices his life on the guillotine so that the woman he loves can live out a happy life with her husband and child.

My Experience: I own this book and have many several attempts to read it as a fervent admirer of the French Revolution, however similar to Les Miserables or War and Peace I cannot seem to follow along. Surprisingly there is no movie that I can recall regarding this epic historical drama. I have listened to the audio book and hope to some day finish the book page-to-page.

Charlotte's Web

Author: E.B White
Date Published: 1952
Country: American
Genre: Children's Novel
Pages: 192
Synopsis: Set on a farm, it tells the story of a pig named Wilbur who is unable to make friends with the other barn animals and fears that he will soon be slaughtered. However he soon makes friends with a clever spider named Charlotte, who devises a plan to spare Wilbur. She writes messages in her web praising Wilbur which instantly draws tourist attention o the miraculous sight. Seeing how famous his pig is, the farmer decides not to slaughter the pig. The spider eventually dies but finds peace in knowing that Wilbur will live out the rest of his days on the farm.

My Experience: I vaguely remember this book as a kid and am sure we discussed it at one point in one of my classrooms. I also remember the 1995 movie, Babe, which is somewhat a reference to this children's classic. However besides that I am not too familiar with the source material. Nonetheless it is often regarded as an all time classic book.


Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

Author: Emily Dickinson
Date Published: 1955 (written through her lifespan of 1830-1886)
Country: American
Pages: 716
Synopsis: Often regarded as one of the greatest poets of all time, this American writer was not truly discovered until after her death. Her poems were not fully published in a complete collection in 1955. in the likes of Walt Whitman and Edgar Allen Poe she was one of the defining poets of the 1850s and a key influence to American literature.

My Experience: I own a copy of this book and have read several of her famous poems. While the words and rhythm sound quite enticing I often found the material sails over my head. Perhaps some day I might better understand what it was she was referring to in many of these poems. Nonetheless she is regarded as one of the greatest poets of all time and I believe a necessary addition to this list.


Pride and Prejudice


Author: Jane Austen
Date Published: 1813
Country: English
Pages: 432
Synopsis: It is a classic English novel pertaining to high class society set in the 1810s often referred to as the Regency Era in British history. A family patriarch, Mr. Bennet Longburn has five daughters and does not have a male heir to carry on his estate so he convinces his daughters to wed wealthy suitors. However each of the daughters is resistant to the idea of marrying for wealth rather than love and it thus pertains to their relationships. The main relationship is that of the second eldest daughter Elizabeth who finally does succumb with the suitor Mr. Darcy who are able to find love in their pairing.

My Experience: I have heard of this novel since I can remember as a classic work of English literature. Thought I have not read the novel nor intend to read it for the sappy romance that it ensues, I have seen the 2005 film starring Kiera Knightley. It is regarded as a centerpiece of classic world literature.


The Canterbury Tales

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer
Date Published: 1400
Country: English
Genre: Short stories, poetry
Pages: 1328
Synopsis: It is a collection of medieval short stories by the father of English literature, Geoffrey Chaucer. There are precisely 24 stories in the collection, with over 17,000 lines pertaining to a specific character. The tales include that of a Knight, miller, reeve, cook, man of law, wife of bath, friar, summoner, clerk, merchant, squire, franklin, physician, pardoner, ship-man, prioress, Sir Thopas, Melibee, monk, nun's priest, second nun, canon's yeoman, manciple, and the parson. All share a common theme of a person on a pilgrimage to discover their spirituality while also coming to terms with material things presented in English society at the time. The pilgrims in this collection of stories are all on a journey from London to the Canterbury Cathedral, hence the name Canterbury Tales. 

My Experience: I have never read the written lines of this classic work of literature, however have done some research on the legendary status of Geoffrey Chaucer several times before. He is considered the father of English literature and was a heavy influence on the works of William Shakespeare. Some day I hope to dive into this classic work of literature considered as Chaucer's magnum opus.


Love in a Time of Cholera

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Date Published: 1985
Country: Colombia
Pages: 348
Synopsis: The story spans 50 years, from 1880 to 1930 and is set near the Caribbean Sea most likely on the cost of Colombia. It tells of a love triangle between childhood lovers Florentino and Fermina.. Fermina's father however does not want her to marry Florentino and instead she marries a wealthy doctor Urbino who treats the epidemic of cholera. After 50 years of marriage Urbino dies and Fermina and Florentina are finally able to share their love in their elder years.
My Experience: I have no experience of this novel and just recently discovered of the critical acclaim experienced by this Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have however seen the 2007 film adaptation starring Javier Bardem.


