1. "Jane Eyre"
   "Little Women"
2. "The Gates Ajar"
   "Little House on the Prairie"

Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women," published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, is a beloved classic of American literature. The book follows the lives of the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they grow to adulthood against the backdrop of the American Civil War.

1. "The Amityville Horror"
   "The Shining"
2. "Lucifer's Hammer"
   "Ghost Story"

Stephen King established himself as the undisputed master of horror with "The Shining." His third published novel, "The Shining" was based in part on the author's own struggle with alcoholism.

1. "A Clockwork Orange"
   "1984"
2. "The Handmaid's Tale"
   "Divergent"

Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel "The Handmaid's Tale" takes place in a dystopian near future where the United States government has been overthrown and replaced with a fundamentalist military regime. The novel's protagonist is Offred, a handmaid whose duty is to bear children for infertile women.

1. "Cold Mountain"
   "The Red Badge of Courage"
2. "Across Five Aprils"
   "Gone With The Wind"

"Gone With the Wind," the only novel by author Margaret Mitchell, is the story of the rich and spoiled Scarlett O'Hara, whose life of comfort is thrown into turmoil by the Civil War. Winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1937, the book became an Academy Award-winning film starring Vivien Leigh in 1939.

1. "To Kill a Mockingbird"
   "Sounder"
2. "A Rose for Emily"
   "The Book Thief"

Harper Lee's 1960 novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" caused a sensation when it was released. The story of Scout, a young girl growing up in 1930s Alabama, the book explores themes of tolerance, race and justice in the segregated South. It was adapted as a successful film starring Gregory Peck in 1962.

1. "The Bad Beginning"
   'The Lightning Thief"
2. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
   "The Fault in Our Stars"

J.K. Rowling went from struggling author to queen of a literary empire with the publication of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in 1997. Aimed at children, the Potter books were just as popular with adults who anxiously awaited each installment in the saga of the young wizard.

1. "The Sun Also Rises"
   "The Great Gatsby"
2. "Save Me the Waltz"
   "The Beautiful and the Damned"

F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is considered the greatest novel of the Jazz Age. Initially published to mixed reviews and poor sales, Fitzgerald's 1925 novel found its audience after the author's death. Often found on high school reading lists, "The Great Gatsby" is an American classic.

1. "The Hobbit"
   "Alice in Wonderland"
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
   "Bridge to Terabithia"

J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 novel "The Hobbit" is the tale of Bilbo Baggins, a respectable Hobbit who loves good food and a comfortable life. When a wizard and a group of dwarves invite him on an adventure, his world is never the same. "The Hobbit" lays the foundation for "The Lord of the Rings."

1. "Pride and Prejudice"
   "Sense and Sensibility"
2. "Mansfield Park"
   "Emma"

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is an exercise in romance and irony set against the strict social mores of Georgian-era gentility. Endlessly adapted for film, TV and theatre, "Pride and Prejudice" is one of the most enduring and beloved works in the English Language.

1. "Alice in Wonderland"
   "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"
2. "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"
   "A Wrinkle in Time"

Although many may be more familiar with the 1939 film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's uniquely American fairytale, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," the 1900 children's novel was an immediate phenomenon in its own right. At the behest of his young fans, Baum wrote 13 more Oz books between 1904 and 1920,

1. "The Time Machine"
   "From Earth to the Moon"
2. "The Martian"
   "The War of the Worlds"

Science fiction pioneer H.G. Wells influenced generations of writers and filmmakers with his frightening 1898 novel "The War of the Worlds." Presented as a factual account by an unnamed narrator, the novel details the decimation of Victorian England by an invasion from Mars.

1. "Lolita"
   "Peyton Place"
2. "The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit"
   "Loser Takes All"

Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel "Lolita" is among the greatest and most controversial literary works of the 20th century. Told from the perspective of its protagonist, Humbert Humbert, the narrator details his obsession with the 12-year-old Dolores Hayes.

