Recommended Reading grew out of a need for quick access to information about works of literature which frequently appear on high school or college reading lists. Drawing from an online database developed for such quick access, we selected 500 noteworthy books which continue to hold the interest of general readers and literary specialists year after year. While such a selection cannot hope to define a literary canon-and give rise to discussions of omitted works-we hope this compilation will lead readers to works of abiding literary value, and the subsequent controversy over selection will make them aware of many works not address here.