Tropic of Cancer

Author: Henry Miller
Date Published: 1934
Country: American
Pages: 318
Synopsis: In the likes of Hemingway's roman-a-clef style it is a semi autobiographical of Miller's bohemian lifestyle in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. The story recounts his various life of a down-and-out poor writer as he prowls through the streets of Paris looking for food, drinks, and love. The writing style is renown for it's detailed sexual descriptions which were considered obscene at the time and an early predecessor to erotic/pornographic literature.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is regarded as a Great American novel and a classic work of literature. The book seems quite similar to Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises recounting his similar bohemian lifestyle in Paris during the 1920s.


A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1843
Country: English
Pages: 106
Synopsis: Tells the classic Christmas tale of Ebenezer Scrooge who is known in town as a wicked man and unsympathetic to the idea of Christmas. He is however visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who demonstrate his past, present, and future and he becomes aware of his terrible ways. Having awakened from the vision Scrooge makes a redemptive effort on Christmas Day to reward his loyal employee and reunite with his family.

My Experience: I have known of this classic Christmas tale since I was a young kid, having read and seen numerous adaptations. The phrase "Bah-Humbug" has become common place in our society today. For me the story has become a classic pastime around Christmas time and I enjoy to watch one of the many film versions with family. It is yet another of many classic works of literature by the legendary, Charles Dickens.


A Farewell to Arms

Author: Ernest Hemingway
Date Published: 1929
Country: American
Pages: 355
Synopsis: Yet another of Hemingway's semi auto-biography accounts, this one shares his experience during WWI in his usual roman-a-clef style. The story revolves around an American medic serving in the Italian Army who is wounded and falls in love with an English nurse. He however becomes a deserter after the defeat at the Battle of Caporetto and runs off with his lover. Together they have a child in Switzerland, however the child dies as does his lover during birth.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is regarded as one of several of Hemingway's most regarded novels and is considered a classic work of literature.


Harry Potter

Author: JK Rowling
Date Published: 1997-2007
Country: English
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: Philosopher's Stone (223 pages), Chamber of Secrets (251 pages), Prisoner of Azkaban (317 pages), Goblet of Fire (636 pages), Order of the Phoenix (766 pages), Half Blood Prince (607 pages), Deathly Hollows (607 pages)
Synopsis: This popular children's fantasy book series by JK Rowling is one of the most modern additions to this list as it is without question one of the defining novels of our generation. The premise is that of a wizarding school where a young boy, Harry Potter and his friends, Ron and Hermoine, must face numerous evils brought on by the wicked Lord Voldemort. The book begins as a harmless children's fantasy tale yet grows into darker themes in the later novels.
My Experience: I remember reading these first couple books with my mom and brothers during my junior high years. By the time I was in high school the books were all the craze and the release of the Order of the Phoenix in 2003 was a big deal. I went as far as waiting in line for the Half Blood Prince and remember finishing the Deathly Hollows in the summer of 2007 in a whopping three days. Never in my life have I been so attached to a book series than the craze I experienced with Harry Potter. It was a reading phenomenon unlike anything else, perhaps only comparable to my obsession with the movie releases of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.


Heart of Darkness    

Author: Joseph Conrad
Date Published: 1899
Country: English
Pages: 144
Synopsis: A British steamboat captain travels to Africa to explore the region and seek out the mysterious ivory-trader known as Kurtz. He travels deep into the heart of Africa, along the Congo River where he finally discovers Kurtz as a demi-god among savages. The story draws a controversial contrast between what Conrad considers as the civilized people exploring the savagery of Africa in which he describes as "darkness".

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of the novel, however am very familiar with the classic 1979 Vietnam war movie, Apocalypse Now in which Francis Ford Coppola replaces the Congo setting with that of Vietnam. In the movie Marlon Brando portrays the lunatic demigod, Col. Kurtz, ruling over the local savages.


Alice in Wonderland

Author: Lewis Carroll
Date Published: 1865
Country: English
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 200
Synopsis: This classic English children's book, tells the nonsense story of Alice as she goes thru a rabbit hole and experiences a new magical world. She encounters a talking rabbit who serves as her guide as she meets other peculiar characters such as the mad hatter, the Cheshire cat, a smoking caterpillar, and a foul tempered queen. The story has a notable sequel called Alice Thru the Looking Glass, and has spurred a whole franchise based on this iconic children's fantasy.

