So recently I made a list of the full timeline of Batman from when he first put on the Cowl - The New 52. However the list is near impossible to collection without winning the Lottery.

Because of this I am going to write a list that I think are the most important stories in batman career.

1. Batman: Year One
2. Batman: The Man Who Laughs
3. Batman: The Long Halloween
4. Batman: Dark Victory
5. Batman: Gauntlet
6. Robin: Year One
7. Batgirl: Year One
8. Batman :The Killing Joke
9. Arkham Asylum A Serious House On Serious Earth
10. Batman: Death In The Family
11. Batman: A Lonely Place Of Dying
12. Robin: A Hero Reborn
13. Batman: Knightfall Part 1 - 3
14. Batman: Prodical
15. Batman: Cataclysm
16. Batman: No Man's Land Part 1 - 5
17. Batman: Evolution (New Gotham Vol 1)
18. Batman: Officer Down (New Gotham Vol 2)
19. Batman: Hush
20. Batman: War Drums
21. Batman: War Games Vol 1 - 3
22. Identity Crisis
23. The OMAC Project
24. Batman And Son
25. Batman: Resurrection of Ra's Ah Ghul
26. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
27. Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again

That Should be everything Novel you need to understand the whole Batman universe and what happens.

I would include Son Of The Demon, to me it's a very potent and relevant older story. Simply because that was the inception of Damian.

@RoboShark: Sure just so long as you tell where to put it in the list.

Atleast at 12.

No Black Glove & RIP?

The Black Mirror should be here, as well as Under the Red Hood.

Good list, the pertinance of a few included stories could be argued.

I'd like to share a more complete list : http://www.comicvine.com/profile/batshrine/blog/batman-tpb-complete-chronology/79247/

@obsidian_raindrop1: I would add Mad Love that acts as a Harley Quinn Year One even if it's not canon. How about early stories such as Mad Monk ? Since Resurrectioni of Ra's Al Ghul is here, there should be Son of the Demon tpb. Also If Hush should be included (because Bruce Wayne reveals himself to catwoman), better Hush stories should be included such as Heart of Hush. There is also nothing on the Riddler (Dark night, dark city and Riddle me that). IMO The Dark Knight Strikes Again can be skipped.