The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - Perhaps the greatest novel in American literature, this classic is actually more rewarding when read as an adult.

 

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner - My favorite novel by America's greatest novelist; it boggles the mind that Faulkner wrote this book in only six weeks. 

 

Candide by Voltaire - Hilariously witty, stylistically brilliant, and savagely satirical, this masterpiece of 18th-century French literature never grows old.  (For a superior translation, click here.)

 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - My #1 favorite novel of all time; it does not contain a single boring page, and Holden is as vivid and real as any character in world literature.

 

Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth - Just the sort of novel I love, short but moving, stylistically admirable and totally enjoyable.

 

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - In my opinion the second greatest English-language novel of the 20th century behind only Ulysses.

 

The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh - In this hilarious satire of America's funeral industry, Mr. Waugh gives Voltaire a run for his money.

 

Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow - I love the style in which this novel is written, thoroughly original and highly entertaining.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. - As original a work as you will ever find, this novel enthralled me in college and inspired some pretty poor attempts at imitation.

 

Steps by Jerzy Kosinski - Bizarre, disturbing, haunting, this short book is less a novel than a series of vignettes unified by tone and point of view.

 

The Stranger by Albert Camus - Monsieur Camus proves that among the philosophers, the existentialists make the best writers.

 

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway - My favorite novel by still my favorite writer; who among us hasn't learned a thing or two about style from a study of Papa's work?

 

 

(Note:  Most of these novels are not yet in the public domain; therefore I link to other material of interest regarding them.)

 

 

Bartleby.com - "Provides the best works of fiction from a wide range of classic authors."

 

Bibliomania - "Free online literature."

 

The Online Books Page - "Listing over 35,000 free books on the Web."

 

Free Online Novels - Novels and short stories by lesser known contemporary authors.

 

Apexoo Directory Literature - A directory of both classic and contemporary literature.