The Old Man
and the Sea

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Date on the charts is usually the year of official publication. In a few cases the year of the completion of writing is used—either because the work went unpublished long after it was completed or because, as in the case of some very old literature, the work was circulated in a form that we would not today consider publication. Dramatic works, such as Shakespeare's plays, are usually listed by the date they were thought to have been first performed because this date is more significant than the often much later year in which the plays were collected to be published.

A "c." before a date stands for circa (around) and indicates the date is approximate. 

A range of years, such as 1951-55, usually means the work was published in sections over a period of time. This is especially common with series, such as trilogies.

Title is listed as it is generally known in the English-speaking world today. Sometimes this is a translation into English (The Three Musketeers) and sometimes the title remains in another language (Le Morte Darthur). Excess words are often removed from the titles, especially in works prior to the twentieth century. For instance, The Personal History of David Copperfield is universally known as David Copperfield.

Novels are generally listed individually, but several may be listed under one title if the series is better known than any individual work (Lord of the Rings).

Short stories and poems are usually listed as collected under one title, although occasionally the popularity of a particular story or poem makes it worthy of listing on its own.

Author is the writer's name as it is generally known in English translations of the works.

A title or author in colour can be clicked to access a commentary on the title or author in a separate window.

Country is the place most associated with the writer. It may or may not be the author's birthplace, country of residence, state of citizenship, or subject of writing. For example, Hemingway wrote in and about France, Spain, Africa and the Caribbean, and very little in or concerning the United States—yet, there is no question he is considered an American writer. On the other hand, V.S. Naipaul was of Indian heritage, was born in Trinidad, moved to England and wrote about Trinidad, Africa, England and elsewhere, without becoming known as a Trinidadian, African, English or other denomination of writer. So it's a judgment call to list Trinidad as Naipaul's country. Malcolm Lowry was born and died in England, but his most famous novel took place in Mexico and was written in Canada where much of his other writing was also done. In this case Canada claims him—another judgment call.

Type, where it is given, is usually Novel, Poetry, Drama or Stories. 

The term "novel" was accepted into English only in modern (that is, post-Renaissance) times, adapted from an Italian word for fictional prose narratives with a cohesiveness of theme and story. For several centuries, the word was reserved for realistic depictions of contemporary life, as opposed to imaginative, historical stories, which were considered "romances". We use the word "novel" for both kinds of fiction today. It is debatable though when the first work worthy of being called a novel was produced. We retroactively apply the term for certain longer prose fiction—in some cases before the authors had ever heard the concept—in any language. For more diffuse works, particularly in ancient and medieval times, we use the label "Prose narrative" in this list, or occasionally "Prose and poetry".

"Stories" designates what are often called "short stories".

"Novella" is a fictional work between stories and novels in length, though the demarcation points are arguable.

"Drama" is normally what we would call a play, a fictional work meant to be presented theatrically.

"Dialogue" is applied to works consisting nearly entirely of characters' speeches but, unlike a play ("Drama") is not meant to be acted, but to be read only.

Other anomalous categories include "Biography" and "Memoir", for the very few non-fictional works that have achieved status as great creative literature.