The Great Books Foundation, The Great Books: A Reading List [1998]
74 entries: 40 monographical, 34 otherwise
Unrankedarranged alphabetically by author
The New York Public Library Desk Reference, 3rd ed., includes this list devised by the Great Books Foundation, the same organization founded by Mortimer Adler and Robert Hutchins, editors of the Great Books of the Western World set. Very likely this book is not the origin of this list. The Great Books Foundation published numerous periodicals and books over the years, and I would like to think this list exists in better form, perhaps accompanying a reader/ anthology.
- Henry Adams
The Education of Henry Adams_11
1918English
*Durant* *Invitation* *Hundred* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Foundation* *Fadiman* *Kanigel*
Agamemnon_3
part of The Oresteia; 458 B CGreek
*Foundation* *O'Hear* *Educated*
- Aristotle
Politik_10
Politics
Fourth Century B.CGreek
*Lubbock* *Durant* *Invitation* *Downs* *Zulli* *Read* *Ward* *Adler* *Fadiman* *Foundation*
- Ethika Nikomacheia [excerpted]_1
Nicomachean Ethics
'On Happiness'; Fourth Century B CGreek
*Foundation*
- Peri Poiêtikês [excerpted]_1
De Poetica; Poetics
'On Tragedy'; Fourth Century B CGreek
*Foundation*
- Augustine of Hippo
De Civitate Dei Contra Paganos_9
City of God
426Latin
*Downs* *Read* *Ward* *Adler* *Bloom* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Great* *Educated*
--
part of the BibleHebrew; Aramaic; Greek
*Durant* *Classics* *Learning* *Foundation* *Great*
--
part of the BibleHebrew; Aramaic; Greek
*Durant* *Learning* *Foundation* *Great*
--
part of the BibleHebrew; Aramaic; Greek
*Eliot* *Durant* *Invitation* *Classics* *Rexroth* *Foundation* *Norway* *Great*
--
part of the BibleHebrew; Aramaic; Greek
*Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Foundation* *Kanigel*
--
- The Gospel According to Mark_2
part of the BibleHebrew; Aramaic; Greek
*Durant* *Foundation*
- Edmund Burke
Reflections on the Revolution in France_9
1790English
*Eliot* *Invitation* *Classics* *Downs* *Ward* *Bloom* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Great*
- Geoffrey Chaucer
Canterbury Tales_30
1478; Mallison ("Smart") specifies Nevill Coghill's modern English versionEnglish
*Lubbock* *Baldwin* *Hundred* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Zulli* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Great* *O'Hear* *Zane* *Smart* *Taylor* *Telegraph* *Reynolds* *World* *Newman* *Graphic* *Educated*
Anton Chekhov
'Rothschild's Violin'
originally published Feb. 1894 in Russkie VedomostiRussian
*Foundation* *Newman*
- Dâdâ Vanâ_10
Uncle Vanya
1897Russian
*Classics* *Ward* *Adler* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Dirda* *Great* *Newman*
Vom Kriege [excerpted]_1
On War
'What Is War?'; complete work published 1832German
*Foundation*
- Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness_16
originally published serially Feb.-Apr. 1899 in Blackwood'sEnglish
*Magill* *Adler* *Learning* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Great* *Guardian* *Zane* *Smart* *Newman* *Graphic* *Deposit* *Educated*
Inferno_6
part of La Divina Commedia; written ca. 1308-21; Mallison ("Smart") specifies Robert and Jean Hollander's English translationItalian
*Learning* *Foundation* *Campbell* *Smart* *Graphic* *Educated*
'The Moral Sense of Man and the Lower Animals'_1
excerpts from On the Origin of Species and The Descent of ManEnglish
*Foundation*
John Dewey
'The Virtues'; complete work published 1908
*Foundation*
- Human Nature and Conduct [excerpted]_1
'Habits and Will'; complete work published 1922
*Foundation*
- Denis Diderot
Le Neveu de Rameau ou la Satire Seconde_7
German traslation, 1805; original, 1823French
*Classics* *Ward* *Adler* *Bloom* *Foundation* *Dirda* *Newman*
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
Zapaski iz Podpol'â_6
Notes From Underground
1864Russian
*Bloom* *Recommended* *Foundation* *Zane* *Smart* *Newman*
Euripides
- Mēdeia_17
Medea
431 B.C; Mallison ("Smart") specifies Michael Collier and Georgia Ann Machemer's English translationGreek
*Lubbock* *Classics* *Downs* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Bloom* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Norway* *Great* *Smart* *Newman* *Graphic* *Educated*
- Iphigeneia en Aulidi _4
Iphigeneia in Aulis
405 B CGreek
*Ward* *Adler* *Bloom* *Foundation*
'Un Cœur Simple'_3
part of Trois Contes, 1877French
*Bloom* *Foundation* *Recommended*
Die Traumdeutung [excerpted]_1
The Interpretation of Dreams
'On Dreams'; complete work published 1899German
*Foundation*
- Edward Gibbon
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_23
originally published in six volumes: first, 1776; second-third, 1781; fourth-sixth, 1788English
*Lubbock* *Baldwin* *Durant* *Invitation* *Hundred* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Read* *List* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Foundation* *Kanigel* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Dirda* *Telegraph* *World* *Educated*
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Faust. Der Tragödie Erster Teil_3