1. "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"
   "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test"
2. "Naked Lunch"
   "Sometimes a Great Notion"

Hunter S. Thompson's semi-autobiographical novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a landmark of 20th century American literature. Written in Thompson's trademark Gonzo style, the novel, rooted in the framework of an assignment to cover a desert bike race, documents the fall of '60s idealism.

1. "Dreams From My Father"
   "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man"
2. "Angela's Ashes"
   "The Butcher Boy"

Author Frank McCourt won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography with his memoir "Angela's Ashes." In the book, McCourt's immigrant family returns to Ireland following the death of their youngest child to find that the Great Depression has taken an even worse toll on the old country.

1. "Thinner"
   "Invisible Monsters"
2. "American Psycho"
   "The Onion Field"

Author Bret Easton Ellis shocked readers with this scathing and bloody critique of capitalism. Narrated by a young businessman named Patrick Bateman, the narrator details the banality of his daily life, his affinity for '80s pop culture and his penchant for committing grisly acts of murder.

1. "Lie Down in Darkness"
   "Where the Red Fern Grows"
2. "The Catcher in the Rye"
   "From Here to Eternity"

J.D. Salinger created the ultimate mixed-up kid with Holden Caulfield, the young protagonist of his 1951 novel "The Catcher in the Rye." Frequently challenged for its raw language and adult themes, "The Catcher in the Rye" unflinchingly examines themes of anger and loss on the road to adulthood.

1. "Jaws"
   "Billy Budd"
2. "The Ghost Pirates"
   "Moby Dick"

Among the greatest of American novels, Herman Melville's 1851 "Moby Dick" is the tale of Captain Ahab, an obsessed captain of a whaling ship and his vengeful quest to slay the white whale who took his leg. Rich in language and symbolism, the novel explores themes of madness, fate and freewill.

1. "Johnny Got His Gun"
   "MASH"
2. "Slaughterhouse 5"
   "Catch-22"

Joseph Heller's 1961 satire "Catch-22" is a scathing indictment of bureaucracy and the banality of war. In the novel, Captain Yossarian, a bombardier on a B-25 bomber stationed on the island of Pianosa off the Italian coast, struggles to maintain his sanity and his safety in the Second World War.

1. "The Outsiders"
   "Rumble Fish"
2. "A Separate Peace"
   "The Deadly Streets"

Author S.E. Hinton was only 15 when she began writing the beloved coming-of-age classic "The Outsiders." Chronicling the conflict between the lower class "greasers" and the rich "socs," Hinton's 1967 novel was adapted as a film by "The Godfather's" Francis Ford Coppola in 1983.

1. "A River Runs Through It"
   "Big Two-Hearted River"
2. "The Old Man and the Sea"
   "The Perfect Storm"

His last major work, "The Old Man and the Sea" served to reignite interest in Ernest Hemingway's writing and reestablished the troubled author as an American literary force. Winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, the short novel was critical in Hemingway's winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.

1. "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
   "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
2. "The Phantom of the Opera"
   "Frankenstein"

First published anonymously in 1818 when the author was only 20, Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a cornerstone of both horror and science fiction. An indelible piece of the cultural landscape, Shelley's novel has become shorthand for the theme of science run amok.

1. "Brave New World"
   "A Clockwork Orange"
2. "A Boy and His Dog"
   "Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel"

Often considered prophetic, George Orwell's final novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" is the story of Winston Smith, an average worker who longs to rebel against the totalitarian government of Oceania. Set in a dystopian future, Orwell's vision remains relevant decades after its dated title.

1. "Varney the Vampire"
   "Carmilla"
2. "At the Mountains of Madness"
   "Dracula"

Theatrical manager and author Bram Stoker created the ultimate Gothic horror novel and one of the most popular characters in literature with "Dracula." Published in 1897, Stoker's iconic vampire tale has spawned countless adaptations, homages, sequels and parodies across all media.

