Have you read any of these books listed as books you should read before you die?
By Script
@Script (592)
Australia
June 4, 2007 3:06am CST
These books were listed as the must read books before you die...
Have you read any of them? The ones I've read I've put * at the end!
1. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee *
2. The Bible
3. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy - JRR Tolkien
4. 1984 - George Orwell *
5. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
6. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
7. Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen *
8. All Quite On The Western Front - E M Remarque
9. His Dark Materials Trilogy - Phillip Pullman
10. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
11. The Grapes Of Wrath - John Steinbeck *
12. The Lord Of The Flies - William Golding *
13. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time - Mark Haddon *
14. Tess Of The D'urbevilles - Thomas Hardy
15. Winnie The Pooh - AA Milne *
16. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte *
17. The Wind In The Willows - Kenneth Graham *
18. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
19. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
20. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
21. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
22. The Prophet - Khalil Gibran *
23. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
24. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho *
25. The Master And Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov
26. Life Of Pi - Yann Martel
27. Middlemarch - George Eliot
28. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
29. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
30. A Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich - Alexander Solzenhitsyn
I've read 11! So I guess I've still got a lot of reading to go!!!
5 people like this
26 responses
@renmiciano (122)
• Philippines
4 Jun 07
Hahaha, well, I've seen some of this books, but I haven't read all of them. I think it's great that you've read 11 :)
I've read parts of the Bible (let's admit that the book of Numbers isn't exactly a page turner), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (one of my favorite fantasy books), A Christmas Carol (which gave me a bit of the creeps- a ghost on Christmas eve? yikes!), The Lord of the Flies (In high school, I liked this so much better than Catcher in the Rye), The Wind in the Willows (though, I can't really remember much of it now), Gone with the Wind (You HAVE to read this, it's wonderful!), and The Alchemist (Yup, all of the world conspires with you).
I've always been curious about The Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, and Middlemarch, though, hope I get to read them one of these days.
Thanks for posting this, I enjoyed responding.
2 people like this
@Galena (9110)
•
4 Jun 07
1. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee*
yes. read it at school. it's okay, but not great.
2. The Bible - not coverr to cover, but we went over bits at school. again, it's okay. some of the stories are very good, and some of the points in it are very good. others are very bad and teach people to hate.
3. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy - JRR Tolkien - love it. but it's very emotionally draining to read.
5. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens - I've always really liked this one
9. His Dark Materials Trilogy - Phillip Pullman - these books are just stunning. they are beautifully written, imaginative, touching and sad.
15. Winnie The Pooh - AA Milne* - yup. some years ago now
17. The Wind In The Willows - Kenneth Graham* - again, some time ago.
29. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess - this is a very good book. quite dark. a fascinating use of it's own language, that you manage to pick up as you go along, and quite an interesting point on censorship, control and free-will. it's also particularly remarkable the way it relates to the authors own life.
2 people like this
@Kowgirl (3490)
• United States
4 Jun 07
Well some of them I have read and some I don't care to read. They are not my type of books. But I do like to buy the first eddition of some of them.
I just bought the first publication of Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol... by Charles Dickens, on E-Bay. I got them for only $3.03 and one is worth $85
Who would have thought an old book could be worth so much? It is in excelent shape
No rips, wrinkles or broken binder. Not even a page was dogeared. It looked as if it had not been opened.
Happy Reading
Kowgirl
2 people like this
@hachimitsu (873)
• United States
6 Jun 07
I've only three from that list (Lord of the Flies, Great Expectations, and The Lovely Bones). Who made this list? Some of these just seem like the generic classics (Catcher in the Rye is missing, though!), and others seem like personal taste. I, for example, didn't think The Lovely Bones was an outstanding book.
On another note, not to sound controversial, but I think having the Bible there is biased towards Christianity. Why not include sacred texts (the Vedas, the Koran, the Torah, etc) from other religions as essential books?
1 person likes this
@tredale (1309)
• Australia
5 Jun 07
I am an avid reader, I always have my nose in a book and I have read two of these books but thanks for the list always out for new books to read. I wonder why these books are so important to read must be something in it. I have read wind in the willows and winnie the pooh. This is a little sad that of all the must reads Ive read the two kids books. I can say both where good books but both of them where read in my childhood. Better get to the book shop who knows how long weve got.
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@linzmcwilliams (1552)
•
4 Jun 07
I've read three. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte which i enjoyed, Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks which is pretty hard hitting and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess which is a great read. I attempted to read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte but i hated it and didn't even get half way through it.
1 person likes this
@Script (592)
• Australia
4 Jun 07
I read your post and had to laugh! The only reason I read Wuthering Heights is because I had to read it in Year 10 at school. And I'm with you, it is definitely hard work. I sometimes think that I should try and read it again with adult eyes, but it brings back such bad memories I just cant bring myself to go there again!