My Experience: I am entirely familiar with the story itself however have known of the story Alice in Wonderland since I can remember as a kid. I for one was never quite drawn to the peculiar nonsense element of the story, and perhaps saw it more fit for young children. Nonetheless the story is still considered a literature classic, and I have seen the film adaptations starring Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska.


Invisible Man 

Author: Ralph Ellison
Date Published: 1954
Country: American
Pages: 581
Synopsis: The narrator recounts his experience living in the racist south and while he is intelligent he constantly faces many hardships, including a terrible humiliation at the hands of the white elitists of the town. He does go to college however is expelled after an unfortunate situation, and goes to New York City to seek new work. He is quite impressed with the black freedom in the city particularly the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. However the narrator gets involved with a violent gang known as the Brotherhood and quickly seeks for a way out. By the end of the novel he has broken free of New York City and is ready to no longer be invisible.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, only that it is regarded as a Great American Novel and a literary classic.


Lord of the Flies

Author: William Golding
Date Published: 1954
Country: English
Pages: 224
Synopsis: It is an allegorical children's fantasy tale with representations of politics and society. A group of boys aged 6 to 12, become stranded on an island during WWII and they must govern themselves. However conflict grows between the boys on who should lead and it drives them to inner division. To further complicate matters they believe there is a beast living on the island and they are in constant fear of this mystically beast. By the end of the novel the boys have lost all touch with their civilized manners and have become savage beasts them selves.

My Experience: I thoroughly remember reading and studying this book in my English class at high school and spending several weeks discussing the novel. The most memorable moment for me had to be when the kids placed the boars head on a pike, which ultimately represented their transition from civilization to savagery.


Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelly
Date Published: 1818
Country: English
Genre: Horror
Pages: 280
Synopsis: This classic Gothic Horror novel tells the story of Doctor Victor Frankenstein a scientist at the University of Ingolstadt in Bavaria Germany. He is able to resurrect a dead man back to life thru a series of experiments and electricity. However the dead man becomes a horrid monster on goes on a killing spree throughout central Europe. Dr. Frankenstein is overcome with grief for creating such a monster and goes into hiding. The monster eventually finds him and requests that the Dr. make him a mate. However after refusing to make the mate, the monster kills his fiance driving the Dr. into a further madness and his eventual death. The monster is never to be seen again.

My Experience: I have known of the iconic monster of Frankenstein since I can remember. It was not until later in high school that we studied the novel and I realized that Frankenstein was actually the name of the doctor and not the monster. However in today's society the monster is simply referred to as Frankenstein and it has spurned a series of movie adaptations and Halloween costumes.


Sense and Sensibility

Author: Jane Austen
Date Published: 1811
Country: English
Genre: Romance
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Yet another romance classic from Jane Austen, this one revolves around three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) who must relocate to a different county after their father dies. In their new smaller home at Barton Park they meet new locals and undergo various encounters of love and heartbreak. Austen yet again demonstrates female individuality thru her two main characters Elinor and Marianne who display good judgement throughout the novel which leads to the title of sense and sensibility.

My Experience: I have never read this classic novel nor do I intend to as I am not a fan of this type of soap opera romantic content. However I have seen the 1995 movie starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as the Dashwood sisters, also of which I was not entirely impressed with. Nonetheless it can undoubtedly be considered among the all time classic romance novels.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author: Mark Twain
Date Published: 1876
Country: American
Pages: 274
Synopsis: This is Mark Twain's first iconic novel, regarding his personal experiences living along the Mississippi River in Missouri. Tom Sawyer is a rebellious, quick-witted, trouble-maker and gets into numerous situations with his pal Huckleberry Finn. The arc of this story is they discover a treasure in a cave by robbers, and are able to cash in on it.

My Experience: I remember reading this book in junior high and have very fond memories of the part where Tom Sawyer fools a classmate into painting a fence for him. This appears to be one of the most famous parts of the book that served as a precursor to Twain's even more popular novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I have also finished this audio-book this summer along with Huck Finn and many others. 

Treasure Island

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Date Published: 1883
Country: English
Pages: 304
Synopsis: A wandering pirate takes refuge at an inn managed by the young Jim and his mother, of whom we later find is hiding a secret treasure map. The pirate dies and Jim takes the map to the local officials who decide to make a voyage to the island to recover the treasure. A crew is formed under the leadership of Captain Smollet onboard the Hispaniola, however some of the crew consists of former pirates such as the chef Long John Silver. When they arrive to the island the pirates lead a mutiny and dispose of Captain Smollet. They later discover that the treasure has already been recovered by Benjamin Gunn who has been stranded on the island for 3 years. Captain Smollet is able to take back control of his ship, leaves the pirate mutineers on the island, and takes Long John Silver as their prisoner. On their voyage back to the colonies Long John Silver manages to escape with some of the treasure. Jim returns home wanting nothing to do with pirates and sea adventures ever again.

