3.76 avg rating — 6,095 ratings

"This is the naturalist novel by the Spanish female author Bazan, written in 1886. Check the list as this is one of only a few women authors in these styles"

3.54 avg rating — 411 ratings

"This is `the' Argentinian classic. It was written during the reign of terror of the Dictator Rosa during the 1840s."

3.82 avg rating — 2,059 ratings

"Zola meets Sergio Leone. Brilliant naturalism western of 1901."

3.71 avg rating — 953 ratings

"Ester Waters is the story of a poor young servant girl who gets pregnant, in a naturalist style of Zola"

4.33 avg rating — 38,062 ratings

"Classic Brazilian love tale."

3.85 avg rating — 4,786 ratings

"Sedate, more uplifting tale of two sisters "

4.15 avg rating — 7,807 ratings

"Spanish like the Zola's Abbe Mouret's Trangression"

3.91 avg rating — 16,139 ratings

"As seedy and forthright as any Zola. This is a recognised Brazilian literary masterpiece written in 1890 by Azevedo. It is according to the backcover "the most widely read and acclaimed' novel about Brazil"

4.08 avg rating — 19,350 ratings

"Classic Zola - life of a drunken family"

3.68 avg rating — 6,825 ratings

"This is another early natural realism in around 1899. There was some controversy regarding the content at the time - child wetting himself. This is the dark, nasty tale of McTeague, a slow witted dentist"

3.40 avg rating — 2,446 ratings

"Maugham's early attempt at naturalist style"

3.87 avg rating — 1,003 ratings

"Classic Victorian living on the bread-line"

3.20 avg rating — 116 ratings

"This is a `classic' Brazilian novel written in 1902 about the German immigrant community in Espirito-Santo the valley of Canaa"

3.32 avg rating — 232 ratings

"Zola's first book and to raise the public outrage (also his only first person tale)"

4.09 avg rating — 2,551 ratings

"Most adult and explicit natural realism content of any I've read."

3.84 avg rating — 27,583 ratings

" The style is that classy well constructed literary detailed narrative similar to Eliot, Tolstoy etc. It is not as naturalistic as Zola but given the indications that the Tsar’s censors had a go at it – the book has had the extracted bits put back in "

4.26 avg rating — 21,692 ratings

"The period of Austro-Hungarian empire decline leading up to the First World War is certainly engaging if not perhaps highly realistic. Written in 1939 so a modern book really."

3.78 avg rating — 154,533 ratings

"This novel was written in 1906 by "propagandist" writer Sinclair as part of his earliest works as a young man, probably being sympathetic to socialist ideals of the time. It is very much in the mode of Emile Zola in natural realism style (he gets a mention in the story) depicting the dark side of an area of American society. The story takes place in late 1890s Chicago's slaughter. very graphic."

3.84 avg rating — 27,666 ratings

"classic Zola - the life of a prostitute sequel to L'Assommoir"

4.29 avg rating — 1,077,130 ratings

"Obvious classic"

3.41 avg rating — 1,167 ratings

"This is a mild natural realism tale written in 1889 by this Peruvian author and was a hit at the time both for the story and the outrage caused"

3.83 avg rating — 400 ratings

"This is arguably the most famous Cuban literary book of the late 1800s and relates the life and times in the slavery communities in 1820. It was published in 1882"

2.92 avg rating — 50 ratings

"This is the Argentinean major work by Cambaceres in 1882. It was famous in its day for being very contemporary of the intrigues of the upper classes in Buenos Aires. Apparently a couple of the time were identified in the story, and the content of the tale appears to have been quite close to the knuckle"

3.27 avg rating — 4,749 ratings

"This is supposedly the most analysed Argentinian book; one of five classics of the period 1830s.It graphically depicts the life, language and people around an open yard slaughterhouse in 1810"

3.68 avg rating — 616 ratings

"This book was written in 1884 by the well known Galdos - he was the Spanish equivalent of Dickens."

4.04 avg rating — 1,896 ratings

"Brutal Zola on the Franco-Prussian war (quite historically accurate)"

4.20 avg rating — 42,992 ratings

"Classic Zola - life, strikes and love in the coal mines."

4.21 avg rating — 176 ratings

"This is the last, longest and possibly best of Zola's based on his J'Accuse (anti-Semitic) experiences. If you like whodonits this is for you."

3.98 avg rating — 5,424 ratings

"Classic Zola - the life of an anguished painter (based on his closeish relationship with Gaughin whom he then fell out with)"

3.96 avg rating — 292 ratings

"The first of a classic series of three - Zola has his best go at religion/clergy and what goes on in Lourdes"

4.03 avg rating — 13,145 ratings

"Classic Zola - adultery and murder on the trains."

3.78 avg rating — 1,056 ratings

"Classic American mid-life crisis for a preacher"

3.78 avg rating — 41,747 ratings

"Chicago American classic of a 18yr old in poverty then men happen."

3.47 avg rating — 16,276 ratings