The lovely Bellezza posted this meme. If you read it, you are automatically tagged, says she. I wasn't expecting that. Okay, so here goes:Look at the list of books below:
* Bold the ones you’ve read
* Italicize the ones you want to read
* Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in.
* If you are reading this, tag, you’re it!
**If there are any books on this list that I didn't italicize and you think I should read, let me know in comments! Also, what other books do you think belong on this list and why?
I've personalized a bit by highlighting the ones I started and abandoned in green and a few I haven't actually even heard of in purple (although in all but one case I've heard of the authors). I think there's only one I've read twice: The Count of Monte Cristo.
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
I don't feel very well read, after looking over my answers. Hmmm. Since I don't know what hat this list was pulled out of, I don't know what I'd suggest. They're not all classics, so I'm not sure whether someone considered them all great books or just books that have had a high readership - I would not have put Mitch Albom on a list of great authors; and, books that sell like crazy often don't appeal to me in the slightest. Maybe I should come up with a list of my own, some day. I'm not sure whether I'll read the rest of the Harry Potter books, so I didn't italicize them. But, I might change my mind. I enjoyed the first two.
Thanks, Bellezza. It was oddly fun personalizing this list.
Tag to anyone who reads this and hasn't already done this meme!! You're it!
Bookfool, I like YOUR personalizations, especially purple for "ones I'd never heard of." I, too, am not sure on what basis the list was created on (at first I suspected Banned Books, but that isn't right). I had fun working with it too, as well as reading yours, because it shows in a glance what novels we like. Funny you should say you've read The Count of Monte Cristo more than once; I've never read it, but my son bought it for me on my birthday. I'm counting it as a Chunkster Challenge (when I complete it), and I look forward to discussing it with you. Thanks for posting your list; I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI tried to do this one by pasting it into a word doc. None of my little markings carried over so I've abandoned it for now. I love your personalization though. Of Mice and Men should move up on the to be read list ;).
ReplyDeleteBellezza,
ReplyDeleteI felt compelled to add the purple because I thought there were a few too many I'd never heard of and that surprised me. Banned books didn't cross my mind. Hmm. No idea!
Oh, oh, oh! I hope you read The Count of Monte Cristo, soon! I want to hear what you think. I do think it's a chunkster. I just love that book. :) I had fun, thanks. I'm glad you tagged everyone because I would have missed the fun, otherwise!
Acquisitionist,
I often have trouble cutting and pasting these things. In this case, I cut and pasted directly into a new post in "compose" mode and then I had to do a lot of back-spacing to get rid of the italics, etc., by retyping the titles. It was a bit of a nuisance, but it worked.
Okay, Of Mice and Men. Gotta find my copy. Thanks for the nudge. :)
This is fun. I just did it on my blog. Thanks for the tag lol.
ReplyDeleteWhen I realized that I hadn't even heard of half of them... I figured it wasn't the best list for me. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'll pick up Count of Moute Cristo right after I read March (Pulitzer Prize for 2006 looking at Little Women from the father's point of view at war) which we're reading in one of my Book Clubs. Because you recommend it, I'm sure I'll love it. Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteI've seen this here and on Bellezza's (and several other blogs). Guess it's time to do my list, eh?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on Mitch Albom. I enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie, but the others have left me bored with their sappiness.
I'd love to comment on each and every title (and why you should or shouldn't read them), but that would take far too much time and effort on both are parts! ;)
I love reading others' lists. I should probably do this meme too, but I'm lazy. Oh so lazy. Pitiful, yes?
ReplyDeleteI went ahead and added these to my blog (figured I was tagged, so....)! The Tolkien books are classics which should be read (I loved them!); and The Stand is probably King's best book (at least it is *my* favorite!); and The World According to Garp is pretty classic Irving, if you like his style.
ReplyDeleteAka_Nik,
ReplyDeleteThanks for playing along! I just visited your blog and left a comment. :)
Angela,
I'd say if you don't know half, it's not the list for you, definitely. Not a problem!
Bellezza,
I haven't seen March on your blog, but I fell way behind thanks to my lousy connection. I'll have to look for your review; so far, nobody I know seems to have enjoyed it. I'm curious what you thought. I hope you love The Count of Monte Cristo. The fact that I love it is no guarantee, but I'm crossing my fingers and toes. :)
Les,
Yep, time to do your list.
I enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie, but the other books he wrote sounded so cloying that I couldn't even bear to look at them. Apparently, that was a good decision! LOL
I think I have a decent grasp of what you like - no need to elaborate. I'll find out your favorites, at some point!
Andi,
No, it's not pitiful. You're a very busy lady; I've noticed you hardly have time to post to your blog, lately. You get a free pass on this one. :)
Wendy,
Thanks for playing! I'll hop over to your blog, next. I don't know why, but I have absolutely no interest in Tolkien. Maybe it's the fantasy aspect. I keep thinking I *ought* to give him a try, but I haven't succeeded in convincing myself, so far. And, I'm pretty sure I've only read one Stephen King book, The Green Mile - can't think of any others. Hard to believe, eh?
Nancy, have you watched any of the Lord of the Rings movies? I had no interest in them at all, but go caught up in watching a bunch of the behind-the-scenes/making-of extras one night with Rod and was hooked! We've just watched two of the three movies for the second time now and I hope to read the books eventually. I've read The Hobbit and thought it was pretty good. I think I'd enjoy it even more now that I know the story from the movies. Just my two cents on Tolkien.
ReplyDeletebookfool, don't look for a post on March yet; I haven't finished it. :) Who's behind?
