Tuesday, November 12, 2013

35 Books You Must Read In Your Lifetime

(Well, that's what the link says.  I'd replace 'must' with 'should'.  Or even the more Minnesotan 'We Kindly Think that Reading These Books Might Do You a Benefit, You Betcha'.)  A pretty good list here.  It sounds like the original list was created from Reddit.  As you may know, book lists are like catnip for me, so I thought I'd go through it. I'll remark if I have it, if I've read it and maybe a brief comment.

  • Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - I have it but haven't read it.
  • Watership Down - Have it but haven't read it.
  • The Last Lecture - I've never heard of this but it sounds good.
  • A Short History of Nearly Everything - Not familiar with this either.
  • Man's Search for Meaning - Another one that is new to me.  Sounds good.
  • The Forever War - I've read this and it's a good read though not life changing for me.
  • Cosmos - I've read other Carl Sagan, but not this one.
  • Bartleby the Scrivener - Excellent short story.  I have it and have read it.
  • Maus: A Survivor's Tale - I've never read this but I really should someday.
  • For Whom the Bell Tolls - Haven't read it but will someday.
  • Kafka on the Shore - Sounds really good but I haven't read it.
  • The Little Prince - Have it, have read it and I would highly recommend it.
  • The Road - Very good book, though incredibly dark.
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude - I have it but haven't read it. I thought 'Love in the Time of Cholera was very overrated.  
  • East of Eden - Haven't read it.
  • How to Win Friends and Influence People - I'd like to read it but I haven't done so.
  • Crime and Punishment - Have it but haven't read it.  
  • Brothers Karamazov - Have it but haven't read it.  It's on the Great Books list.
  • The Stranger - Have it but haven't read it yet.  High on my 'get to it' list.
  • Dune - Have it and read it.  Not my style but I get why so many people love it.
  • The Handmaid's Tale - Have it but haven't read it. I'm leery after hating 'The Blind Assassin'.
  • Anne of Green Gables - Haven't read it and never had much interest.
  • Fahrenheit 451 - Read it many times.
  • The Giving Tree - I've read it several times.  I go back and forth on whether I like it or not.
  • To Kill a Mockingbird - One of my all time favorite books.
  • Animal Farm - Very good book.  
  • All Quiet on the Western Front - Have it but haven't read it.
  • The Count of Monte Cristo - I have it but haven't read it.
  • Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep - Don't have it, haven't read it. 
  • Catch 22 - Have it, have read it.  I liked it but I didn't love it.
  • Slaughterhouse Five - I've never read this but I hear good things.
  • Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Have it and read it many times. Maybe the funniest book of all time.
  • Brave New World - Have it and read it. Very thought provoking.
  • Flowers for Algernon - Read it in high school but not since.
  • 1984 - Have it and have read it many times. There's a dissertation to be written comparing this and 'Brave New World'.
I've only read 13 though I own at least twice that many.  There was a time when this would have inspired me to read the rest in some methodical manner but I'm pretty busy these days.  Maybe I'll just peck around the edges.  


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