My Experience: I remember reading this novel in 8th grade and enjoying the whole idea of pirate sea adventures. I believe this novel must have spurred a whole franchise of pirate stories such as Captain Hook and the Pirates of the Caribbean. I also am a huge fan of the fast food chain named after the iconic villain of the story, Long John Silver.


A Passage to India

Author: EM Forster
Date Published: 1924
Country: English
Pages: 148
Synopsis: Set during the Indian Independence Movement in the 1920s, where tension in British-controlled-India was reaching it's boiling point. Four characters meet at a tea party; the Indian Dr. Aziz, the British professor Cyril Fielding, and two British students Adela and Mrs. Moore. The British students request that Dr. Aziz take them on a guide thru the local caves which he agrees to. However an incident occurs during their exploration of the caves in which Adela strays away from the group and believes she is assaulted by Dr. Aziz. The whole situation leads to an unfair trail of which Dr. Aziz is finally found innocent however he walks away from the whole case furious at British white people. He breaks off his friendship with all British people until his nation can become free from them. 

My Experience: I have heard of this title before, perhaps from the successful 1984 film directed by David Lead, however I have never seen the movie nor read the novel.


Chronicles of Narnia

Author: CS Lewis
Date Published: 1950-1956
Country: English
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Pages: 768 (7 novels)
Synopsis: CS Lewis' classic children's fantasy series is ultimately a Christian allegory to God's creation of earth, mankind, and it's eventual end. The lion Aslan represents God and each story has some form of Christian theme. The novel is made up of 7 books beginning with the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and his Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and the Last Battle. Each novel pertains to children and their journey's throughout the magical world of talking animals and mythological creatures.

My Experience: I remember these books in school, and may have even rented them from our library once or twice. However I did not actually read them until my college years, shortly after I had been inspired by the fantasy works of Lord of the Rings. I later discovered that CS Lewis was friends with JR Tolkein and together they shared similar concepts of a fantasy series. I enjoyed this work by CS Lewis for his imagination but even more so for the religious allegorical style he used.


Bleak House

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1852
Country: English
Pages: 912
Synopsis: Often regarded as one of Charles Dicken's most significant works, this novel is essentially a satirized legal cased referred to as the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. The story is narrated from the perspective of the female orphan, Esther Summerson as she works as a governess in the Bleak House for the wealthy John Jarndyce. She oversees the family's affairs which revolve around this legal case over an inheritance. This novel from Dickens was instrumental in challenging the British court system and even leading to reform in the 1870s.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is considered by many scholars as one of Dicken's most famous works.


The Call of the Wild

Author: Jack London
Date Published: 1903
Country: American
Pages: 232
Synopsis: This uniquely original novel has a dog named Buck as it's main protagonist. The story tells of his adventurous life, where he grows up as a pampered pup to a wealthy family and is later sold to a sled-dog company. He goes from one company to another as the alpha of the group, and is later rescued by a good-hearted outdoorsman named John Thornton. Johh and Buck live happily together for some time panning for gold during the Klondike Gold Rush of the Northwest. However John is eventually murdered by a group of natives, and Buck decides to join a wolf pack and live a life free of humanity out in the wild.

My Experience: I have never read this book, yet have heard of it referenced many times before. I remember my dad was a big fan of these outdoor adventure type books and when I was a kid we read the book Hatchet together, which had a similar premise with the dog as the hero.


The Odyssey

Author: Homer
Date Published: 8th century BC
Country: Greek
Genre: Epic poem
Pages: 12,110 lines
Synopsis: It is yet another epic Greek poem by Homer, considered as a sequel to the Illiad and a significant source of Greek mythology. It recounts the tale of the Greek hero Odysseus as he journeys from the Trojan War to his home of Ithaca, where his wife Penelope is waiting for him. However he has angered sea-god Poseidon for his role in the Trojan War and must endure a series of misfortunes while at sea on his journey home. This includes storms, pirate attacks, a Cyclops named Polyphemus, man eating giants, and a band of group of singing sirens. He eventually returns to Ithaca and must fight of a group of suitors moving in on his wife, Penelope. She does not recognize her husband at first after many years of trials and tribulations, but he then recounts an old memory of which she also recalls.

