From "The Alchemist" to "Thus Spake Zarathustra" and Achebe to Zola, "1001 Books" offers concise critical insights into the books and the writers that have excited the imagination of the world. It offers reviews, author biographies, plot and character assessments and historical information on those books considered the most important, compelling, or simply the best fiction ever written. Whether classics, novels, thrillers, science fictions, or romances, you will never again be stuck for what to read next or how to find the next great book from an author. In the style of the phenomenally successful "1001 Movies", this is an incisive guide to the books that have had a real impact - whether in the form of critical acclaim or as cult classics. It is an eclectic selection by a superb international team of writers and critics, a provides a new take on old classics and is a guide to what's hot in the huge contemporary fiction market. It is also an ideal reference for anyone who loves to read.