The best Books of the 20th Century

I migliori libri del Novecento

selected by piero scaruffi and listed chronologically
Best books of the 19th century | The greatest writers of all times | Back to the Literary Page
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Language:
Spanish
Portuguese
French
Italian
German
English
Serbocroatian
Albanian
Scandinavian
Dutch
Greek
Bulgarian
Rumanian
Hungarian
Czech
Polish
Russian
Ukrainian
Georgian
Armenian
Baltic
Finnish
Hebrew
Turkish
Arab
Iranian
Urdu
Hindi
Chinese
Japanese
Korean
Ethiopian
Swahili 		Legenda: * = Poetry/Poesia
= Novel/Romanzo
# = Theatre/Teatro
& = Horror/Orrore
@ = Science fiction/Fantascienza
$ = Detective/Poliziesco
+ = important/importante
Countries/Nazioni Titles of the books are given either in English or in Italian. 		Legenda: Ogni voce consiste di:
  • sigla della nazione
  • anno di nascita
  • genere (narrativa, poesia, teatro, etc.)
  • cognome
  • opera principale, data
    Se piu` di un'opera meritano la segnalazione, la voce e' duplicata. Se impossibile estrarre un' opera sola, si e' usato il +. Se manca l' opera, lo scrittore e' un "minore".

    • Portuguese:

    Click here for the new improved version
    Below is the old version

    Scandinavian:
    Tomas Transtromer (Sweden, 1931): "Morkseende" (1970) [p] Tomas Transtromer (Sweden, 1931): "Stigar" (1973) [p] Tomas Transtromer (Sweden, 1931): "Para Vivos y Muertos" (1991) [p] Tomas Transtromer (Sweden, 1931): "La Gondola Funebre" (1996) [p] Paavo Haavikko (Finlandia, 1931): "Agricola ja Kettu" (1968) [t] Paavo Haavikko (Finlandia, 1931):"Ratsumies" (1974) [t] Paavo Haavikko (Finlandia, 1931):"Kullervon Tarina" (1982) [t] Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Magnetisorens Femte Vinter/ The Magnetist's Fifth Winter" (1964) + Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Legionarerna/ The Legionnaires" (1968) + Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Musikanternas Uttag/ The March of the Musicians" (1985) Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Nedstortad Angel/ Downfall" (1987) Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "I Lodjurets Timma/ Hour of the Lynx" (1988) Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Kapten Nemos Bibliotek/ Captain Nemo's Library" (1991) Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Livlakarens Besok/ The Royal Physician's Visit" (1999) + Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Tribadernas Natt/ The Night of the Tribades" (1975) [t] + Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Till Fedra" (1980) [t] Per Olov Enquist (Sweden, 1934): "Bildmakarna/ The Picture Makers" (1998) [t] Henning Mankell (Sweden, 1948): "One Step Behind" (1995) Jostein Gaarder (Norway, 1952): "Kabalmysteriet/ The Solitaire Mystery" (1990) Jostein Gaarder (Norway, 1952): "Sofies verden/ Sophie's World" (1991) + Jostein Gaarder (Norway, 1952): "I et Speil i en Gate/ Through a Glass Darkly" (1993) Jostein Gaarder (Norway, 1952): "Vita Brevis" (1996)
    S 860*Froding
    S 860 Hansson
    DK 861 Skjoldborg
    SF 861 Aho
    S 862 Levertin
    DK 863 Stuckenberg
    N 863 Aanrud
    N 864 Vogt
    ISL864 Benediktsson
    S 864*Karlfeldt +
    DK 865*Claussen +
    DK 865 Michaelis
    N 865 Kinck
    S 866 Hallstrom
    N 866 Andersen
    DK 866 Aakjaer
    DK 866*Jorgensen
    S 869*Bergman B
    S 869 Soderberg Doctor Glas,05
    S 869#Soderberg Gertrud,06
    SF 869 Linnankoski
    DK 869 AndersenNexo Ditte,21
    DK 870 Rode
    S 872 Berger
    SF 872 Manninen
    DK 872 Rordam
    N 872 Bojer
    ISL873 Trausti
    DK 873*Jensen Lungo viaggio,22
    SF 874 Kianto
    N 876 Duun Gente di Juvik, 23
    N 878 Uppdal
    SF 878 Kallas
    SF 878 Leino
    N 879 Falkberget
    S 880*Ekelund
    N 880 Sandel Cora -Krane's cafe,45
    SF 880 Jotuni
    SF 881 Lehtonen
    N 882 Undset V ++Kristin Lavransdatter, 22
    S 882 Koch
    S 882 Lidman Sv
    S 882 Nordstrom Pianeta del gatto mammone,37
    S 882 Siwertz Sigfrid
    S 883#Bergman H Spettacolo di marionette,17
    N 883*Bull +
    ISL884 Arnarson
    S 884*Osterling
    S 885*Sjoberg +
    DK 885 Blixen Vendicatori angelici,44
    SF 885 Koskenniemi
    N 886 Orjasaeter
    SF 887 Bjorling
    SF 888 Sillanpaa Santa miseria,19
    DK 888 Borberg
    DK 888 Gelsted
    S 888*Andersson
    S 889*Malmberg
    ISL889 Thordarson
    N 889#Krog
    N 889*Overland +
    N 889 Sandemose Axel
    DK 889 Gunnarsson
    N 890 Hoel
    S 891 Lagerkvist Barabba,50
    S 892 Sodergran
    DK 893 Becker
    DK 893 Clausen
    DK 893*Kristensen
    S 894 Krusentstierna
    S 895 Aurell
    N 895 Fangen
    SF 896*Diktonius
    DK 896 Paludan
    DK 896#Soya +
    N 897 Vesaas Perdigiorno, 57
    DK 897 Petersen Via dei sandalai, 31
    S 898*Gullberg
    S 898 Moberg
    DK 898 Kirk
    DK 898#Munk Parola,32
    DK 899 Sandemose
    ISL899 Jonasson
    DK 900 Herdal
    DK 900 Jacobsen
    S 900*Boye
    S 900 Johnson
    S 901 Lo-Johansson
    DK 901#Abell Anna Sofia Hedvig,39
    N 901 Nilsen
    ISL901 Gudmundsson
    SF 901 Kailas
    SF 902 Pekkanen
    ISL902*Laxness +
    ISL902 Laxness +Independent People
    N 902 Borgen
    N 902#Grieg
    DK 902*Lacour
    DK 902 Nielsen Jorgen
    DK 903 Branner
    DK 903*Schade
    SF 903*Enckell
    S 904*Martinson +
    DK 904 Fischer
    N 905 Hagerup
    DK 905 Scherfig
    S 906*Lundkvist
    SF 906 Salminen
    S 907*Ekelof ++
    SF 908 Waltari Sinuhe,45
    S 909 Arner
    DK 909 Hansen Il mentitore,50
    S 910*Lindegren
    S 910*Vennberg
    S 911 Lagercrantz
    DK 912 Munch-Petersen
    N 915 Mykle
    S 915 Ahlin
    DK 918#Bjornvig +
    N 920 Bjorneboe
    SF 920 Linna
    S 921 Gyllenstein
    DK 921 Sarvig
    DK 921 Wivel
    N 922 Stigen
    S 923 Dagerman
    S 923 Lidman Sa
    DK 925 Seeberg
    S 928 Forsell
    DK 929 Andersen
    DK 929 Sorensen
    DK 931 Rifbjerg
    SF 931 Haavikko
    S 931 Transtromer
    N 932 Alnaes
    S 934 Per Olov EnquistLivl„karens Bes”k/ The Royal Physician's Visit,99
    DK 940 Klovedal Le avventure di Alessandro,70
    DK 957 Hoeg Peter Froken Smillas Fornemmelse for Sne/ Smilla's Sense of Snow, 92
    DK 957 Hoeg Peter De maske egnede/ Borderliners, 93