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
4 Jun 07
Of the 30 you have mention there Script I have read 13. I have several more on your list that all of these years I have on my intend to read list. What happens to me when I go to the library to get one of the classics I have not read, something newer will catch my eye, and the classic is forgotten about. I will eventually get to them however.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
13 Jun 07
The only one I have read is Winnie The Pooh. But I have seen the movie of To Kill a Mocking bird, A christmas Carol,Jane eyre,Pride ans Prejudice,The Grapes of Wrath,Gone With The Wind,Great Expectations, and Middlemarch. And I saw Tess D'Urbevilles just before my English class studied it. I kept great notes and re sawe the film in class and got a B on the final.
1 person likes this
@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
5 Jun 07
I've read 13 of them. However the majority of those I would not bother to pick up again and read for enjoyment. Too many of them are dark and depressing.
When I read I want characters and stories that I can identify with. I don't read books just because some unidentified person or group has said they are great books. Sometimes that even irritates me as in some cases I think people suggest certain books because they think it makes them look intellectual rather than for any other reason.
1 person likes this
@Script (592)
• Australia
5 Jun 07
Nice point! You have to be able to identify with the characters on some level. And you are right when saying a lot of 'classic' books have dark or depressing themes. I guess that they reflected the time in which when they were written. Whether it be during The Depression or War those times were difficult for those living during those times and the books tend to reflect that.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
4 Jun 07
Yes, Script, I have read quite a few of them (I'm a really big Charles Dickens fan). I guess my problem is, I guess, that I don't fit into any mold and I like to choose what I want to read for myself. Lots of the time people just want to say that they have read all these Masterpieces solely to impress others. Some of those books were so boring (the movie versions were much better). I will not stick with a book that is slow and plodding and doesn't hold my interest.
1 person likes this
@Script (592)
• Australia
5 Jun 07
I'm with you.... if a book is a snoozer I can't keep reading just because someone (and I don't know who these 'someones' are) says it's a classic. I want to read a book that I enjoy. There's no point in boring yourself when reading, as reading is supposed to be enjoyable!
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
5 Jun 07
That is a very interesting list 'to read before you die'.... hmmm, there are a few I would take off and replace with others I am surprised are not on the list. I have only read 8-10 of them. I have not gotten all the way through a couple of them, for instance, the bible.
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@dazeylaze (256)
•
4 Jun 07
Crivens!! I've not read any of them, and I used to call myself an avid reader. All I can say is, most of them have been made into films that I've watched. I know that's awful because books are so much better than films, but that's the best I can do.
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@mari_skye (1637)
• Philippines
4 Jun 07
I've read four of them, namely: 1) the bible- the new testament and the old testament through a whole 12-book encyclopedia like set of books I borrowed from my aunt. 2) To kill a mockingbird- I liked this story, it made me remember my own childhood days:P. 3) Lord of the rings trilogy- I loved all these three books. 4) The Alchemist- I also loved this novel, the storytelling is very simple but profound.
There are two books on the list that I have attempted to read but I wasn't able to finish, they are Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. I know they were a must read as I've heard a lot of people say that they are good. But I really couldn't prod myself to finish these two novels. It just didn't pique my interest.
As for the rest, maybe I will put them on my note.
1 person likes this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
5 Jun 07
2. The Bible
4. 1984 - George Orwell*
7. Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen*
13. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time - Mark Haddon*
15. Winnie The Pooh - AA Milne*
16. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte*
18. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
19. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
20. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
22. The Prophet - Khalil Gibran*
24. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho*
I've read 11 so far too! And I have the Life of Pi in my too be read pile right now.
1 person likes this
@urbangirl (1456)
• Australia
5 Jun 07
Hi Script - sorry I'm going to break away from your system and just list the ones I've read.
I've only read 7 and these are:
1.To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
2. 1984 - George Orwell
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
5. The Lord Of The Flies - William Golding
6. Winnie the Pooh
7. The Prophet - Khalil Gibran
Thanks for printing the list because it reminds me of some of the reading I would still like to do. I especially want to read The Lovely Bones, The Grapes of Wrath, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and The Time Traveller's Wife.
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
4 Jun 07
I guess I still have some reading to go too as I only read 14 . Some of them I have never even heard of. some I have heard of but havent had a chance to read
@CoffeeAnyone (3210)
• Canada
4 Jun 07
I thought the Bible should of been the first one listed. It is the only book I have read on your list. I have a lot of catching up to do!
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@nixtickleme (349)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I have only read 6. I suppose that I am not close to dying as of yet.
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