Is there a better list available that you'd recommend? Because the idea of a curated list of books to read appeals to the lazy side in me. I like reading but not researching what to read..
The Reader's List is making me cry... tears of pure hilarity at Ayn Rand capturing not just first place but second place as well, at L. Ron Hubbard appearing not once but thrice on it, and at both Tom Clancy and Orson Scott Card each making an appearance. This is a breathtaking list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100_Best_Books_of_All_Time
You'll notice that it's much less heavily biased toward 20th Century English-language literature.
If you want to stick to things originally written in English, the Modern Library list is a pretty good one:
http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/
I mean "The Board's List", of course--comparing "The Board's List" to the "The Reader's List" is enough to make one cry.