    Dutch:

    Harry Mulisch (1927): "De Aanslag/ The Assault" (1982) +
    Harry Mulisch (1927): "De Ontdekking van de Hemel/ The Discovery of Heaven" (1992)
    Margriet de Moor (1941): "Eerst grijs dan wit dan Blauw/ First Grey Then White Then Blue" (1990) +
    Margriet de Moor (1941): "De Virtuoos/ The Virtuoso" (1993)
    Margriet de Moor (1941): "Hertog van Egypte/ The Duke Of Egypt" (1996)
    Margriet de Moor (1941): "Zee-Binnen/ Sea Inland" (1999)
    Margriet de Moor (1941): "Kreutzersonate" (2001) Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "De Metsiers" (1950) + Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Het Verlangen" (1978) + Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "De Verwondering" (1963) ++ Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Het Verdriet van Belgie" (1983) + Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Schaamte" (1972) Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Het Jaar van de Kreeft" (1972) Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "De Zwaardvis" (1989) Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "De Geruchten" (1996) Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Suiker" (1958) [t] Hugo Claus (Belgium, 1929): "Vrijdag" (1969) [t] +
    NL 860 Eeden
    NL 863 Couperus Piccole anime,04
    NL 864*Gorter
    NL 864 VanDeyssel
    NL 864#Heijermans
    NL 865*Verwey
    NL 865*Leopold
    NL 870*Boutens
    NLB871 Streuvels
    NL 874 VanSchendel La vecchia casa,46
    NLB878*Woestijne +
    NLB879#Teirlinck Il film al rallentatore,22
    NL 882 Elsschot Willo the wisp, fuoco fatuo,46
    NL 884 Bordewijk
    NL 888*Holst
    NL 894*Nijhoff
    NLB896*VanOstaijen +
    NL 898 Vestdijk
    NLB898 Walschap
    NLB899 Gijsen
    NL 899*Marsman +
    NL 899*Perron
    NL 905*Achterberg +
    NL 910 VanGulik
    NLB912 Boon Via della piccola cappella,53
    NL 918 Braak
    NL 918 Schierbeek
    NL 921 Hermans
    NL 923 Michiels Lacrime delle acacie,49
    NL 923 Reve
    NL 914*Lucebert
    NL 925 Wolkers
    NL 927 Mulisch Assalto,82
    NLB929#Claus Sposa nel mattino, 55
    NL 940 Cremer
    NL 942 Ferron
    NL 944 Vogelaar
    NL 944 Hart Maartens

    Yugoslavic:
    YUC861 Leskovar
    YUS864 Nusic
    YU 865 Kranjcevic
    YU 869 Cipiko
    YU 871 Finzgar
    YUC873*Matos
    YU 874 Ducic
    YU 875 Corovic
    YUV876 Cankar Il servo Jerney,07
    YU 876 Kette
    YUC876 Nazor
    YUS876 Stankovic
    YU 879 Kosor
    YUV879 Murn
    YUC880 Nehajev
    YU 883 Pandurovic
    YU 883 Pregelj
    YUC891 Ujevic
    YUS892 Andric V Il ponte sulla Drina,45
    YUC893 Krleza +
    YUC899 Krklec
    YU 902 Dedinac
    YU 903 Cosic B
    YUV905#Kreft +
    YU 908 Racin
    YUS909 Davico La poesia,52
    YU 911 Gilas
    YUC913 Kovacic
    YUS915 Copic
    YUC919 Kastelan
    YUS921 Cosic D
    YUS922*Popa Vasco
    YU 935 Kis Danilo +++Pescanik/ Hourglass,72
    YU 935 Kis Danilo ++Grobnica za Borisa Davidovicha/ A Tomb for Boris Davidovich,76
    YUS929 Pavic Milorad +Dizionario dei Kazari,88
    YUS929 Pavic Milorad Un paesaggio dipinto di te,85
    YUS938*Charles Simic +

