The Modern Library keeps a post of their 100 Best Novels. There are actually two lists, the board’s 100 best list and the reader’s 100 best list. I find it interesting to note that 3 names (that appear NO WHERE in the board’s list) make up 8 of the top 10 ten titles on the readers list. Those names are Ayn Rand, L. Ron Hubbard, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Other names that fail to meet the board’s list but make notable appearances on the readers list are: Steven King, Tom Clancy, and Frank Herbert . And they say that literary elitism died with Amazon.
Looking at the lists I have only read a couple dozen; therefore I just extended my to-do reading list. For anyone who is looking for a couple good reading lists, these are a good start.