1. "Childhood's End"
   "The Martian Chronicles"
2. "Slaughterhouse-Five"
   "Stranger in a Strange Land"

Kurt Vonnegut's 1969 novel "Slaughterhouse-Five" brilliantly melds science fiction with a poignant anti-war stance. Deeply philosophical, Vonnegut's novel presents a thoughtful examination of freewill. "Slaughterhouse-Five" has been frequently challenged because of its tone and frank language.

1. "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
   "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
2. "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
   "Toby Tyler"

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, a sequel to his "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," is one of the most challenged books in American literature. With a narrative composed of colloquial vernacular, the novel's use of rough language and racial epithets make this work perennially controversial.

1. "Great Expectations"
   "A Tale of Two Cities"
2. "David Copperfield"
   "Oliver Twist"

Charles Dickens' 1859 historical novel of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of the French Revolution holds the distinction of being the best-selling work of fiction in history. Despite Dickens' expert plotting and characterizations, the book's historical accuracy is questionable.

1. "Robinson Crusoe"
   "Treasure Island"
2. "Brave New World"
   "Lord of the Flies"

William Golding's first novel, "Lord of the Flies" addresses the age-old problem of civilization versus savagery. When their plane crashes on a paradisiacal island after a wartime evacuation, a group of British schoolboys revert to primitive tribalism and violence.

1. "The Dark Knight Returns"
   "The Killing Joke"
2. "Watchmen"
   "Kingdom Come"

This graphic novel from 1987 holds the distinction of being the only comic book to hold a place on Time magazine's list of the 100 Best Novels. Created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, "Watchmen" was met with much acclaim from both comic fans and mainstream critics.

1. "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret"
   "Go Ask Alice"
2. "Here's to You, Rachael Robinson"
   "Superfudge"

Judy Blume started a revolution in young adult literature with her 1970 novel "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." Controversial for its frank treatment of sensitive topics like religion, puberty and sex, Blume's novel tackles difficult issues with sensitivity and honesty.

1. "Northanger Abbey"
   "The Mysteries of Udolpho"
2. "Wuthering Heights"
   "Agnes Grey"

Published under the pen name Ellis Bell, Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights" is a masterwork of setting, atmosphere and characterization. Exploring themes of cruelty, revenge and class, this novel initially challenged Victorian sensibilities but has since become a well-loved classic.

1. "The Stars My Destination"
   "The Caves of Steel"
2. "Starship Troopers"
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Writer Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a comedic adventure that combines the absurdity of Monty Python with the quirky and uniquely British sci-fi sensibility of "Doctor Who." First appearing as a BBC radio comedy, "The Hitchhiker's Guide" has been adapted across all media.

1. "The Trial"
   "Naked Lunch"
2. "The Metamorphosis"
   "The Castle"

Published in 1915, author Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" tells the story of Gregor Samsa, a weary traveling salesman who awakens one morning to find that he's become a giant, grotesque insect. Surreal, frightening and filled with pathos, "The Metamorphosis" defies interpretation.

1. "The Bell Jar"
   "Sybil"
2. "Girl, Interrupted"
   "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden"

Sylvia Plath's 1963 novel "The Bell Jar" is the story of Esther Greenwood, a woman who spirals into depression over the course of a summer as an intern with a major magazine. The novel mirrors much of the author's own tragic life. Sadly, Plath died by suicide shortly after the book's publication.

1. "Crime and Punishment"
   "Helter Skelter"
2. "In Cold Blood"
   "The Postman Always Rings Twice"

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" author Truman Capote spent six years researching and writing "In Cold Blood." Assisted by his friend Harper Lee (author of "To Kill a Mockingbird"), Capote spent six years writing and researching the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas.

1. "Cannery Row"
   "Of Mice and Men"
2. "The Red Pony"
   "The Grapes of Wrath"

John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" functions more as a profile of the colorful characters who live near Monterey's sardine canneries than a traditional narrative. Composed of loosely related vignettes, the main story deals with Doc, a marine biologist who's much beloved by the denizens of Cannery Row.