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Personally, I have problems with a "best" list. By what standards do you judge?
Having said that, I'll give it a go. Note: the title said "books" not novels...
1901-1910 - under consideration
1911-1920 - a real toughie. two books, that look at the same problem from two totally different perspectives. Yet in a way they dovetail together. Mak Twain - The Mysterious Stranger and James Branch Cabell - The Cream of The Jest.
1921-1930 - Dashiell Hammett - Red Harvest
1931-1940 - Olaf Stapledon - Odd John
1941-1950 - James Michener - Tales of The South Pacific
From here on, I could list a dozen books per decade
1951-1960 - Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged - (A side comment - best written, no; most beloved, no; hated by many, yes. So why on a best list. Say what you will about it, it has had the most influence on society, good or bad (depending on your viewpoint) than any other single fiction book of the 20th century. Define "best".)
1961-1970 - Frank Herbert - Dune
1971-1980 - Harlan Ellison - Deathbird Stories
1981-1990 - Louis L'Amour - Last of the Breed
1991-2000 - too new for me to evaluate...
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