i bleieve this thread is fast becoming yet another 'my favourite books' discussion!
and anyway, how DO you define 'Must read books'? That would greatly depend on your age, upbringing, culture, language etc etc etc....
What is being discussed here seems to apply manly to western culture... someone born and raised, say, in Japan, would have an entirely different list!
ok, off my soapbox now, i still enjoy the banter!
ps i think Julio Cortazar (argentinian author) is an absolutely essential reading... but thats because he is one of my all-time favourites. Kinda like Kafka-lite.