first of two volumes of Faust; published in part, 1790; in its entirey, 1808; revised 1829; second volume, Faust. Der Tragödie Zweiter Teil, 1832
*Eliot* *Foundation* *Deposit*
'Šinel''_3
'The Overcoat'
1842Russian
*Magill* *Recommended* *Foundation*
- Alexander Hamilton; John Jay; James Madison
The Federalist Papers_11
originally published 1787-1788 in the Independent Journal, the New-York Packet, and the Daily AdvertiserEnglish
*Hundred* *Downs* *Read* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Good* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Kanigel* *Trinity* *Great*
Historiē [excerpted]_1
History
'The Persian Wars'; Fifth Century B CGreek
*Foundation*
- Thomas Hobbes
Leviathan or, The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil_16
1651English
*Durant* *Classics* *Hundred* *Downs* *Read* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Bloom* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Great* *Telegraph* *Deposit*
- Homer
Iliad_33
ca. Ninth-Eighth centuries B.C; Cowan and Guinness ("Trinity") specifiy Richard Lattimore's English translation; Mallison ("Smart") notes Derek Jacobi's modern aural versionGreek
*Lubbock* *Baldwin* *Classics* *France* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Zulli* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Great* *O'Hear* *Zane* *GlobeMail* *Smart* *Taylor* *Telegraph* *World* *Deposit* *Newman* *Graphic* *Educated*
David Hume
- A Treatise of Human Nature: Being an Attempt to Introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning into Moral Subjects [excerpted]_1
'Of Personal Identity'; complete work originally published in three volumes: first-second, 1739; third, 1740English
*Foundation*
- Essays, Moral and Political [excerpted]_1
'Of Justice and Injustice'; complete work originally published in two volumes, 1741 and 1742English
*Foundation*
- Henry James
The Beast in the Jungle_4
originally published in The Better Sort, 1903English
*Powys* *Adler* *Foundation* *Dirda*
- Franz Kafka
Die Verwandlung_14
The Metamorphosis
originally published 1915 in Die Weißen Blätter; Mallison ("Smart") specifies Stanley Corngold's English translationGerman
*Ward* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Learning* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Norway* *GlobeMail* *Smart* *Newman* *Graphic* *Deposit*
Immanuel Kant
- Kritik der Praktischen Vernunft [excerpted]_1
Critique of Practical Reason
'Conscience'; complete work published 1788
*Foundation*
- Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten [excerpted]_1
Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals; Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals; Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Ethics
'First Principles of Morals'; complete work published 1785; revised 1786German
*Foundation*
Frygt og Baeven [excerpted]_1
Fear and Trembling
'The Knight of Faith'; complete work originally published under the pseudonym, Johannes de Silentio, 1843Danish
*Foundation*
Second Treatise [second part of Two Treatises of Government: In the Former, the False Principles, and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The Latter Is an Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government]_8
complete work originally anonymously published 1689English
*Read* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Great* *Reynolds* *Educated*
- Niccolò Machiavelli
Il Principe_29
The Prince
1532Italian
*Eliot* *Durant* *Invitation* *Classics* *Hundred* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Zulli* *Read* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Learning* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Kanigel* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Great* *GlobeMail* *Taylor* *Telegraph* *World* *Deposit* *Educated*
Dalalatul al-Hairin [excerpted]_1
Moreh Nevukhim; The Guide for the Perplexed
'On Evil'; written Twelfth Century; Hebrew version published 1204Arabic
*Foundation*
Das Kapital, Kritik der Politischen Ökonomie [excerpted]_1
'Alienated Labour'; complete work originally published in three volumes: 1867, 1885, and 1894German
*Foundation*
- Herman Melville
Billy Budd, Foretopman_9
Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative)
1924English
*Read* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Campbell* *Newman*
John Stuart Mill
- On Liberty_16
1859English
*Eliot* *Classics* *Downs* *Read* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Great* *Taylor* *World*
- Utilitarianism_5
originally published serially 1861 in Fraser's MagazineEnglish
*Classics* *Read* *Ward* *Adler* *Foundation*
- Molière
Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire Amoureux_13
The Misanthrope
1666French
*Durant* *Classics* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Great* *Newman*
Les Essais [excerpted]_1
'Of Experience', Book III, Chapter 13; complete work published in three volumes: 1580, 1588, and 1595French
*Foundation*
- Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu
De l'Esprit des Lois [excerpted]_1
The Spirt of Laws
'Principles of Government'; complete work originally anonymously published 1748
*Foundation*
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Also Sprach Zarathustra: Ein Buch für Alle und Keinen_15
