My Photo

Random Books from My Library

Bookish Places

Blog powered by TypePad

« Reading Notes | Main | New Books »

Comments

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.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

November 2009

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          

Ongoing Reads

Books Read in 2009

Books Read in 2008

Books Read in 2007

Cool Bloggy Things