Literary Canon
Best Books from Ireland
Ireland punches far above its demographic weight in world literature. Samuel Beckett and James Joyce are two of the 20th century's most transformative writers; W.B. Yeats is one of its supreme poets. The Irish literary tradition — rooted in the English language but haunted by Irish, by colonial history, and by Catholic guilt — has produced a body of work of extraordinary range: from the comic genius of Flann O'Brien and Brendan Behan to the tragic lyricism of John McGahern. Contemporary Irish fiction, from Colm Tóibín to Sally Rooney, continues to find in the small-scale, the local, and the personal a way of speaking to the whole world.
#1
literary-fiction
The Sea
John Banville· 2005
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
#2
literary-fiction
The Glorious Heresies
Lisa McInerney· 2015
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score89/100
#3
literary-fiction
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Roddy Doyle· 1994
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score72/100
#4
literary-fiction
The Gathering
Anne Enright· 2007
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score71/100
#5
literary-fiction
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde· 1890
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#6
literary-fiction
Dubliners
James Joyce· 1914
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#7
literary-fiction
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
James Joyce· 1818
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#8
literary-fiction
The Portable James Joyce
James Joyce· 1947
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#9
classic-literature
Ulysses
James Joyce· 1914
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#10
classic-literature
Lady Windermere's Fan
Oscar Wilde· 1890
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#11
classic-literature
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories
Oscar Wilde· 1948
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#12
fantasy
The selfish giant
Oscar Wilde· 1932
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#13
fantasy
The birthday of the infanta
Oscar Wilde· 1907
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#14
fantasy
The nightingale and the rose
Oscar Wilde· 1927
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#15
poetry
The works of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde· 1909
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#16
poetry
The portrait of Mr. W.H
Oscar Wilde· 1889
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#17
horror
Dracula
Bram Stoker· 1897
★Bram Stoker Award
Editorial Score45/100
#18
literary-fiction
The Happy Prince and other tales
Oscar Wilde· 1888
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#19
literary-fiction
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Thornton Wilder· 1927
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score45/100
#20
literary-fiction
On the Banks of Plum Creek
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1937
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#21
literary-fiction
An Ideal Husband
Oscar Wilde· 1899
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#22
literary-fiction
Poems
Oscar Wilde· 1881
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#23
literary-fiction
Short stories
Oscar Wilde· 1910
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#24
literary-fiction
Works (Dubliners / Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man)
James Joyce· 1967
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#25
classic-literature
The Soul of Man Under Socialism
Oscar Wilde· 1891
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#26
adventure
Gulliver's Travels
Jonathan Swift· 1726
Guardian 100 Best Novels
Editorial Score41/100
#27
literary-fiction
Ulysses
James Joyce· 1922
Guardian 100 Best Novels
Editorial Score41/100
#28
fantasy
The Poems and Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde· 1900
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#29
fantasy
The Star Child
Oscar Wilde· 1920
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#30
literary-fiction
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#31
literary-fiction
The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Oscar Wilde· 1896
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#32
literary-fiction
A Woman of No Importance
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#33
literary-fiction
Major Barbara
George Bernard Shaw· 1909
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#34
literary-fiction
Salomé
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#35
literary-fiction
Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1935
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#36
literary-fiction
Arms and the Man
George Bernard Shaw· 1898
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#37
literary-fiction
Finnegans Wake
James Joyce· 1928
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#38
literary-fiction
A House of Pomegranates
Oscar Wilde· 1891
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#39
literary-fiction
Mister Johnson
Joyce Cary· 1900
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#40
literary-fiction
The Long Winter
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1940
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#41
literary-fiction
Lady Windermere's Fan
Oscar Wilde· 1890
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#42
literary-fiction
Little Town on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1941
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#43
literary-fiction
These Happy Golden Years
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1943
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#44
classic-literature
Intentions
Oscar Wilde· 1891
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#45
biography-memoir
Claude Monet
Daniel Wildenstein· 1943
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#46
religion-spirituality
On Going to Church
George Bernard Shaw· 1896
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#47
literary-fiction
Solar Bones
Mike McCormack· 2016
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score39/100
#48
literary-fiction
Molloy
Samuel Beckett· 1951
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score39/100
#49
classic-literature
The Complete Novels of James Joyce (Dubliners / Finnegans Wake / Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man / Ulysses)
James Joyce· 2012
Editorial Score38/100
#50
fantasy
Happy Prince
Oscar Wilde· 1949
Editorial Score38/100
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Literary Fiction65Classic Literature47Horror23Psychology19Religion & Spirituality18Art & Design17Cooking & Food17Fantasy13Historical Fiction13Short Stories12Biography & Memoir11Politics & Society11Adventure8Mystery & Thriller6Travel & Exploration6Romance5Graphic Novels5Science Fiction3Poetry2Philosophy2Children's Books1gothic1