Thus Spake Zarathustra
originally published in four volumes, 1883-85German
*Powys* *Durant* *Hundred* *France* *Read* *List* *Ward* *Magill* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Great* *World* *Graphic*
Plato
- Politeia_24
The Republic
early Fourth Century B.CGreek
*Classics* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Zulli* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Learning* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Great* *GlobeMail* *Taylor* *Reynolds* *World* *Deposit* *Educated*
- Symposium_10
early Fourth Century B CGreek
*Invitation* *Classics* *Downs* *Read* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Good* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Graphic*
- Crito_13
early Fourth Century B CGreek
*Lubbock* *Eliot* *Classics* *Rexroth* *Downs* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Campbell* *O'Hear*
- Apologia Socratis_16
The Apology
early Fourth Century B CGreek
*Lubbock* *Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Rexroth* *Downs* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Campbell* *Great* *O'Hear*
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Du Contrat Social ou Principes du Droit Politique_17
The Social Contract
1762French
*Invitation* *Classics* *Hundred* *Downs* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Adler* *Good* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Dirda* *Great* *GlobeMail* *Telegraph* *Newman* *Educated*
Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung [excerpted]_1
The World as Will and Idea
'The Indestructibility of Our Inner Nature'; complete work originally published in two volumes, 1819 and 1844German
*Foundation*
William Shakespeare
- Hamlet_27
1602English
*Eliot* *Durant* *Invitation* *Classics* *Hundred* *Downs* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Great* *Guardian* *O'Hear* *Zane* *Taylor* *Harvard* *World* *Newman* *Graphic* *Educated*
- Othello_14
ca. 1604English
*Durant* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Campbell* *Norway* *Taylor* *World* *Newman*
- King Lear_21
1606English
*Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Hundred* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Zane* *GlobeMail* *Taylor* *World* *Newman* *Graphic*
- Antony and Cleopatra_13
ca. 1606-08English
*Invitation* *Classics* *Ward* *Magill* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Zane* *Taylor* *World* *Newman*
- The Tempest_20
1611English
*Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Rexroth* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Great* *O'Hear* *Zane* *Taylor* *World* *Newman*
- George Bernard Shaw
Caesar and Cleopatra_3
1901English
*Read* *Fadiman* *Foundation*
Philosophie des Geldes [excerpted] _1
'Individual Freedom'; complete work, 1900German
*Foundation*
- Adam Smith
An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations_15
1776; revised through third edition, 1784English
*Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Downs* *Read* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Foundation* *Kanigel* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Great* *GlobeMail* *Taylor*
Sophocles
- Antigone_22
ca. 441 B CGreek
*Lubbock* *Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Campbell* *Great* *O'Hear* *Zane* *GlobeMail* *World* *Newman*
- Oidipous Tyrannos_25
Oedipus Rex; Oedipus the King
ca. 429 B.C; Mallison ("Smart") specifies Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald's English translationGreek
*Lubbock* *Eliot* *Durant* *Classics* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Great* *Zane* *GlobeMail* *Smart* *World* *Newman* *Educated*
- Jonathan Swift
Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and Then a Captain of Several Ships_29
Gulliver's Travels
1726; revised 1735English
*Lubbock* *Durant* *Classics* *Hundred* *France* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Zulli* *Read* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Good* *Learning* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Trinity* *Campbell* *Norway* *Great* *Zane* *GlobeMail* *Smart* *Telegraph* *Newman* *Graphic* *Educated*
'Civil Disobedience'_7
originally published 1849 in Aesthetic PapersEnglish
*Classics* *Downs* *Read* *Recommended* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *SeymourSmith*
- Thucydides
History of the Peloponnesian War_23
early Fifth Century B.CGreek
*Lubbock* *Durant* *Classics* *Downs* *Rexroth* *Read* *List* *Ward* *Van Doren* *Magill* *Adler* *Good* *Bloom* *Fadiman* *Foundation* *Kanigel* *SeymourSmith* *Trinity* *Utne* *Great* *Telegraph* *World* *Educated*
De la Démocratie en Amérique [excerpted]_1
Democracy in America
'The Power of the Majority'; complete work originally published in two volumes, 1835 and 1840French
*Foundation*
- Leo Tolstoy
Smert' Ivana Il'icha_5
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
1886Russian
*Van Doren* *Bloom* *Recommended* *Foundation* *Norway*
- Max Weber
Die Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus_3
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
1905German
*Foundation* *Great* *Educated*