ReplyDeleteLes,
ReplyDeleteNope, I haven't seen any of the movies. Daniel went with his uncle, actually - I think when we were in Dallas for a funeral and everyone was gathered . . . can't quite remember. I wasn't interested. I'm pretty sure I went book shopping and then locked myself into the hotel room to read. LOL But, maybe I'll give the movies a try if I can find the first at the library, since you felt the same way. Thanks for mentioning that. :)
Bellezza,
Thank you for the warning about the March review. :) It's annoying falling behind, isn't it? I've had to start a new system in my calendar, marking whether or not I've bothered to post a review to my book groups and my blog. Since I've fallen behind, I'm getting all tangled up and can't remember what I've reviewed and what I haven't! Yeeks.
I agree with Wendy. 'The Stand' and 'The World According to Garp' are my all-time favorite books (ranked 1 and 2), but if you want to read a book that will stay with you for a long time and challenge your view of the world, try 'Life of Pi'. I read it 2 years ago and I still turn it over in my mind.
ReplyDeleteKookiejar,
ReplyDeleteOkay, you've convinced me. I'll at least read up on them. For some reason, none of those titles have ever interested me, but I tend to shy away from books that have a lot of hype behind them. I did like the one Stephen King book I read. Have you read The Cell? Everyone seems to be disappointed with that one, but I found it for a quarter so I'm considering giving it a go.
Hurmphf. I tried to pretend I didn't read your blog so that I wouldn't have to participate in this one, but then I kept seeing it pop up everywhere--so, here you go. ;-) It actually was a lot of fun. Thanks for passing it along, Bookfool!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pass! I could use one. Exhausted here lately. But, now that the 'zine is online for another month, I should have more time for my blog.
ReplyDeleteBookfool, I did read 'Cell' and I thought the first third of it was fantastic...then it took a turn for the worse. Make what you will of that. 'The Stand' is a winner all the way through.
ReplyDeleteI completed the meme on my blog.
Kookiejar,
ReplyDeleteThanks. I may just give The Cell a skip and look for The Stand. :)
Thanks for joining in on the meme!!! And, I hope you enjoy your snow.
Hmm..I may stay *tagged* for awhile before I get to posting it on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI would not bother with The Fountainhead and Ayn Rand...I couldn't bare to get through them.
Handmaid's Tale is a wonderful book. Same with the Kite Runner and The Secret Life of Bees.
It certainly is a diverse list. Confessions of a Shopaholic, Anna Karenina, and the Bible all on one list!
Yep...The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books. I'm a big Stephen King fan, and this is far and away his best!!
ReplyDeleteYou didn't like Gone With the Wind? It is another one of my all-time fav's, along with The Count of Monte Cristo!
Nyssaneala,
ReplyDeleteNo hurry, babe. :) It is a strange list, isn't it? But, I had fun with it. Ayn Rand really intimidates me. Those books are huge! We'll see if I ever get to them.
I flipped through The Secret Life of Bees several times - it never did grab me! I was surprised because so many people raved about it. But, I've discovered that if I flip through a book and it doesn't call out to me, it's a mistake to bring it home. That doesn't mean my taste won't change.
I do think I need to read The Kite Runner. I think I'm psyching myself up because it sounds so sad. And, I'm pretty sure I have The Handmaid's Tale buried, here, somewhere. Thanks for the suggestions!!!
Stephanie,
Okay, you've convinced me. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a copy of The Stand. Someone dumped off a load of Stephen Kings at the library, a few weeks ago. I took home exactly one. Silly me!
I've tried Gone With the Wind twice. It's not that I didn't like it but that I couldn't concentrate on it. I think the first time I had little ones running around and the second time I tried to read it while working in a bookstore. I just need to read it during a quiet week, you know? The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all-time favorite books. :)
I love the purple and the green addtions! So much fun to see what you abandoned and never heard of. My girlfriend in Montreal struggled through Gone With The Wind, persevered but HATED it.
ReplyDeleteI've seen other lists from a year or so back. I'll have to root them out.
It is a bit of a jumble of a list, but fun to go through. I've just done it on my blog; I keep travelling around to see which ones are other people's read/to be read/don't read choices!
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm glad you liked my purple and green additions. I used my favorite colors and didn't even realize it!
You know, I don't think I know anyone who has ever admitted to hating Gone With the Wind. That's bizarrely comforting. I still plan to give it a third try, but the third time will either be the charm or the end, if you know what I mean. :)
Melanie,
I'll dash over and check yours out! Yep, it's a blast seeing what everyone else has read. I always enjoy these memes. :)
Finally did it!!!
ReplyDeleteYea Andi!
ReplyDeleteI'll be right over. :)
I read this and posted it on my site. This was fun, though I feel like a dunce. Way too many books I had never heard of.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I posted two DNF books as read. I only did that because I have no desire to try them again. Didn't know how else to differentiate. :)
Here's Mine!
Amy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for playing! It was fun, wasn't it? I guess I usually don't get far enough into a book to count it as finished if it's a DNF, so that's not a problem for me, but if you jog over to Andi's blog you'll see that she mentions calling Jane Eyre a book she's read, although she had to return it to the library just before the end. LOL Close enough!
Bookfool, I come bearing good news. You are the fifth place winner in the Classics Challenge. If you will send your snail mail address to me at
ReplyDeletebooklogged_reader at yahoo dot com I wil send you my favorite bookmark and some bookdarts. Congratulations.
Booklogged,
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks! Note forthcoming. :)
Hi Bookfool! I decided to play along. :D It's the top post of my blog right now.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eva!
ReplyDeleteI'll hop right over to check yours out. :)