I have read 37 of them.
But, of course, being obnoxious, I have a couple of comments about some of the books:
The Executioner’s Song? What? To have THAT book be on there and not In Cold Blood (Truman Capote invented the genre, and Norman Mailer stole it) is very bizarre. I didn’t think The Executioner’s Song was that great a book – definitely not one of the greatest novels of all time. That seems baffling to me.
Second of all: neither of those are novels. They are true-crime books. They are dressed up as novels, which was the whole “gimmick” of them – but Truman Capote got there first, and In Cold Blood is a much better book. Please don’t even argue.
I was completely gratified to see Charlotte’s Web on there.
I have huge gaps in my reading – stuff which must be rectified.
I haven’t read any Paul Auster. I haven’t read any George Eliot (which I know is completely shameful – she is DEFINITELY on my list).
I have read Pilgrim’s Progress of all things, but I haven’t read any Philip Roth. Please don’t kill me.
I have not read David Copperfield, strangely, although I have read Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Christmas Carol and Bleak House. How did I read all of those and miss David Copperfield, which everybody talks about as his best?
I have never heard of the book Sybil, by Disraeli. Sue me.
I haven’t read any Trollope, and I haven’t read any Wilkie Collins.
I have read all of the Bronte books numerous times. I have read all of James Joyce.
I, somehow, embarrassingly, have not read any Faulkner. This is horrifying, I know. Faulkner is on my eternal list – I own all his books, but I haven’t read them.
I have read Crime and Punishment, but I have NOT read The Brothers Karamazov – which, I believe, is one of my dad’s all-time favorite novels.
Glad to see Catch-22 on there. In my opinion, it should be #1.
I have read Portrait of a Lady but it left me cold. I mean … I liked some of it … I liked how much of it was conversation – not a lot of description, but just long long passages of people talking to each other – fighting, jostling for position … But Henry James remains opaque to me. I will grant him his space in the canon (I’m sure he is happy to have my endorsement), but so far, I have been unable to “go there” with him.
I like the passionate wild books better. The Wuthering Heights. The Anna Kareninas.
I have never read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and yet I HAVE read Three Men in a Boat, which I thought was abysmal, but that is probably only because I was in a dreadful musical adaptation of the book, described in this post here. The production was so awful that one critic started off his review with the following words: “Not since the Titanic has there been such a nautical disaster…” So I despise Three Men in a Boat. I think it’s a stupid book.
I have only read Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness – have not read Nostromo, which appears on the list, and is called Conrad’s “masterpiece”.
Never read any Ford Madox Ford.
I’ve read all of DH Lawrence and I know this is sacreligious – but … I guess I didn’t get it. Perhaps I was too young when I read them. Maybe I should go back and try them again.
I think Howard’s End is a far superior book to Passage to India, but I could be persuaded otherwise.
I have had Gunter Grass’ The Tin Drum sitting un-read on my bookshelf for nigh on 15 years now. My best friend Mitchell read it and it blew his mind – He could not stop talking about it. But it’s one of those books I haven’t gotten around to yet.
And : Housekeeping? Gimme a break.
Oh, and one other subjective comment: Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey has no business being on that list, in my opinion. I had to force myself to finish that book. I know everybody fawned over it, and loved it, and praised it, but I thought it was over-praised. Some of the writing was okay – and the plot itself was fascinating (carrying a glass church over hundreds of miles) but … whatEVER. The book didn’t work for me.
Oh, if you haven’t read Primo Levi’s The Periodic Table – you really must. However: it’s a memoir. It’s not a novel. So … why is it on this list?
Got me beat…I’m at 14. For a diamon-brilliant book not on the list, try *How Green Was My Valley.*
Ugh…diamond. Fooey. Sorry.
Ken – never read it. (wince) what makes it so good, so diamond-bright?
SYBIL…. is this the self-same SYBIL that is the non-fiction re-telling of the woman with over 100 personalities? I’m just trying to figure this list. Is it restrictive fiction, or fiction and creative non-fiction (as in memoir told in a narrative style, as opposed to biography and reference, which is told in a more technical, expository style.)
SYBIL I read, mostly because when I did WGI (World Guard International) back in high school, there was one school whose winter show (color guard — which is dance, props, and equipment) was comprised entirely of snippets from the movie SYBIL (with Sally Field) that is based on the book. 25 girls in ripped, sad little costumes running around the stage, some acting as the younger personalities, some acting as the male personalities, some as the more abrasive personalities. The tarp floor (that all color guards use for indoor performing) was painted black with blackboard paint, and at various points in the show, the girls playing the younger personalities would drop to their knees write “Sybil” and “let me out” backwards, in white chalk. One of the girls actually had scizzors, and long red hair, and started CUTTING OFF HER HAIR mid-show, as if possessed, while an equipment (flag) feature was going on behind her. At the end, she jumped through one of the props — a plate glass window, as Sally Field screamed, “LET ME OUT!! I HAVE TO GET OUT!!” There was, of course, dance and equipment and such intertwined, but the whole thing was so jarring and broken and mesmerizing. It was like a 25 girl nervous breakdown. How can you not read the book after seeing something like that?
Jaime:
I just literally do not know what to say. A color-guard interpretation of Sybil??? That is … Dammit, I wish I had been there!
And no, this book is not THAT Sybil, which I did read. It’s something else entirely.
is there a videotape of your reenactment of Sybil?
(hint, hint)
Four, I feel so…uncultured. I bet I’d have more if they had a list of the greatest non-fiction books.
Bill:
I, for one, would like to see your greatest non-fiction book list.
Have you already done something like that?
I know I put a list together a while back – but you, as a history buff (i will NOT say “history geek”!!) probably has a much wider list.
anyway – think about it, if you haven’t posted one already.
I’ll try to post one some weekend, I’d need to have the lot in front of me…and I have about a hundred books in the attic.
Yes, there is. And yes, I have it. ;) It is absolutely fascinating. Of all the “fan favorites” from WGI I have on tape, that one is my sister’s favorite. I wouldn’t call it my favorite, but it’s definitely worth a watch. You’re more than welcome to borrow it if you promise to return it.
Jaime: I guess I really need to see the color-guard chopping her hair off. I mean, I can PICTURE it – but i am sure that is nothing to the reality.
Dearest; as you know I love lists, but htis one is pathetic. Just one comment tho: the discussion on Sybil is a case in point. The selector says that only Churchill [that rat!], among ‘British’ politicians has any style. I would suggest two politicinas, often categorized as ‘British’ who have accomplished so much more, at least as literary figures: namely Sheridan and Burke. Disraeli is writing stuff that only a specialist in minor literary achievements could like, while Churchill is writing boys’ adventure stories or imperialistic claptrack. Sheridan is writing the funniest plays ever [except for Goldsmith] and Burke is writing on the Sublime. love dad
I am an illiterate fool.
Atlas Shrugged greatest ever!!
Why is Gone With The Wind not on there. Maybe not the most meaningful book of all time but it was still better than the BFG (which I love and have read numerous times, but still Scarlett is way cooler than anyone in any of Roald Dahl’s books). I am super happy Wuthering Heights is on there. My favorite book of all time. But Pride and Prejudice in my opinion, is better than Emma. And Jane Eyre belongs on there too.