    Greek:
    GR 863*Kavafis V +
    GR 866 Karkavitsas
    GR 867#Xenopoulos Gregorious
    GR 868 Chatzopulos
    GR 872#Kambisis Iannis
    GR 882 Kazantzakis V Zorba il greco,46
    GR 883#Melas
    GR 884*Sikelianos +
    GR 892 Myrivilis
    GR 893 Athanas
    GR 893 Politis Kosmas
    GR 895 Papatzonis
    GR 899 Agras
    GR 900*Seferis ++
    GR 901 Panagiotopulos
    GR 901*Embirikos Andreas
    GR 904 Venezis Ilias
    GR 906 Theotokas
    GR 907 Terzakis
    GR 909 Prevelakis
    GR 909 Acritas
    GR 909*Ritsos +
    GR 909*Trypanis Constantine
    GR 911*Elitis +
    GR 912*Gatsos Nikos
    GR 912*Capetanakis Demetrios
    GR 917*Sinopoulos Takis
    GR 921*Vakalo Eleni
    GR 934 Vasilikos Z,66

    Albanian:
    Kadare Ismail: "Kronik' n' Gur/ Chronicle in Stone" (1971) V
    ALB871 Fishta
    ALB911 Migjeni

    Bulgarian:
    BG 863 Konstantinov
    BG 866 Slavejkov
    BG 869 Cerkovski
    BG 872 Strasimirov
    BG 875 Hristov
    BG 877 Javorov
    BG 878 ElinPelin
    BG 879 Todorov P
    BG 880 Jovkov
    BG 882 Trajanov
    BG 887 Debeljanov
    BG 894*Bagrjana
    BG 909*Vapcarov
    BG 925 Milev
    BG 934 Petrov
    BG 939 Todorov T

    Romanian:
    RM 866*Cosbuc
    RM 871 Iorga
    RM 875 Iosif
    RM 876 Papadat-Bengescu
    RM 879 Galaction
    RM 880*Arghezi +
    RM 880 Sadoveanu La scure,30
    RM 881*Bacovia
    RM 885 Rebreanu
    RM 885 Rebreanu
    RM 891 Pillat
    RM 892 Petrescu Ce
    RM 894 Petrescu Ca
    RM 895*Barbu
    RM 895*Blaga
    RM 902*Stancu
    RM 924 Dumitriu Petru
    RM 936 Manea NormaN +
    RM 939*Stanescu Nichita

