An analysis of each source follows, together with links to the original lists on the web, and to standardized versions of each comparing them to the other lists. If any of the links to the originals are down, use the links to the comparison versions.

 

Modern Library list. [original] [in comparison] Character: 100 twentieth century works written in English, ranked, limited to adult-audience novels. Bias: Slanted towards literary, critical and editorial tastes. Flaws: Fuzzy standards (admits trilogies and a series into its canon), divergent standards (excludes children's fiction), an inclusion error (a translation), and an imbalance in works included (favors works published early in the century over more recent works).

Library Journal list. [original] [in comparison] Character: 150 twentieth century works written in English, ranked, limited to fiction (including children's fiction). Bias: A more popular literary slant, claiming to reflect what people actually read rather than what they feel they should read. Flaws: Fuzzy standards (admits a trilogy into its canon), divergent standards (admits translations), inclusion errors (non-fictional works), date errors, and a length that hinders comparison with the other lists.

Koen Book Distributors list. [original] [in comparison] Character: 100 twentieth century works written in English, ranked, limited to fiction (including children's fiction). Bias: Popular, reflecting the tastes and opinions of booksellers, presumably colored by what they know is selling. Flaws: Inclusion errors (admits a translation and non-fictional and 19th century works into its canon).

Radcliffe Publishing Course list. [original] [in comparison] Character: 100 twentieth century works written in English, ranked, limited to fiction (including children's fiction). Bias: Academic, reflecting the tastes of the students in the course, presumably colored by scholastic reading requirements. Flaws: Inclusion errors (admits non-fictional and 19th century works into its canon).