frankie Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 Welcome to the forum EmmaWhite! I hope you will have fun with the challenge! Have you counted how many books you've read so far off the list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudibee Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 I've got '1001 books...' and I tend to see what frame of mind I'm in and read accordingly. I order them from the library or buy them secondhand but I know for a fact that age will catch up with me. I've read a very small fraction of them which is a very small consolation but, as someone who lines the walls with books, I know I'll never read half of what I've already got let alone titles that I don't own. A glorious reading mess and I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loretta Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Looking forward to reading some of these books. I can see I’ve got a lot of catching up to do as I’ve only read about 100 on the list. Surprised not to see Homer’s The Odyssey, Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso or Hans Fallada’s Alone in Berlin on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasan459 Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 very large list, not possible by me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 According to my notes I am now up to 64. Still a long way off completing this before I die Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 I've read 23, as follows: 797. The Time Machine – H.G. Wells 790. The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells 650. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons 610. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien 599. The Big Sleep – Raymond Chandler 547. Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell 539. I, Robot – Isaac Asimov 526. Day of the Triffids – John Wyndham 521. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway 494. The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien 481. The Midwich Cuckoos – John Wyndham 467. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote 451. Catch-22 – Joseph Heller 430. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold – John Le Carré 396. Chocky – John Wyndham 390. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick 389. 2001: A Space Odyssey – Arthur C. Clarke 375. Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. 301. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams 227. Watchmen – Alan Moore & David Gibbons 207. The Player of Games – Iain M. Banks 78. Sputnik Sweetheart – Haruki Murakami 64. After the Quake – Haruki Murakami Got a lot more of them on the shelf! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 My list from early 2011. I've only managed to add 6 since then (the ones in blue) * are ones I particularly enjoyed. 61 in total. 1800s 940. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen * 938. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen * 937. Mansfield Park – Jane Austen * 936. Emma – Jane Austen * 922. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Victor Hugo * 906. The Count of Monte-Cristo – Alexandre Dumas 905. Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray * 904. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë 902. Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë 892. Cranford – Elizabeth Gaskell * 887. North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell 879. The Mill on the Floss – George Eliot 873. Les Misérables – Victor Hugo 872. The Water-Babies – Charles Kingsley 863. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott 859. Phineas Finn – Anthony Trollope 846. Far from the Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy 794. Dracula – Bram Stoker 1900s 772. Where Angels Fear to Tread – E.M. Forster 769. The Forsyte Sage – John Galsworthy * 761. A Room With a View – E.M. Forster * 754. Howards End – E.M. Forster * 708. A Passage to India – E.M. Forster * 699. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald * 695. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie * 650. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons * 649. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley 642. Murder Must Advertise – Dorothy L. Sayers * 639. Thank You, Jeeves – P.G. Wodehouse * 632. The Nine Tailors – Dorothy L. Sayers * 619. Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell * 614. Out of Africa – Isak Dineson (Karen Blixen) * 610. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien * 608. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck * 603. Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier * 601. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – Winifred Watson 592. The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck * 566. The Pursuit Of Love - Nancy Mitford * 564. Animal Farm – George Orwell 563. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh * 552. Cry, the Beloved Country – Alan Paton * 547. Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell 542. Love in a Cold Climate – Nancy Mitford * 526. Day of the Triffids – John Wyndham * 510. The Go-Between – L.P. Hartley * 508. Lord of the Flies – William Golding 486. Doctor Zhivago – Boris Pasternak * 477. The Once and Future King – T.H. White 470. A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute * 467. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote 459. Cider With Rosie – Laurie Lee * 456. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee * 436. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey * 408. In Cold Blood – Truman Capote * 303. The World According to Garp – John Irving * 272. The Color Purple – Alice Walker * 190. Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro 156. The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje * 116. The Reader – Bernhard Schlink * 2000s 42. Atonement – Ian McEwan 19. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 (edited) The publishers have brought out a new edition. It's really just an update, adding 10 books published since the last edition, and commensurately removing 10 earlier ones. It's a bit of an odd list to me, not least because one of the books isn't fiction, being Helen Macdonald's memoir, H is for Hawk. I can't imagine why they've included it, much as it's a decent book, and think they've simply made a mistake, although they have previously included Jung Chan's Wild Swans, a family history. To a lesser extent, as this is just a matter of judgement, I'm also flummoxed by the selection of The Circle, which was on my short list for Duffer of the Year last year, and I found pretty awful both as a book and as a piece of writing. Winter looks to be a straight swap for the author's earlier book, There But For The. However, I'm probably not the best person to comment, as few of the books listed for the last 30-40 years hold much attraction for me, although I've got both the Adichie and the Tartt on my to read list. The editors obviously think very differently about to the judging panels of the major literary prizes: from the six-year period since the last edition, not a single Man-Booker winner, just one Bailey's Women's Prize winner (McBride), and just one Pulitzer winner (Tartt), although, of course, Macdonald won the Samuel Johnson for Non-Fiction! The full ten new books are: H(a)ppy by Nicola Barker H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald. Winter by Ali Smith 10:04 by Ben Lerner The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie The Circle by Dave Eggers The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt The books removed from the list are: There But For The by Ali Smith The Children's Book by AS Byatt Kieran Smith, boy by James Kelman The Blind Side of the Heart by Julia Franck Your Face Tomorrow by Javier Marias The Successor by Ismail Kadare Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas Dirty Havana Trilogy by Pedro Juan Gutierrez The Life of Insects by Victor Pelevin Forever a Stranger by Helle Haase Edited November 15, 2018 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 On 15/11/2018 at 10:55 PM, willoyd said: The publishers have brought out a new edition. It's really just an update, adding 10 books published since the last edition, and commensurately removing 10 earlier ones. It's a bit of an odd list to me, not least because one of the books isn't fiction, being Helen Macdonald's memoir, H is for Hawk. I can't imagine why they've included it, much as it's a decent book, and think they've simply made a mistake, although they have previously included Jung Chan's Wild Swans, a family history... To my mind, this is just a big list of books, and nothing more. The Murakami books listed - for example - are good, but they are not his best (in my opinion) and as much as I like John Wyndham, Chocky shouldn't be anywhere near the list (The Chrysalids is a much better, more thought provoking story, should another Wyndham book be required after Triffids and Midwich - and given he already has two books on the list how about featuring someone else?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 (edited) 14 hours ago, Raven said: To my mind, this is just a big list of books, and nothing more. It is, of course, meant to be more focused than that, but I do think the editor(s) have lost sight of that focus. It's effectively promoted as a list of novels, but it isn't, with too many non-fiction books included, whilst there are not enough to make it a genuine attempt at a list covering both fiction and non-fiction. There's a whole fistful of books that simply shouldn't be on the list, by definition. Quote The Murakami books listed - for example - are good, but they are not his best (in my opinion) and as much as I like John Wyndham, Chocky shouldn't be anywhere near the list... I agree that they often don't list an author's best book(s). It's interesting to compare this list with Robert McCrum's tighter list of 100 Best Novels in English (which in itself is, as they all are, controversial), where he limits himself to one book per author, and where one will often find that the book he rates isn't in the Boxall list, whilst others from the same author are. On the specifics, though, Chocky isn't actually on the current list, it only appearing in the first, 2006, edition. I do agree, though, that Chrysalids would have been a better choice then. I have to say that I'm a complete sucker for book lists, but this one has started to irritate me of late as I've gone into it a bit more. The latest additions haven't helped: I've read two of them, one of which isn't a novel, and the other is one of the worst I've read in recent years (The Circle). Not an inspiring start! Edited November 17, 2018 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angury Posted November 19, 2018 Share Posted November 19, 2018 On 11/16/2018 at 11:09 PM, Raven said: To my mind, this is just a big list of books, and nothing more. I agree with this. After a certain number, a list (for me) just loses its' significance. I'd rather have a list of 'Top Five Books' (with the writers' reasons why) rather than a ream of bullet points that go on and on and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talya Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 I don`t think that its the great examples. The best books I have ever read are : A Short history of nearly everything - Bill Brayson :- One of my absolute favourite books by Bill Brayson. This book is what every textbook wants to be when it grows up. Jam packed with facts and stories written with his typical dry humour , the illustrated hard cover version of this book is a must read for everyone. Reality is broken - Jane McGonial : Why play computer games ? How playing games is not a waste of time as many see it to be but can be therapeutic and enhance productivity and creativity in all of us.If you are a gamer ,read this one. If you are not , read it to see what turns us gamers on and what you are missing out on.;) Freakonomics - Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner : Can economics be interesting?? Really??! Here is a book exploring the sex appeal,if you will of economics. Below is an excerpt from their web page, talking more about the book. “ Which is more dangerous , a gun or a swimming pool? What do school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? How did the legalization of abortion affect the rate of violent crime?’ These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven Levitt is not a typical economists. He studies the riddle of everyday life.. from cheating and crime to sports and childrearing …and whose conclusions turn conventional wisdom on its head. Indian super foods - Rujuta Divekar : Forget all that Firang food you find difficult to even pronounce, let alone eat! Our grandmothers were right all along. Rujuta writes with a sarcasm that I totally enjoy.She gets her point across brilliantly. Ghee is REALLY good for you by the way.Read and find out why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miroslava Meyrink Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 No E.T.A. Hoffmann on the list? He's one of my favorite classic authors of all time. I read everything I could find by him, he's a perfect example of Romanticism and Magic Realism. Stories from "‘The Serapion Brothers" are amazing. "Der goldne Topf", "Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober", "Meister Floh" are genuine XIX-century psychedelia. Hoffmann embodies phantasmagoria in its core. I think his books can be easily found in English. Another name that may sound rare is Gustav Meyrink (my devotion is seen in my name). He was more than just a writer, he was a magician able to dive into the deepest secrets beyond the usual reality. His books are full of mystic horror, esoteric visions, ancient philosophies; his fantasies are tightly connected with Prague where he lived and created most of his best works. For the beginning, I recommend that you discover his short stories. If you like reading something like that, the next level will be his novels. The Angel of the West Window, The Green Face, The Golem, The White Dominican... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) On 17/01/2019 at 2:13 PM, Talya said: I don`t think that its the great examples. The best books I have ever read are ..... All of these are non-fiction books, and therefore, at least theoretically, not eligible for this list. Freakonomics does appear in James Mustich's 1000 Books To Read Before You Die, whilst Bryson is cited for his book A Walk in the Woods, but that book includes non-fiction (and, for me, as I've said, is a more interesting list). On 17/01/2019 at 2:13 PM, Talya said: If you are not , read it to see what turns us gamers on and what you are missing out on.;) Each to their own! Personally, having tried computer gaming, I found it thoroughly addictive and distinctly the opposite of life enhancing. I now prefer engaging with aspects of the real world, but then others think I'm geeky about reading, wildlife, birding, and the outdoors too! Of course, one could say that reading fiction is anything but engaging with the real world! Edited January 19, 2019 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talya Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 I think it is soooo messed up. Books are very personal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 I've managed to get up to 70 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Budgie Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 UGH, I just counted, it took ages. 54. 954. The 120 Days of Sodom – Marquis de Sade 918. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens 916. The Fall of the House of Usher – Edgar Allan Poe 913. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens 911. The Pit and the Pendulum – Edgar Allan Poe 902. Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë 888. Hard Times – Charles Dickens 872. The Water-Babies – Charles Kingsley 863. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott 825. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain 822. Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson 820. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson 809. The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde 804. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 794. Dracula – Bram Stoker 790. The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells 781. The Hound of the Baskervilles – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 772. Where Angels Fear to Tread – E.M. Forster 750. Death in Venice – Thomas Mann 708. A Passage to India – E.M. Forster 699. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald 698. Mrs. Dalloway – Virginia Woolf 695. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie 686. To The Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf 675. Orlando – Virginia Woolf 654. The Waves – Virginia Woolf 650. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons 608. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck 565. Cannery Row – John Steinbeck 563. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh 515. Junkie – William Burroughs 509. Under the Net – Iris Murdoch 489. Giovanni’s Room – James Baldwin 467. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote 463. Absolute Beginners – Colin MacInnes 461. Naked Lunch – William Burroughs 460. Billy Liar – Keith Waterhouse 459. Cider With Rosie – Laurie Lee 456. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee 428. The Graduate – Charles Webb 408. In Cold Blood – Truman Capote 394. A Kestrel for a Knave – Barry Hines 360. The Wild Boys – William Burroughs 291. Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole 246. Queer – William Burroughs 243. Perfume – Patrick Süskind 237. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit – Jeanette Winterson 215. The Pigeon – Patrick Süskind 214. The Passion – Jeanette Winterson 204. The Swimming-Pool Library – Alan Hollinghurst 201. The Beautiful Room is Empty – Edmund White 187. Sexing the Cherry – Jeanette Winterson 49. Life of Pi – Yann Martel 33. Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 Quick skim through and I think I’ve read 101. Sadly though I am much more than 10% of the way through my life 😂. Will edit this post at some point with which I’ve read. Loved reading all the discussion so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasan459 Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 this is very big list. its really tough to read all of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 8 hours ago, hasan459 said: this is very big list. its really tough to read all of them I think it would be very unlikely many people will ever read all 1001 books but I do find it a good list to find things I wouldn't normally read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 I've just gone through my reading records and I'm now at 88/1001 from the 2008 edition of the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
France Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 I've read 211 from the original list and 3 from the most recent update, I have to confess to knowing that I have read some of the books but not being able to remember anything about them. I agree with Raven that it's just a big list of books, almost as if someone was rifling through their bookshelves going, 'This one, this one, this one...' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 I have read 147. Not too bad. Don't think some of those I read were all that great, but I must be wrong in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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