There are many websites online that can help you create a checklist of all the important novels of your time.  You might want to start with the classic works of fiction, or non-fiction, and in that case this link would be a great place to start: http://www.online-literature.com/.   Whatever you want to read, you can find it on the net.  If you want a list of cult books, then here is a great site: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/26/nosplit/boanotherlist126.  One of the best sites for making lists of all kinds of great reading, is called Book Nook and you can find it right here: http://bestoftheweb.halinet.on.ca/mediawiki/index.php/Book_Nook.  On this site they have every kind of book from Romance novels to Mysteries and Crime, to Oprah’s Book club.  You can make any kind of check list you need to get a great overview of subjects and available work.