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

[bugsybanana.livejournal.com]

Now that I'm back with net access, I can jump in.

I am fond of Austen, and since you've already delved into Pride and Prejudice, I'll put in a plug for Emma, which is probably my favorite.

No one has mentioned Guy de Maupassant, who I shied away from for ages thinking he sounded as boring as Proust, but he is wonderful. He specialized in short stories -- some good ones are the notorious "The Necklace," which you may have encountered in school, "The Jewels," "Mouche," "Two Friends," "The Hand" and "The Horla" which are both vaguely stfnal, and a bunch of others. I also love his young-Parisian-on-the-make novel Bel-Ami, and would be delighted to have someone else around who's read it!

Dostoyevsky is good too, I've read Crime and Punishment and Notes from Underground, but the Russians apparently consider him a pot-boiling hack!

My understanding is that Germany and Spain were pretty barren novelistically in the 1800s. For Spain, I've heard of Benito Pérez Galdós, but haven't read him. OTOH, the Germans can claim E.T.A. Hoffmann.

[womzilla.livejournal.com]

I read about the first third of Crime and Punishment half my life ago. Really enjoyed it--can't remember why I didn't finish. (One of the reasons I'm undertaking this project is that, in general, the 19C literature I've attempted, I've enjoyed, and I don't know why I haven't read more of it.)

Oh, Hoffmann. Right. Never heard of Pérez Galdós, alas.