My Experience: We studied this classic work of Greek Mythology along with the Illiad in my junior high classes taught by Mr. Loy. I have been very much influenced by these two works by Homer that are often considered as the sources of Greek Mythology. Surprisingly there is yet to be an epic significant movie about this tale in the likes of the Trojan War, however I'm sure there will be someday.


Ulysses 

Author: James Joyce
Date Published: 1922
Country: Irish
Pages: 730
Synopsis: Considered as James Joyce's magnum opus this modernist novel is a direct parallel to Homer's Odyssey. The story also dives deep into the character's sub-conscious and shares philosophical views according to Joyce. The setting is written as a modern day in Dublin, 1904 where real characters experience similar situations as those in the mythological tale. The main character is Leopold Bloom, a mundane business man, who mirrors that of the hero Odysseus. Stephen Dedalus, the same character presented in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, is an intellect professor and represents Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. Molly Bloom is the wife of Leopold who is having an affair, and represents Penelope. Unlike the character of Penelope awaiting faithfully for her husband to return, Molly does engage in an affair. However at the end of the novel she has an intimate affirmation of her husband, hinting that she intends not to leave him. 

My Experience: I have heard so much about this novel from various movie references and my studies of Irish culture and history. I intend to someday read this book from page-to-page and give a much more thorough story on the content and Joyce's philosophical writing.


Robinson Crusoe

Author: Daniel Defoe
Date Published: 1719
Country: English
Pages: 338
Synopsis: This novel is often considered one of the first ever English novels, written in the style of an adventure fiction. It tells the tale of an English man, RObinson Crusoe, who is castaway in the Caribbean islands for nearly 30 years. During his years he encounters pirates and savage natives some of which are cannibals. He befriends one and names him Friday, and together they are able to amass a fortune in Brazil.

My Experience: I have not read this novel, nor seen any film adaptations however have frequently heard the classic story referenced since I can remember.


Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Bronte
Date Published: 1847
Country: English
Pages: 352
Synopsis: This classic British romance novel tells the tale from a female's perspective of the young orphan Jane Eyre. She is an orphan and works as a governess for a wealthy estate, and she is quickly noted for her clever wit and individualism. Throughout the novel she develops an affection for her employer, Mr. Edward Rochester who is considered a broody character. They dwell in the gloomy estate of Thornfield Hall, which is no doubt a part of Mr. Rochester's depressive demeanor, however all this changes when he also falls for the younger Jane Eyre. 

My Experience: I have heard of this novel for some time now, and have seen the 2011 film adaptation starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. I hope to listen to it on audio-book sometime this summer.

Divine Comedy

Author: Dante Alighieri
Date Published: 1320
Country: Italian
Genre: Epic Poem
Pages: 960
Synopsis: It is an epic narrative poem that uses Christian allegory to lure the soul to God. Dante recounts his personal journey through the afterlife in 3 phases; Inferno, Purgatory, and Heaven. In his first journey he meets the Roman poet Virgil who guides him thru the multi-layers of Hell. They meet various warriors there such as Achilles. In purgatory Dante witness more layers corresponding to the seven deadly sins. In heaven he is guided by a woman he once loved, Beatrice, and she demonstrates to him the nine celestial spheres of heaven.

My Experience: I own this book and have made various attempts to read it yet often find it quite difficult to follow along with. It appears Dante has used this story to demonstrate deep biblical theology regarding the afterlife. I especially enjoy this philosophical concept of multi-layers in heaven, purgatory, and hell. 

Winnie-the-Pooh

Author: AA Milne
Date Published: 1926
Country: English
Genre: Children
Pages: 160
Synopsis: The classic English children's story revolves around a young boy named Christopher Robin and his talking animal friends primarily his teddy bear, Winnie the Pooh. The illustrated books shares various stories and adventures of Pooh Bear and his friends such as Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and Rabbit. The book went on to create a whole series revolved around the character and introduced other new characters such as Tigger. The series has been adapted into many TV series and films and is regarded as a staple of British culture.

My Experience: I have known of Winnie-the-Pooh since I was a child and the stories characters are common place in children's story telling. I watched a film several years back on a flight from Europe, Goodbye Christopher Robin, which portrayed how the author, AA Milne came up with the idea. I also found it quite intriguing how influential the story was during WWII as the soldiers longed for home and in the rebuilding years to follow. 


