If your home library is purely decorative or you have a peculiar taste for classical literature, here is a simple way to build the collection. This 1909 book contains many lists of books that were considered to be essential for every library at the time. This means that there are numerous copies of these books still in existence and that they are relatively cheap (unless you want to find first editions). Also, because all of these books are now in public domain, they are available in recent editions, usually very nicely bound and a the fraction of a cost of most modern books. By the way, many of these books are indeed worth reading!
Most likely, you would have a difficult time coming up with so many titles on your own. Now you can just make a list and hit the bookstores, Amazon or what have you.
