I never liked fiction and was surprised that I had read 7 on there, mostly at school for O levels etc. and none that I can see through choice. I have seen more of them as films at various times.
47. I was surprised it was so many. There's a few I didn't count because I can't seem to finish them: All the stories that are famous in the Bible have happened by the time you've finished Genesis and Exodus so I assumed the rest of it was going to be very boring waffle and stopped reading. It's not exactly a page turner. I think I've made 4 attempts so far at Crime and Punishment. It's meant to be brilliant but I find it deeply depressing. Moby Dick is still on my bedside table but 100 pages in there has been no sign of a whale ( with whom my sympathies are going to lie anyway). Deeply dull. I still think a good book is like having a top film ( better really) in your pocket that you can turn on at any time. I've totally stopped reading magazines. There's nothing much anyone's going to say in 1000 words that I'm going to find useful or interesting. Don't read the paper: if last week's is uninteresting they can be worth reading. I love fiction but still mainly read non-fiction.
Only 26 read by me but this list does contain a lot of good books. It goes without saying, however, that some of the best books in the English language have been left out.
The list does indeed contain some of the best novels in the English language, but there are plenty of also-rans seemingly picked at random. Since the list contains no non-fiction and precious little drama or poetry, it doesn't have much to do with being "well-read" as far as I can see. Also, the older you get the more books you will have read (and the more dinners you will have eaten), but that doesn't prove anything.
19 for me, and a fair few listed I'd never heard of! Where was One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich? I'd have scored far better if they'd listed some quality gentleman's literature :wink:
You can't hope for a list like this to be definitive, but it's not a bad starter for 10. We could spend an entire thread discussing all the fiction that they didn't see fit to include and then complain about some of it that they did include (like the Da Vinci Code). But we won't.
I'm a big fan of non-fiction as I think that education is a lifelong process - nothing much to do with being in an educational institution which just provides a basis. But fiction has its own truth and important things to say about the human condition and your own life - assuming, that is, you're not just buying airport novels for pure entertainment (and there's nothing wrong with being entertained). Really great novels make you wiser when you have finished them, and employ language in a way which is delightful, just as you get delight from great music. I have just finished The Pugilist At Rest, a collection of short stories by Thom Jones. I picked it out of my bookshelf with no great enthusiasm as it has been there for years. I know someone gave it to me, but I don't know who. I'm not overly keen on spending my time reading second-rate books - there are too many good ones around which I will never read. I have never heard of this book, or its author. But I was wrong. It's a brilliant book, well-written with exciting stories (3 of which are set in the Vietnam War). If you're not a great reader, you could do a lot worse than get this; the stories are only about 20 pages long. It might kindle or rekindle an interest in reading fiction.
26. But many of those are classics by Dickens, Shakespeare, etc. I wouldnt even entertain reading them when there is a plethora of films which make them more bearable. Not one Asimov amongst them? No Foundation or I Robot. No Arthur C Clarke? I read at least 3 or 4 books a month and that list has no bearing on how well read I am. There was also no Tom Sharpe and only Douglas's Hitchhiker was there. No Dirk Gently. Plus all that Austin claptrap can get stuffed. Drivel. I was surprised and pleased that the Wasp Factory was included. Plus even more surprised that there was no Philip K Dick. That list was more for people who like 'classics'. I never spotted Ulysses or The Iliad or even Beowolf. Shit list.
its one of the very few i haven't seen or read. will give it go. books for me are just sleeping pills these days. must be fiction what with it having a bad cop in it. tee hee.
tried the scfi honest ingen and consider phlebus (spelling) bit to hard going for me. was massive piers anthony fan when younger. the adept and immortal series fantastic. Patric tilly Amtrak wars superb.
might be a bit light for a dude of your caliber. easy reading.but yip if there still out there give it a go.
