Preliminary booklist for my English class!

I'm a little ashamed to say I haven't read any of these... She'll also order more books later in the summer ("some of the more recent SF"). EEE. I hope I can keep up with this reading list!

Swift's Gulliver's Travel
LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness
Gibson's Difference Engine
Wells's War of the Worlds
Wells's The Time Machine
Shelley's Frankenstein w/ Revisions + Updated Readings

Is there anything anybody can tell me about these books? Like what you didn't like, what sticking points you had? If there was anything triggering or upsetting in the books? I actually tried reading Frankenstein back in 2004 but I found the style hard to comprehend and stomach. Here's hoping I can do better this time around!

Oh, right, and the course is Science Fiction: Past & Present.

Edited: Book links lead to editions the professor recommends.