In reviewing the list below, I did a lot of exclaiming (yes, out loud, if you have to know): "WOW, I can't believe I haven't read this book" and "WOW, I've always meant to read this book" and "WOW, I forgot about this book" or "wow. I can't believe this book is on the list." Of course I suspect that since this was a survey, this list comprises a combination of best books with most popular (the fact that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is number 5 on the list should be evidence enough of this). Of course, were this survey done in the USA, I have a sneaking suspicion that a few Danielle Steeles, Jacki Collins, not to mention the ever-popular tell-all expose and an occasional self-help manual would have made the hit parade. Some of the notable books that I see missing from the list are (in no particular order of rank):

- The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway
- A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
- Light in August, William Falkner
- Howard's End, E.M. Forster
- Room with a View, E.M. Forster
- Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen
- The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
- Marjorie Morningstar, Herman Wouk
- The Last Convertible, Anton Myrer
- Goodbye Columbus, Philip Roth
- National Velvet, Enid Bagnold
- Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote
- The Winds of War, Herman Wouk
- War and Remembrance, Herman Wouk
- The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck (how can The Good Earth not be on this list???)
- The Red Pony, John Steinbeck
- Sophie's Choice, William Styron

All of the above are just a short list of some my favorites. Of course many represent highlights in American literature, which may be part of the reason why they are missing from the British list.