    Hungarian:
    Sandor Mari (1900): "Divorce in Buda" (1936) Sandor Mari (1900): "Embers" (1942)
    Sandor Marai (1900): "Parazs/ Embers" (1942) + Imre Kertesz (1929): "Sorstalansag/ Fateless" (1975) ++ Imre Kertesz (1929): "A Kudarc/ Fiasco" (1988) + Adam Bodor (1936): "Plusz-Minusz Egy Nap/ Give or Take a Day" (1974) Adam Bodor (1936): "Megerkezes Eszakra/ Arrival to the North" (1978) Adam Bodor (1936): "Milyen is Egy Hago/ So What is a Hago Like?" (1980) Adam Bodor (1936): "A Zangezur Hegyseg/ The Mountains of Zangezur" (1981) Adam Bodor (1936): "Az Eufratesz Babilonnal/ The Euphrates in Babylonia" (1985) Adam Bodor (1936): "Okreg Sinistra/ Valley Sinistra" (1992) Adam Bodor (1936): "Wizyta Arcybiskupa/ The Visit of the Archbishop" (2002)
    Stephen Vizinczey (1933): "In Praise of Older Women" (1988) Peter Esterhazy (Hungary, 1950) Laszlo Krasznahorkai (1954): "Satantango" (1985) + Laszlo Krasznahorkai (1954): "The Melancholy Of Resistance" (1989) +
    H 861 Ambrus Zoltan
    H 863 Gardonyi
    H 863 Herczeg
    H 877*Ady +
    H 878#Molnar Liliom, 09
    H 878 Krudy Gyula
    H 879 Mora Ferenc
    H 879 Szabo Deszo
    H 879 Moricz Zsigmond Sii buono fino alla morte,20
    H 880*Kaffka Margarita
    H 883*Babits
    H 883*Juhasz
    H 885*Kosztolanyi +
    H 886*Toth Arpad
    H 887*Kassak
    H 887 Harsanyi Zsolt
    H 888*Fust
    H 888 Karinthy -Viaggio intorno al mio cervello,37
    H 890*Remenyik Sandor
    H 891 Zilahy -Due prigionieri,31
    H 894 Dery Niki storia di un cane,56
    H 894 Foldi
    H 895*Meks Laszlo
    H 900 Kormendi
    H 900*Szabo Loring
    H 901 Nemeth
    H 902*Illyes
    H 905*Jozsef +
    H 907 Grandpierre
    H 909*Radnoti +
    H 913*Jekely
    H 913*Weores Sandor
    H 921#Sarkadi Imre
    H 928*Juhasz Ferenc
    H Peter Esterhazy +
    H Peter Nadas +
    H Gyorgy Konrad +

    Czech:
    Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Zbabelci/ The Cowards" (1949) + Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Legenda Emoke" (1963) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Smutek Porucika Boruvky Detektivni Pohadka/ The Mournful demeanour of Lieutenant Boruvka" (1966) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Bassaxofon/ Bass Saxophon" (1967) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Tankovy Prapor/ Tank Batallion" (1971) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Mirakl/ The Miracle Game" (1972) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Priben Inzennyra Lidskych Dusi/ The Engineer of Human Souls" (1977) ++ Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Scherzo Capriccioso/ Dvorak in Love" (1984) Josef Skvorecky (1924): "Nevesta z Texasu/ The Bride of Texas" (1996) Vaclav Havel (1936): "Na Zabradli/ The Garden Party" (1963) [t] + Vaclav Havel (1936): "Vyrozumeni/ The Memorandum" (1965) [t] Vaclav Havel (1936): "Zitizena Moznost Soustredeni/ The Increased Difficulty of Concentration" (1968) [t] Vaclav Havel (1936): "Spiklenci/ The Conspirators" (1974) [t] Vaclav Havel (1936): "In Largo Desolatio" (1985) [t] Vaclav Havel (1936): "Pokouseni/ Temptation" (1986) [t]
    CK 860 Capek-Chod
    CK 864*Machar
    CK 864*Sova +
    CK 867*Bezruc
    CK 867 Tille
    CK 868*Brezina +
    CK 873 Benesova
    CK 874 Hlavacek
    CK 874 Jesensky
    CK 875*Neumann +
    CK 877*Dyk
    CK 877*Toman
    CK 877*Sramek
    CK 878*Deml
    CK 878 Klima Principe Sternenoch,28
    CK 882 Majerova
    CK 882 Olbracht
    CK 882 Tesnohlidek Rudolf Piccola volpe astuta,20
    CK 883 Fischer
    CK 883 Hasek Il soldato Svejk
    CK 885 Roy
    CK 886 Durych
    CK 887 Capek J
    CK 890 Capek K La guerra delle salamandre,36
    CK 890#Capek Affare Makropulos, 22
    CK 891*Hora +
    CK 891 Vancura Fornaio Ian Marhoul,24
    CK 891 Vancura Markela Lazarova,31
    CK 893 Pujmanova
    CK 898 Biebl
    CK 900*Nezval +
    CK 900*Wolker +
    CK 901*Halas +
    CK 901*Seifert +
    CK 904*Novomesky
    CK 905*Holan +
    CK 905 Zahradnicek
    CK 905 Zavada
    CK 908 Hostovsky Missing,52
    CK 910*Hrubin +
    CK 914 Hrabal V Treni strettamente sorvegliati,65
    CK 914 Kolar
    CK 919 Mnacko
    CK 919*Orten +
    CK 923 Fuks Una buffa triste vecchia,70
    CK 923*Holub +
    CK 924 Otcenasek
    UK 924 Beer
    CK 928#Kohout +
    CK 928 Pecka
    CK 929 Kundera V Lo scherzo,67
    CK 929 Kundera +Insostenibile leggerezza dell' essere,85
    CK 931 Klima Love And Garbage (1993)
    CK 931 Klima Soudce z Miloti/ Judge on Trial (1991)
    CK 931 Klima The Ultimate Intimacy (1997)
    CK 936#Havel Memorandum,66

