The New York Times Book Review asked hundreds of prominent writers and critics to name the best work of American fiction in the last 25 years. Here are the results. And here is A.O. Scott’s column about the process. I’ve only read one book among the winner and runners-up: Underworld. Of the remaining, I really only desire to read Blood Meridian , although I do feel pressured to read Beloved. (I wish I had never watched the movie version.)