There are classics, of course, and unexpected treasures too.
Lists to help pick and choose, like Offbeat Escapes, or A Long Climb, but What a View.4"; Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children's books, history and more, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation, "you have to read this." But it's not a proscriptive list of the "great works"--rather, it's a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage. There are nuts and bolts, too"best editions to read, other books by the author, "if you like this, you"ll like that" recommendations , and an interesting endnote of adaptations where appropriate.