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Bibliophiles, the sequel, Love to read? Share here! |
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 Jan 27 2006, 03:16 PM
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Official Singer of the Sorting Hat Song
Posts: 6,422
Joined: 3:12pm July 22, 2005
Location: Lost in Hermione's beaded bag
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Well, I'll kick off Bibliophiles, the sequel with a bunch of lists. How well read are you?
Full list of the 100 best works of fiction, alphabetically by author, as determined from a vote by 100 noted writers from 54 countries as released by the Norwegian Book Clubs. Don Quixote was named as the top book in history but otherwise no ranking was provided. The Norwegian Book Club's Top 100.
The Modern Library, a division of Random House, has a list of 100 Great Works of Fiction and 100 Best Non-fiction Works. They've posted a Reader's Choice list next to their Board's Choice. The difference is rather amusing.
Finally, I offer the National Education Association's 100 Best Books for Children.
There had been discussion in the previous Bibliophile's thread about the Western Canon. Personally, the only thing I find useful about lists is that they bring my attention to books and authors I haven't read or was unaware of. And that's a good thing.
I don't have a list for non-Western Classics, but I imagine there must be one.
So many books, so little time.
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Come the words that bubble
Up through broken laughter,
Sweeter than spring-water,
"Gods, I am so happy!"
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Jan 27 2006, 03:55 PM
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Rat Tonic Bottler
Posts: 1,120
Joined: 9:01pm July 25, 2005
Location: in a little house in DeSmet, South Dakota
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I didn't make those lists, and always have many objections. I don't think literature can be ranked. Besides, these particular lists are focused on anglosaxon (or even more specific: American) literature. Didn't see a single Dutch work on any of the lists - and I really think we all should read more Multatuli (a Dutch writer - it's a pseudonym of Eduard Douwes Dekker, that sounds more Dutch :wink: ). Read his Max Havelaar!
But I consider myself to be tolerably-read, above average.
I did a count, just for laughs, on your links David, and for the first list my score is highest. They had some non-western literature on it, which was good. I've numbered the links.
1. 40 books
2. 15 of the board's list, 14 of the reader's list
3. well, I stopped counting since I don't read that much non-fiction, and if so, it's mostly in Dutch, not the books on this list. They weren't all non-fiction either! Vladimir Nabokov's authobiography Speak, memory is as literary and almost as fictitious as his Pnin!
4. 23 (children's books).
Yes, there are far too many books to be read in this short life. Reincarnation isn't such a bad idea really. :wink:
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~~Proud member of the Ingalwings Society~~
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Jan 27 2006, 07:31 PM
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Butterbeer Connoisseur
Posts: 1,472
Joined: 4:20pm June 3, 2005
Location: Nashville, TN, US
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Well, I'm of two minds on the lists. Like David, I like to see books and authors that I haven't read, it gives me more to add to my to be read list (just a minute ago I actually wrote down two more books...) But I also feel like there's just so much to read and not enough time. I didn't do a count on any list except the last one, the children's books - I read 30 on that list, but I didn't count ones that I knew I had read but couldn't remember (I remembered the title but not the story or content). Wow, some of those titles I hadn't thought about in years! I remember Caps for Sale - I think I read that at the library, before I even started kindergarten!
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-Peeves_ |
Jan 28 2006, 01:11 PM
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DUMPS BOOKSHELVES OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
RIPS PAGES FROM BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH FILCHY I'M MAKING MADAM PINCEY MAD, ARE YOU COMING TO GET ME NOW??
FILCH LOVES PINCE!!!!!!!!!
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Jan 28 2006, 02:45 PM
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Assistant Stargazer to Firenze
Posts: 1,092
Joined: 12:37pm July 16, 2005
Location: I want to be a part of it ... New York, New York
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Man, I can't believe Peeves just vandalized our precious forum like that! He has no respect for literature.
Okay, I fell for the Children's Book List! I have read exactly 30 of them (like Amanda). The other lists I still fear.
I just got back from the main branch of the Dallas Public Library. Oh, it was heaven. I could have stayed there all day long if it weren't for the parking garage fees and homeless vagrants.
There were lots of people there, but only on the computers and in the "current popular fiction", "videocassettes", or "children's" sections, which proves my point about the library becoming less about books. There was no one besides myself in the philosophy, literature, arts, history, etc.... sections. I enjoyed having all these books to myself, but it was still sad. The books seemed kind of neglected.
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 I called it - June 2007 |
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