Les Miserables

Author: Victor Hugo
Date Published: 1862
Country: French
Pages: 1400
Synopsis: It is often considered among the longest novels ever written with 1900 pages in French and 1400 pages in the English version. It is set in the years after the fall of Napoleon during the Bourbon restoration where poverty has stricken the land of France. A man named Jean Valjean is released from prison after 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread and is able to become an honorable businessman. However one of his employees, Fantine, is thrown to the streets and suffers and dies from grief. Overcome by guilt Jean Valjean adopts her suffering child, Cosette and gives her a good life. Years later in the build-up to the June Rebellion of 1832 Cosette falls for a rebellious student named Marius. He is however torn between his desire for her and his desire for a people's revolution against the monarchy. Knowing that his daughter is in love with Marius, Jean Valjean intervenes in the rebellion to save Maurius and sees the two reunited before he dies.

My Experience: I have been familiar with the title for some time now, yet it was not until 2010 that I began my true appreciation with the history of the French Revolution. In 2012 one of my all time favorite movies was released, which was a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's story. The following year I did actually borrow the book from Shawnna and read it page-to-page. Thought it took me a very long time and I hardly was able to follow along with all the details. Nonetheless it remains one of my all time favorite novels and a true literature classic.

The Decameron

Author: Giovanni Boccaccio
Date Published: 1353
Country: Italian
Genre: Short stories, prose
Pages: 1024
Synopsis: Similar to the Canterbury Tales (which it was written before) it is a collection of short stories referred to as novellas. It is set in Florentine, Italy and depicts the life of various characters as they endure the Black Death epidemic during the 1340s. This famous work is renown for it's frame story technique with many smaller stories within a larger context, ranging from romance, humor, to tragedy. The stories are recounted by a group of seven women and three men who share stories with one another in a deserted villa in the countryside.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is considered a medieval classic in the likes of the Canterbury Tales or Dante's Divine Comedy. It is considered a masterpiece of Italian prose and demonstrates life in Florence during the Renaissance.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Date Published: 1886
Country: English
Genre: Horror
Pages: 71
Synopsis: In this famous psychological horror novel the dual personality character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde takes center stage. The book is mostly a mystery pertaining to a series of crimes that relate to the respectable Dr. Jekyll. The reader later discovers that the evil Mr. Hyde is in fact, Dr. Jekyll and that he is undergoing a multiple personality disorder. By the end of the novel Dr. Jekyll is no longer able to control his transformations thru his serum and decides to permanently become the wicked monster that is Mr. Hyde.

My Experience: I have never read this book, yet have heard of this classic horror novel since I can remember. It is one of many iconic horror stories such as Dracula and Frankenstein that have emerged from British literature.

Great Expectations

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1861
Country: English
Pages: 544
Synopsis: Yet another classic from Charles Dickens, it tells the story of the young orphan Pip who encounters a convict at a young age and decides to help him before he is captured by the police. Years later he is a laborer and has aspirations to marry a wealthy aristocrat named Estella, however does not have the money nor the high class to do so. However one day he mysteriously receives a fortune which he believes to be from Estella's mother, and he is trained how to become a gentleman by the spinster, Miss Havisham. However Pip later discovers that his fortune came from the convict he helped many years ago, and is he finds himself in trouble as an accessory to a criminal. The convict is eventually captured and Pip is able to leave cleanly where he begins work as a merchant in Egypt. Years later he returns to England to find Estella as an unhappy widow and the two share a moment that suggests they will never part again.

My Experience: I have never read this novel, however have known of it since I can remember. I also remember watching the 1998 adaptation of the story starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyenth Paltrow, and Robert De Niro.


Catch-22

Author: Joseph Heller
Date Published: 1961
Country: American
Genre: Dark Comedy
Pages: 453
Synopsis: This historical fiction tells the tale of Captain John Yossarian as he captains a ship carrier in the Mediterranean during WWII. The basic theme of the story recounts the crews fall into madness as they are faced with a life of violence and strict rules. Yossarian eventually has a break down and refuses to lead any more missions which gets him in trouble with his authorities. He then flees from the military to neutral Sweden where he hopes to live a life far separated from war.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, only that it is regarded as an all time classic. I have recently seen previews on Hulu for a new TV series directed by George Clooney which I intend to watch at some point.


Dubliners

Author: James Joyce
Date Published: 1914
Country: Irish
Genre: Short Stories
Pages: 152
Synopsis: This was James Joyce first major work, which is a collection of 12 short stories celebrating Irish nationalism. It was a historical period leading up to the Irish War of Independence from Britain where many Irish citizens were in search of their cultural identity and Joyce's work served as a popular source material. The stories revolve around a central theme of each character having a realization that some form of change is needed. This is no doubt a reference to the sentiment of Irish nationalism felt at that time and a rallying cry for action. Many of Joyce's characters in this novel are later included in his magnum opus Ulysses.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, however intend to listen to it on audio and perhaps read it page to page someday as I am finding myself an admirer of James Joyce.



