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• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Canterbury Tales was written

  14th century
• The Canterbury Tales brought to life characters and stories that remain popular today
• The Canterbury Tales provides a glimpse into the customs and practices within the society at the time of its writing
• The Canterbury Tales is one of the most read books and one of the most studied in all the world
• Many scholars suggest that Chaucer's magnum opus contributed greatly to the popularization of the English vernacular in literature
• Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
• The Divine Comedy is considered one of the most important pieces of world literature
• The Divine Comedy details a journey through the realms of the afterlife and allegorically, the soul's discovery of God
• The Divine Comedy provides a closer view of medieval Christian theology and philosophy
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
• William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer in the English language and the greatest dramatist in all of history
• Shakespeare's complete works have been translated into every major language and are still enjoyed around the world
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels ever written
• Moby Dick is heavy on symbolism and details the whaling industry in the 19th century
• 1984 by George Orwell
• 1984 describes life in a totalitarian regime that has stripped the people of their rights
• 1984 has contributed major themes to modern culture such as surveillance, truth, and censorship
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Brave New World is often considered one of the great novels of the 20th century
• Brave New World looks unfavorably on the loss of an individual's identity through futuristic technological advancements
• The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer
• The Iliad details a few weeks during the end of the Trojan War and The Odyssey describes Odysseus' ten-year journey home from the Trojan War
• The Iliad and The Odyssey are important for their detail of Greek history and legend, the composition of story, and the development of themes
• Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
• Don Quixote is one of the most influential and popular novels in the world
• Don Quixote is considered to be one of the best books ever written
• In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
• In Search of Lost Time is one of the most prominent modern works of the early 20th century
• In Search of Lost Time explores themes of memory, childhood, and meaning
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
• Madame Bovary is a story of a woman who engages in adulterous affairs in an attempt to escape from a loveless marriage
• Madame Bovary was subjected to heavy censorship at the time it was published and Flaubert was taken to trial over the novel
• After his acquittal, Madame Bovary became
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert: 'Flaubert's story of a woman who engages in adulterous affairs in an attempt to escape from a loveless marriage was subjected to heavy censorship at the time it was published, and Flaubert was taken to trial over the novel. After his acquittal, Madame Bovary became renowned as a masterpiece of the Realism movement'
• Arabian Nights translated by Andrew Lang: 'This English language version of One Thousand and One Nights retells the ancient stories that have now become popularized around the world, including the plight of Scheherazade, the adventures of Aladdin, and the voyages of Sinbad'
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez: 'Considered to be one of the most significant novels in the Spanish literary canon, One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the Buendía family over several generations. The style and themes in the novel are seen to be representative of a unique Latin American literary movement of the 1960s: Magical Realism'
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: 'Though Tolstoy was hesitant to call this a novel, War and Peace is often included in the discussion of the best novels of all time. Chronicling the French invasion of Russia in 1812, the book looks at the psychological effects of the war and the philosophical discussions that it created'
• The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu: 'Written in the beginning of the 11th century, The Tale of Genji is often called the first novel. While it does not have a plot by definition, the story does have many elements of a modern novel, including a main character, a supporting cast, and characterization. Translation of this novel has proved difficult over time, but most still consider it the first and greatest work in Japanese literature'