I'm actually against any "must read" list that doesn't take into account the tastes of the reader. For me, there's not a single book that has to be read!
Of course, once people ask for recommendations, I suggest a bunch of books, but it's more a case of "if you like X (author, type, etc) I think you'll enjoy Y", rather than "you must read Y to call yourself a fantasy reader"
Leaving aside the essential truth of this statement and treating it as more advisory than dictatorial, I find myself pondering what counts as required here.
Are we talking a tour of the genre, its high points and history?
Are we talking what I consider the very best?
Or are we talking what I think people are most likely to like, and what everyone should at least try once?
Because those are three very different things to me. The former, for me, would have many recommendations of things like Lord Dunsany and Tanith Lee, Katherine Kurtz and Gene Wolfe - things that I think a lot of people today wouldn't be necessarily that wowed by, but that really showcase fantastic ideas and writing.
The middle and the last are more similar, but Pratchett is a favourite of mine who I accept is idiosyncratic enough that he can't be a blanket recommendation. I think Max Gladstone's done incredible things with the genre, but again, idiosyncratic. I think that most fantasy readers probably would be wise to try Sanderson, but outside of Wheel of Time I struggle to read him to a huge degree.
I'm gonna stew on this and then come back with a super long list for the lulz
