Impossible Literary List Thingy

Kinda sucks, but kinda has to, given the nature of the thing.  Yeah, you get Melville, which is key because it sets the perspective for the whole giant novel, but in addition to Portrait, you gotta have Ulysses and the Wake.  The three beginnings are are a coherent progression, and the Wake, which starts with what should be a cheap stunt, works so well given the nature of that thing.