The Idiot

Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Date Published: 1868
Country: Russian
Pages: 608
Synopsis: This ironic novel is considered one of Dostoevsky's most personal works as it tells the tale of a young man facing with epilepsy facing the harshness of society. Contrary to what the title suggests, the main protagonist Prince Myshkin is a very intelligent and good-hearted character however is misunderstood as an idiot due to his frequent seizures. The story cleverly depicts a good man against odds trying to survive in society and perhaps even find love in the unforgiving nature of the world.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of this novel, only that it is considered a literary classic.


Emma

Author: Jane Austen
Date Published: 1815
Country: English
Pages: 544
Synopsis: Yet another classic romance novel from Jane Austen, she returns the reader to the English country estates set during the Regency Era. Once again her protagonist is en empowered clever young female named Emma who has gained a reputations in the county for her matchmaking abilities. However the novel takes a turn when she herself is encountered with a desire for love and nearly misses her opportunity to secure a relationship with the charming Mr. Knightley.

My Experience: I have absolutely no experience of the novel, however have seen the 1996 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow in the title role. As per usual I was not too impressed with the romantic content, however still can appreciate the legendary stature of Austen's work.



The Time Machine

Author: HG Wells
Date Published: 1895
Country: English
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 140
Synopsis: Alongside Jules Verne, HG Wells is often considered the father of Science Fiction noted for his many famous Sci novels such as War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and the Time Machine. The Time Machine was his first major work and tells of a time traveler's journey into the future year of 802,701 where he encounters a new species of elegant humanoids known as the Eloi. He however loses his time machine to the barbaric Morlock species and must engage with the warring species to retrieve his machine.

My Experience: I have heard of this novel mentioned quite frequently in numerous Sci Fi shows and movies, however have never read the novel. I remember watching the 2002 adaptation starring Guy Pearce however was not too impressed. Nonetheless it is regarded as a classic Sci Fi novel and one of HG Well's finest works.


Candide

Author: Voltaire
Date Published: 1759
Country: French
Pages:
Synopsis: This classic French satire by the famous philosopher Voltaire was written with intentions to expose the optimism of the famed philosopher Gottfried Leibniz. Unlike the rationalist teachings of Leibniz, Volatire was more of a polemicist and he believed in a state free of God and free of speech. His famous novel Candide, represents a character who experiences an epiphany as he transitions from a dreamlike paradise that represents Leibniz's views, to the real world which he finds is faced with many hardships and realities. The general theme is that the world is a very complex place and people should approach it with practicality rather then blind optimism.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, however am quite familiar with the famed philosopher Voltaire, who was an instrumental influence during the French Revolution.


Aesop's Fables

Author: Aesop
Date Published: 6th century BC
Country: Greek
Genre: Children's fables, prose
Pages: 600 short stories
Synopsis: Aesop was believed to have been a slave and storyteller living in Ancient Greece from 620 to 564 BC, and he has been credited with many of this classic children's tales. His fables included talking animals and were written in the style of poetic verse. Normally each story was a short account among animals with a valuable lesson at its core. The fables have survived for over 2500 years as iconic works of literature, valued for their ancient life lessons.

My Experience: I have heard of Aesop's Fables since I can remember, most famous ones that I can recall are the "Boy who Cried Wolf" or the "Tortoise and the Hare".


Anna Karenina

Author: Leo Tolstoy
Date Published: 1877
Country: Russian
Pages: 864
Synopsis: This penultimate love affair novel by Leo Tolstoy tells of the toxic relationship between the married Countess Anna Karenina and the younger dashing officer Count Vronsky. Anna is very bored and unhappy in her marriage and is excited by the passionate Vronsky. She eventually leaves her husband for him, however she then begins to suffer from the harsh judgement of St. Petersburg society. To further complicate matters she becomes the mistress of Count Vrosnky rather than his wife, which further degrades her role in society. In the end she finds herself trapped, unable to sustain peace with Count Vronsky and unable to return to her past life, she abruptly commits suicide.

My Experience: I first became fascinated with Russian culture in the year 2010 when I came to
understand Tolstoy's works and viewpoints. I took me a couple years to finish War and Peace, however I never read Anna Karenina page-to-page. I do however own the 2012 movie adaptation starring Kiera Knightley which I greatly enjoy and have seen many times. I also own the book and intend to some day read it page-to-page as I consider it the greatest of love affair novels.


