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An English Teacher's Essential Literature

A complete list of the books I believe are essential to one's understanding of literature. These works, which have all helped to shape American culture in some way, are referenced and read often, and all have stood the test of time.
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Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
Little Women
1
Louisa May Alcott
Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
Gone With the Wind
2
Margaret Mitchell
The Fire Next Time (James Baldwin)
The Fire Next Time
3
James Baldwin
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (Ntozake Shange)
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf
4
Ntozake Shange
Beloved (Toni Morrison)
Beloved
5
Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison)
The Bluest Eye
6
Toni Morrison
The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
The Color Purple
7
Alice Walker
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Janie Crawford)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
8
Janie Crawford
Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
Of Mice and Men
9
John Steinbeck
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (Frederick Douglass)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
10
Frederick Douglass
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (Tom Wolfe)
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
11
Tom Wolfe
The Giver (Lois Lowry)
The Giver
12
Lois Lowry
The Firm (John Grisham)
The Firm
13
John Grisham
Citizen (Claudia Rankine)
Citizen
14
Claudia Rankine
Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
Americanah
15
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Assata (Assata Shakur)
Assata
16
Assata Shakur
Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin)
Giovanni's Room
17
James Baldwin
The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
The Secret Garden
18
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
19
J.K. Rowling
Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)
Chamber of Secrets
20
J.K. Rowling
Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
Prisoner of Azkaban
21
J.K. Rowling
Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling)
Goblet of Fire
22
J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
23
J.K. Rowling
Half Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
Half Blood Prince
24
J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
25
J.K. Rowling
A Series of Unfortunate Events Series (Lemony Snicket)
A Series of Unfortunate Events Series
26
Lemony Snicket
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
27
Maya Angelou
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
28
The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)
The Handmaid's Tale
29
Margaret Atwood
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bram Stoker's Dracula
30
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison)
Invisible Man
31
Ralph Ellison
A Raisin in the Sun (Lorraine Hansberry)
A Raisin in the Sun
32
Lorraine Hansberry
The Awakening (Kate Chopin)
The Awakening
33
Kate Chopin
Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)
Julius Caesar
34
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
Romeo and Juliet
35
William Shakespeare
MacBeth (William Shakespeare)
MacBeth
36
William Shakespeare
Native Son (Richard Wright)
Native Son
37
Richard Wright
Kindred (Octavia Butler)
Kindred
38
Octavia Butler
Jazz by Toni Morrison
Jazz by Toni Morrison
39
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
Pride and Prejudice
40
Jane Austen
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