Flavorwire's 50 Essential Cult Novels

1.
Dune (Dune, #1)
Dune (Dune, #1) 4.28 avg rating — 1,570,539 ratings
2.
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye 3.80 avg rating — 3,800,923 ratings
3.
Siddhartha
Siddhartha 4.08 avg rating — 846,989 ratings
3.
Catch-22
Catch-22 3.99 avg rating — 873,385 ratings
5.
Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)
Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1) 4.31 avg rating — 1,449,849 ratings
6.
Neuromancer (Sprawl #1)
Neuromancer (Sprawl #1) 3.89 avg rating — 354,102 ratings
7.
The Magus
The Magus 4.05 avg rating — 62,329 ratings
8.
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text 3.46 avg rating — 96,903 ratings
9.
I Capture the Castle
I Capture the Castle 3.99 avg rating — 113,054 ratings
10.
Watchmen
Watchmen 4.39 avg rating — 585,830 ratings
11.
The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita 4.28 avg rating — 401,157 ratings
12.
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Confederacy of Dunces 3.89 avg rating — 291,801 ratings
13.
On the Road
On the Road 3.61 avg rating — 438,550 ratings
14.
Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land 3.92 avg rating — 323,298 ratings
15.
Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying 3.47 avg rating — 22,979 ratings
16.
Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest 4.25 avg rating — 98,671 ratings
17.
House of Leaves
House of Leaves 4.09 avg rating — 191,501 ratings
18.
The Secret History
The Secret History 4.16 avg rating — 950,830 ratings
19.
The Illuminatus! Trilogy
The Illuminatus! Trilogy 4.01 avg rating — 16,029 ratings
20.
Invisible Cities
Invisible Cities 4.10 avg rating — 93,548 ratings
21.
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1) 4.10 avg rating — 278,719 ratings
22.
Lanark
Lanark 4.10 avg rating — 7,664 ratings
23.
Dhalgren
Dhalgren 3.78 avg rating — 12,077 ratings
24.
Kindred
Kindred 4.31 avg rating — 258,399 ratings
25.
The Gormenghast Novels (Gormenghast, #1-3)
The Gormenghast Novels (Gormenghast, #1-3) 4.03 avg rating — 9,798 ratings
25.
Ice
Ice 3.65 avg rating — 11,093 ratings
27.
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
by: Ayn Rand
3.69 avg rating — 402,809 ratings
28.
Stoner
Stoner 4.35 avg rating — 221,331 ratings
29.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower 4.24 avg rating — 1,948,467 ratings
30.
Ham on Rye
Ham on Rye 4.14 avg rating — 115,681 ratings
31.
Valley of the Dolls
Valley of the Dolls 3.86 avg rating — 75,318 ratings
32.
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture 3.74 avg rating — 30,033 ratings
33.
Nightwood
Nightwood 3.61 avg rating — 14,254 ratings
34.
Why Did I Ever
Why Did I Ever 3.75 avg rating — 1,868 ratings
35.
Anthropology of an American Girl
Anthropology of an American Girl 3.32 avg rating — 4,331 ratings
36.
Speedboat
Speedboat 3.76 avg rating — 7,259 ratings
37.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1) 3.78 avg rating — 241,472 ratings
38.
Geek Love
Geek Love 3.95 avg rating — 71,417 ratings
38.
Blood and Guts in High School
Blood and Guts in High School 3.46 avg rating — 6,857 ratings
40.
The Dice Man
The Dice Man 3.55 avg rating — 21,823 ratings
41.
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth 4.08 avg rating — 24,517 ratings
42.
The Alexandria Quartet (The Alexandria Quartet, #1-4)
The Alexandria Quartet (The Alexandria Quartet, #1-4) 4.18 avg rating — 12,161 ratings
43.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Unbearable Lightness of Being 4.11 avg rating — 524,938 ratings
44.
The Black Book
The Black Book 3.92 avg rating — 12,997 ratings
45.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch 4.20 avg rating — 47,322 ratings
46.
V.
V. 3.97 avg rating — 24,778 ratings
47.
Cult Girls
Cult Girls 4.32 avg rating — 793 ratings
48.
Masters of Atlantis
Masters of Atlantis 3.71 avg rating — 3,196 ratings
49.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Thus Spoke Zarathustra 4.07 avg rating — 169,551 ratings
50.
Youth in Revolt
Youth in Revolt 4.02 avg rating — 9,668 ratings
51.
This Is Not a Novel
This Is Not a Novel 4.03 avg rating — 1,578 ratings