    Polish:
    PL 860 Kasprowicz
    PL 860 Sieroszewski In fondo alla sventura,899
    PL 860 Weyssenhoff
    PL 860#Zapolska Madame Dulska,06
    PL 861 Przesmycki
    PL 864 Zeromski Ceneri,04
    PL 865 Tetmajer
    PL 867 Reymont I contadini,09
    PL 868#Przybyszewski Neve, 03
    PL 868 Przybyszewski +
    PL 869#Wyspianski Nozze, 01
    PL 869#Wyspianski Giudici, 07
    PL 871 Strug Croce gialla,33
    PL 873 Berent Pietre viventi,18
    PL 873 Micinski
    PL 874 Zelenski
    PL 877#Perzynski
    PL 877 Rostworowski
    PL 878 Lesmian
    PL 878*Staff +
    PL 884 Najkowska
    PL 885#Witkiewicz +
    PL 885 Witkiewicz V Insaziabilita', 30
    PL 886#Szaniawski Due teatri, 46
    PL 890 Goetel Ferdynand
    PL 891 Peiper +
    PL 892 Dabrowska
    PL 892 Illakowiczowna
    PL 892 Schulz +
    PL 894 Iwaszkiewicz La gloria e la fama,62
    PL 894*Tuwim +
    PL 894*Wierzynski +
    PL 895 Slonimski
    PL 896 Wittlin Jozef
    PL 897 Broniewski
    PL 899 Lechon
    PL 899 Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
    PL 899*Stern +
    PL 900*Wat Aleksander
    PL 900 Kruczkowski
    PL 901 Jasiensky +
    PL 901 Przybos
    PL 903*Jastrun Mieczyslaw
    PL 903*Czechowicz Jozef
    PL 904#Gombrowicz +
    PL 904 Gombrowicz V Ferdydurke
    PL 904 Gombrowicz V Pornografia,60
    PL 904 Gombrowicz Cosmo,65
    PL 905 Breza
    PL 905 Galczynski
    PL 905*Wazyk
    PL 909 Andrzejewski Cenere e diamanti,48
    PL 911*Milosz C +
    PL 911 Putrament
    PL 912 Rudnicki
    PL 914 Dygat
    PL 916 Brandys +
    PL 916 Zukrowski +
    PL 921 Baczynski
    PL 921@Lem V Solaris,61
    PL 921@Lem Fiasco,85
    PL 921#Rozewicz +
    PL 921*Rozewicz +
    PL 922 Bialoszewski
    PL 924 Borowski Tadeusz
    PL 926 Konwicki V Apocalisse minore,79
    PL 930#Mrozek Tango,65
    PL 930 Nowak
    PL 934 Hlasko

    Hebrew:

    Arab:

    Ethiopian:
    ET 868 Afevork
    ET 878 Heruj

    Swahili:
    TNZ944 Kezilahabi +

    Turkish:

    Persian:

    Urdu:

    Hindi:

    Chinese:

    Korean:
    Ko Un (Korea, 1933): "Maninbo/ Ten Thousand Lives" (2006) + Japanese: