#28

Title: Death of a Salesman

Author: Arthur Miller

Year: 1949

This masterpiece of American drama does not need any of my praise; with all its beauty and tragedy, it must be read (surely more than once) to be fully appreciated.

#27

Title: Plainsong

Author: Kent Haruf

Year: 1999

The overlapping lives of several men, women and children in a small Colorado town are narrated with attention to the tiniest details, and Haruf's simple, straightforward prose lets the characters' actions stand prominent, as the beauty of human compassion shines boldly in the face of bitterness and anger; if you're looking for action and a complex plot, look elsewhere, but if you like a no-frills narrative of human emotions, give this book a try.

#26

Title: Silas Marner

Author: George Eliot

Year: 1861

This book is one of my favorites for the year thus far; it's a short yet beautiful Victorian novel that will let you experience the genre without the usual bulky page count.

#25

Title: New Moon

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Year: 2006

The second installment of The Twilight Saga is as entertaining as the first, but beware that the romance is even more sappy and over-the-top.

#24

Title: And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie

Year: 1939

My second Agatha Christie book of the year (considered by many to be her most famous work) did not disappoint; it's the perfect read for the all-grown-up Nancy Drew fan.

#23

Title: Twilight

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Year: 2005

This book is narrated by a sappy, love-sick teenager who falls for a vampire; clearly, we're not going for Pulitzer Prize winning writing here, but rather a plot-driven, easy read for the backyard or the beach (I enjoyed it).