Top Ten Works of Literature

10. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
--This is a novel that takes place during the Jazz Age. Jazz music was king as was high society. The jockeying for position was important. This story traces the struggle in this society for position as people try to get there at any cost.

9. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
--This novel deals with the soul and its connection between innocence and guilt and right and wrong. Hester Prynne has a child out of wedlock and names her Pearl. Her punishment is to wear a letter "A" for adultery so that all who see her see her sin on her at all times. The identity of the father will shock all in this town.

8. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
--Of all of Shakespeare's plays, this one might be his most complete work of his entire career. Written and inspired by the death of his son Hamnet, Shakespeare delves into the issues of revenge, hatred, love, loyalty, suicide, and familial bonding as told through the eyes of one of the most tragic characters in history, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
--Before Oscar Wilde was put on trial and punished for public indecency, he wrote one of the most interesting tales of good and eveil that anyone would read. As the young and vain Dorian Gray gets a portrait made of himself, his vanity becomes a huge problem as time passes. Interestingly enough, as long as he lives an evil life doing wrong and living riotously, he doesn't age. His portrait begins to show his inner demons and sins upon its canvas. He can't have something ugly, so he must get rid of the painting, but how and what cost?

6. The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
--The creator of the modern mystery story is a must read for anybody interested in thrillers, mysteries, and even horror. His mark on American literature is immense as the award for the top mystery now bares his name.

5. Animal Farm by George Orwell
--Revolution, power, corruption, and hatred are the center of one of the most daring books ever written. George Orwell chronicles the dangers and pratfalls of the Russian Revolution through the lives and viewpoints of the animals of Manor Farm. This novel works to show that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
--Imagine a world in which it is illegal to read. Imagine a world in which book burnings are common, and people are imprisoned for just desiring to read. Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury creates a future society in which people aren't made to do any reading, and they are entertained by moving pictures on their walls. Firefighter Guy Montag must decide where he sits in this crazy future world.

3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
--A group of people with pasts are invited to an island by a Mr. Owen, who is strangely enough missing. One by one the guests end up dead. Will they find the killer before the killer bumps them all off one by one. This is the premise of one of the most influential mystery novels of all time.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
--The Finch family live in Maycomb County Alabama during the Great Depression. Their father Atticus is called upon to defend a negro man accused of rape. He must face the demons of the prosecution and the demons that live in their hearts of his fellow townspeople. The content of the heart is in full tilt in this story of good and evil.

1. The Bible by God
Aside from being a religious instrument, the Bible is an excellent work of literature. In its pages, histories, poems, songs, parables, inspirational stories as well as much more are told in these hallowed pages. There is something here for everybody.