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Megan

I think these lists exist merely to remind me of how woefully un-well-read I am. I've read a pitiful 38 of the 1000 listed (only 16 of which weren't assigned reading in school!). Though, I, like you, will attempt to console myself that I have a good many more present in my house that I haven't gotten to reading quite yet but have the best of intentions about. ;)

LindaY

It's an interesting list, but it's just a subjective one. Interesting that some comics (Asterix and Tintin) are included, as well as children's books. I'm sure there are academics that will turn their nose up at that. I could never read the entire list, even if more of the books sounded interesting to me. I would NEVER read a Hannibal Lector book--I'd have nightmares. Anyway, I've read 39 of these. They don't note, BTW, that Pullman's "His Dark Materials" is three books, and the Narnia set is seven books.

Danielle

Megan--I'm a little afraid to count how many I read. I just lined them off...If nothing else it's a nice list to get reading ideas from!
Linda--Yes, these lists really all are very subjective. No matter how many books they include, they're still leaving worthy reads off. Like you there are several books I would never choose to read as well, though I do like they include a few children's books and graphic novels as well. I like that you can click into the lists and read about the books, though some of the titles in some of the subjects are a little bit curious (The Mysteries of Udolpho in the SCi Fi/Fantasy list--maybe it's meant to be a fantasy of sorts?). No matter how imperfect I have to at least check these lists out.

Karen

I think these lists can sometimes be a little daunting and restricting. Like you say Danielle - a lot of the books you read may never make these lists but they are still great reads. I like to look at these lists for ideas on what to read but mostly I like to listen to myself and what it is I am enjoying reading the most.

Litlove

It's very good of you to print the whole 1,000 out like this, Danielle. The lists I'd looked at hadn't impressed me hugely. I thought the choices a bit odd. For instance, in comedy, you would have to be in a very strange mood to find Flaubert's Bouvard et Pechuchet, Kafka's The Castle and Perec's La Disparition laugh-out-loud funny. So I feel a bit suspicious. Still, it's always useful to have the lists, I guess, to remind you of authors you haven't yet read but would like to.

Claire

Wow, thank you for posting this list up, Danielle. I too would never read a lot of the books listed here, but it's nice to cross titles off, that I like to do. I counted 65 I've read, but if I were to include all of His Dark Materials and The Chronicles of Narnia, it would be 73. Almost a hundred is good enough for me. :)

Darlene

Happy to see a couple of Saki titles under Comedy. The Complete Saki was a christmas present so I'll have to dig it out from the TBR pile, he's very funny in a cutting sort of way.

Krakovianka

I couldn't resist counting how many I'd read, although I didn't make a list of the titles. I was more interested in seeing how my reading balanced out across the 7 categories. I figure that if you read SOME of these, and have a few more on your TBR list, that's good enough. You know those Guardian staffers haven't read them all, either!

sassymonkey

Finally! A list of those books. I couldn't bring myself to click through all of them. :)

sherry

I have read quite a few of the books, but am amazed at how many I have never heard of! It looks like a list put together by a committee of diverse personalities, there is no consistency to the quality of the books.

Mike B.

I finally read the list and did my own count. Though lately I haven't been reading books that many would consider classics (or potential classics) I still tallied 101 books read. Thank goodness for mandatory reading in elementary school and high school

Kristen M.

I had 99 of the books/series read but I second the notion that without high school and college reading lists, I would be a bit lower in that count. My version of the list will post in a couple of days.

iliana

Thank you for posting this - of course I'm off to see how few of these books I've read ;)

Dorothy W.

Wow, that's a long list. I just spent forever counting up how many I've read (a little over 200!), but still that's only 1/5 of the total. Actually when I try to count, I always have a hard time figuring out what counts as reading -- audio? high school reading I've forgotten? I'm never quite sure.

Danielle

Karen--I use the lists for reading ideas, too. I think there are some excellent reads out there even if they never make a list like this--besides these lists really are very subjective.
Litlove--I thought some of their inclusions a little odd, too. I guess Muriel Spark can be humorous in her way, but The Driver's Seat? Not sure I'd count that as a comedy. And The Mysteries of Udolpho as a Sci Fi/Fantasy? Perhaps a fantasy--maybe. Their parameters must have been very wide indeed! But it is fun to get book ideas (just what I need).
Claire--I think I've read maybe 10% of the list (which is very little really), but I have lots more that I own and want to read. It's a good reminder that I need to pull those books out soon.
Darlene--I love Saki! I discovered him last year. Are those two novels or short stories (I was thinking he just wrote short stories, but I could be wrong). I like his humor a lot. I have a collection of his stories, which I need to find now that I think about it.
Krakovianka--I can't imagine anyone who's read them all either. At this point I don't think I'm going to get even half the list read , but there are quite a few titles that I do want to get to eventually. I thought I would have read the larger number in the crime section, but it seems I did well with the Love books! Ha.
Sassymonkey--I was printing off all the individual lists (which are long....), but then I came across a link to the whole thing with just the titles--nice and convenient! :)
Sherry--It is a bit of a hodgepodge, isn't it. Lots of books by one author, too, I noticed. I should have read more than I have--and some authors are authors I keep 'meaning to get to'. Eventually I will.
Mike--I think I've read about the same amount as you. I've actually added some titles just in the last few years as I've been trying to read more classics, but I think other readers are agreeing that school reading is where many of these books are picked up.
Kristen--It's a good thing for high school English, eh! :)
Iliana--It is interesting, isn't it. So many I want to read, too bad I can't count those! :)
Dorothy--That's an impressive number! I think I could have counted a few more, but it's so hazy now I can't exactly remember enough to be sure I read the book. And a few I added even though I know I haven't read them since high school, which was longer ago now than I care to admit! :) I never know how to count audio either. Technically you're 'read' the book, but I still feel like I'm cheating a little bit.

Stefanie

I find their scifi and fantasy list to be rather odd. Many of the books on the list I wouldn't consider fantasy. They have fantastical elements to be sure but I dunno, I don't think "Cloud Atlas" when I think fantasy.

Danielle

Stefanie--There are some strange things going on in all their categories. I wouldn't count Mysteries of Udolpho as a sci fi/fantasy book either--but then what do I know. They must have just come up with these great sounding groups and then shoe horned books into them! :)

Jenny

I know I'm late to the game, but I've read 258 of these. I think I'd count them as suggestions, though, rather than must-reads. And without having looked much at the site, I couldn't figure out their logic -- I've read four Cormac McCarthy books, but none of the ones they recommended, for example. Lists are like that. :)

Joanna

I've read a paltry 59 books on this list, though there are quite a few books that I have at home that I just haven't read yet. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.

Danielle

Joanna--I have lots of these books also unread on my shelves, too. So many of them sound really good, but as always it is a matter of fitting them in to the reading queue.

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