Sketches from a Hunter's Album by Ivan Turgenev

This is a collection of linked short stories by Ivan Turgenev, in which Turgenev describes his encounters with people in his travels and hunting expeditions. Bloom credits Turgenev with representing the people he finds with affection and also with respect for their individuality.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

This is the play that Bloom says is the summit of literary achievement. Written in 1609, the play is an Oedipal tale in which Hamlet never really does act to repair the usurpation of his father's throne. Waiting to be goaded into action, he forces events to be thrust upon him, taking no responsibility for the people who die as a result of his attempts to keep from acting.

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

"The Crying of Lot 49" is a novel in which Oedipa Mass is drawn into a fascinating puzzle based...