Recommend some books to me

[womzilla]

Assume that I have read no novel published in the 19th century, in any language--I'm embarrassed by the degree this is almost completely true. (I will probably list the few I have read in a comment to this post.)

What are the first 20 or 30 novels I should read to close this chasm of ignorance? And where should I look for other recommendations? I've found a couple of "great novels of the 19th century" lists, but not many.

Oh, it probably doesn't make sense to recommend more than two novels by the same author. And for these purposes, "novel" can include "single, outstanding collection of short fiction and/or drama".

Edited to add: Lots of great stuff recommended so far, though unsurprisingly heavy on English-language works, though French and Russian have shown up. I'm haven't seen any recommendations for anything originally in Italian, German, or Spanish--is there really no one noteworthy in German literature between Goethe and Mann? Or Spanish between Cervantes and Borges?

Comments

[rkdioxin.livejournal.com]

Several agreements: if you're going to read just one book per author, then TALE OF TWO CITIES and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and HUCK FINN are the ones I'd choose. For Dostoevsky, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT is more novel-ish altho I've always loved "Notes from the Underground." While I recognize it's importance, neither love, money nor a balanced budget could induce me to read MOBY DICK again.
Also:
TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES by Thomas Hardy
IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde (ok, it's a play not a novel)
any of the Sherlock Holmes stories
TREASURE ISLAND by Stevenson is the acknowledged classic (plus, y'know, pirates) but as a child I was very fond of KIDNAPPED (probably because of the Scottishness)
MADAME BOVARY by Flaubert