The Story Behind 1001 Books

"1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die", general-edited by Peter Boxall, was first published in 2006 as part of the same Quintessence-produced "1001..." series as the films, albums, and games volumes. It surveys the novel across nearly four centuries, from early works like Cervantes' Don Quixote through contemporary fiction, with a short critical essay for every entry making the case for its place in the canon.

The book has been revised several times since first publication, titles rotating in and out as the canon is argued over edition to edition. The list tracked here follows the 2012 edition.