It is easy to confuse this "200" list with the Modern Library’s original 100 Best Novels list, which has two versions of its own:
: Editors Callil and Tóibín explicitly chose to ignore the line between "popular" and "literary" fiction. Their goal was to showcase that the modern novel was as vibrant as ever.
: A public poll that was famously "skewed" by fan voting, resulting in Ayn Rand holding both the #1 and #2 spots with Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead . Why This List Matters Today The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels...
: Agatha Christie ( A Murder is Announced ), Raymond Chandler ( The Long Good-Bye ), and Georgette Heyer.
The Callil/Tóibín selection acts as a vital bridge for readers who find the original 1998 list too "dusty" or focused on the first half of the century. By focusing on works since 1950, it highlights the evolution of the English-language novel into a more diverse, global, and commercially inclusive art form. It is easy to confuse this "200" list
: Chinua Achebe ( Things Fall Apart ), Mulk Raj Anand, and V.S. Naipaul. Comparison with the Famous "Top 100"
: Chosen by a panel of experts; James Joyce’s Ulysses took the #1 spot. Why This List Matters Today : Agatha Christie
Unlike the original 1998 board-selected list which focused on the entire 20th century, this specific collection focuses on the .