People have always shared stories, whether to teach moral lessons, to entertain, or to record important events in history. Today the range of excellent fiction available to read is truly breathtaking - and choosing the right novel to read can appear a little daunting. This ground-breaking volume makes the task much easier. Whether you're trying to broaden your literary horizons, find the perfect book for a friend, or simply select a good read for yourself, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die is the only guide you will need to make the right choice.

Offering concise critical insight to the novels and the writers that have fired imaginations and influenced cultures around the world, this newly updated edition covers the gamut, from the first Latin novel to survive in its entirety to Mohsin Hamid's highly topical novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Organised chronologically, and covering the whole range of literary styles, this indispensable reference traces the history of world fiction. Discover the stories behind the adjectives: Dickensian, Kafkaesque, Rabelaisian.and the writers behind the stories. From the dark recesses of the Marquis de Sade's jail cell to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and from the society of Barbara Pim's Excellent Women to Don DeLillo's Falling Man, you'll find critiques of the most important and bestselling fiction ever written.