The Three Musketeers

Author: Alexandre Dumas
Date Published: 1844
Country: French
Genre: Historical Adventure
Pages: 700
Synopsis: It is set during the reign of King Louis XIII of the Bourbon Dynasty in the 1620s, who is under the guidance of the power-hungry Cardinal Richelieu. A young French man named d'Artagnan wishes to join the kings' guards known as musketeers and narrates the story of his three heroic friends. He thus recounts the tale of the three heroic inseparables, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis as the defend the king from the manipulative Cardinal Richelieu. The story is considered a historical fiction as it takes liberty with certain aspects and also makes political implications regarding the abuse of royal power.

My Experience: I have known of this classic story since I can remember, and have recently listened to the audio-book this summer. The classic novel has spurred my interest in the Bourbon Dynasty, Cardinal Richelieu, and the Sun King Louis XIV and his lavish palace at Versailles. I cannot remember watching a film regarding this story, however have seen and enjoyed the 1998 film, The Man in the Iron Mask which is an extension of Dumas' musketeers characters.


A Little Princess

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Date Published: 1905
Country: English
Genre: Children's Novel
Pages: 324
Synopsis: Captain Crewe is a wealthy English widower raising his daughter Sara in India where he is stationed for the British Army. She enjoys her life in India but at her father's wishes is sent to a boarding school in England where there is better climate and education. She does not take well to the harsh cruel rules of the headmistress Minchin. To further sadden matters her father dies of jungle fever and Sara loses all her fortune and is forced to work as a maid in the boarding school. She is able to endure however by making friends with another young maid, and a mysterious Indian servant and his monkey. She later discovers that the Indian servant's master was friends with her dad and chooses to adopt her and spare her from the miserable life she lives at the boarding school.

My Experience: The 1995 film adaptation, was one of my favorite drama movies growing up as a kid, (I believe I was in 5th grade when I first saw it). I was so moved by the dramatic story, especially the hardships she endured when she thought she lost her father. Although the film took some liberty from the novel, by bringing her father back from the dead, it still made for an incredibly happy finish at the end. This is a great novel that I feel every kid should read and an unquestionable classic in my opinion.


Far From the Maddening Crowd

Author: Thomas Hardy
Date Published: 1874
Country: English
Genre: Romance
Pages: 464
Synopsis: A beautiful young woman, Bathsheba Everdene lives in the country side tending to her farm and is approached by three suitors. The first is a sheep farmer, Gabriel who loses his farm in a disaster and requests to work for Bathsheba which she accepts. The second suitor is her neighbor the successful Mr. Boldwood, who is desired by many women, however he becomes obsessed with Bathsheba and proposes to her however she declines. She later meets her third suitor, a reckless soldier named Sargent Troy, who is able to woo and marry Bathsheba. However she later discovers that he has impregnated another woman and during a quarrel, Mr. Boldwood barges in and shoots Troy dead. Mr. Boldwood is sentenced to life in prison and Bathsheba marries her loyal friend Gabriel.

My Experience: I have never read this book yet have heard of it before, and intend to listen to the audio-book at some point and watch the 2015 film adaptation starring the lovely Carey Mulligan.


The Pickwick Papers

Author: Charles Dickens
Date Published: 1836
Country: English
Pages: 816
Synopsis: This was Charles Dickens' first published novel that brought him instant fame as an acclaimed author. It is a satirical novel of a gentlemen's club in London, known as the Pickwick club. Their founder Samuel Pickwick encourages the other three members to go on unusual adventures outside of London and then share them with the club. The story recounts each of their comedic tales as they journey throughout the countrysides of England.

My Experience: I have no experience of this novel, only that it is one of many of Charles Dickens' great works. Judging by the amount of classic books he published, (8 of which are on this list) he is in my opinion the greatest novelist who ever lived.

Honorable Mention

• Native Son (by Richard Wright) 1940
• Peter Pan (by JM Barre) 1904
• The Bell Jar (by Sylvia Plath) 1963
• The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway) 1952
• The Magic Mountain (Thomas Mann) 1924
• The Rainbow (DH Lawrence) 1915
• Women in Love (DH Lawrence) 1920
• The Pale Fire (Vladimir Nabokov) 1962
• An American Tradgedy (Theodore Dreiser) 1925
• Darkness at Noon (Arthur Koestler) 1940
• To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf) 1927
• The Color Purple (Alice Walker) 1982
• USA Trilogy (John Dos Passos) 1930
• The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood) 1985
• North and South (Elizabeth Gaskell) 1854
• Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier) 1938
• Persuasion (Jane Austen) 1818
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey) 1962