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This Librarian Meme Thingy
The World Book Day poll conducted by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) of Great Britain, which asked librarians, "Which book should every adult read before they die?" has turned up a rather eclectic list. So, here's the usual meme: bold the ones you've read, strike through the ones you started but didn't finish, and comment as inspired
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marynachaotica who stole it from nebroadwe
Let me just preface this with the statement that for a writer, I am not a big reader. There was a time when I was a much more prolific reader, but even then, what I read was what interested me even to the point of not reading things I was assigned to read in English class, and still managing to pass the tests on those texts by osmosing anything that was said about those texts (most of which reinforced my desire not to read them.) and then guessing the few answers left I didn't know right off. Please note... I was pretty much a straight A student until My junior year, by which time I had already fulfilled all of my set english requirements and was happily fulfilling the remainder with electives like Creative Writing. So I expect that many MANY of these books if I've heard of them I have not read.
THE LIST
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Nope. I've heard of it, but never had any interest in reading it.
The Bible
I have read this series of books many times. I know and understand the stories and parables within better than most Christians, since I did not have someone interpret it for me while I read it my many times. I can cite loads of examples from these books that directly contradict some of the 'doctrine' that gets rattled at me from time to time.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
I read this for the first time when I was about 13 I think. That was about the time that the original animated movie was released on HBO. I remember thatcomposer2005 and I used to watch the movie alot. Before that, I had been more into Sci Fi. This book was what brought me fair and square into the fantasy genre for my reading preference.
1984 by George Orwell
Another one I've heard of, but never read. In fact I think I have a copy of it ... somewhere... or did at one time.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I 100% disagree withmarynachaotica on Dickens. I love all Dickens and find it not the least bit boring. The thing about reading lit that is this old is that the style is pretty radically different. Back then people had attentions spans of more than 6 seconds, so an author could actually spend a little time painting a scene at the begining of a story before introducing a character into it. It was ok back then to be wholly omniscient, and nowadays that's scarcely done. A Christmas Carol needn't be dismissed just becuase it tells a story of obviously Christian men in a celebration of the Christmas holiday. Substitute the word Yule in every instance, and the story is still valid, and the morals and ethics Dicken's sought to remind us of are still sound. (note: I do not appreciate it when some Christians imply that only Christians have morals, values or ethics btw... and many do imply that. It's very insulting.)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I've heard of this book... I've never read it, nor had any interest. I don't know what it's about.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I think I have read some of this book.... and I think I have seen the movie. If it's the story I'm thinking of, I did enjoy the movie, but I'm still uncertain if I've read the book. I may be mixing it up with Sense and Sensibility... in face, now that I think of it, I think I am.. but I do enjoy works from that time period even if they are really steeped in Christianity like this one is (if I recall). Again it's because the morals and ethics presented don't apply just to Christians faith and teachings.
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Well... I've heard of it. I've never read it.
His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
I've never heard of this book, or this author
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
I've heard of it, but never read it... don't have much interest...
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Nope... Lord of the Rings... King Rat... but not this.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
*blink blink* whu?
Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
again... whu?
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
I don't know.. You know, I'm pretty sure I've read Winnie the Pooh... so I'm going to bold it. I seem to remember having some Winnie the Pooh books... amongst my vaunted Dr. Seuss...
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Ok.. I bought this book becuase Pat Benatar did a song called Wuthering Heights that I really liked... and I didn't understand it at all.. the song I mean.. but it had a lot of really interesting musical dynamics that showcased some of Benatar's early operatic vocal training. What I could fathom of the story seemed interesting, but I found the book sorely disappointing. I felt that the heroine was a moron, and did not understand in any way why she seemed to go to such lengths to have herself abused for no good reason. She didn't even LIKE those people... so why keep going back over there? I also found it incredibly poorly written, disjointed and very difficult to follow. A classic? Pfft!
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
No idea what this is.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I have heard of this.. but never read it. I think I am afraid it will be as boring as War and Peace... and frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Being a Dicken's fan, of course I've read this too. It's not one of my favorites by Dicken's though. Seems like he kind of drags through his character's life rather somewhat more than usual. I'm used to Dicken's being a quick read, and this was pedantic at best, plodding at it's worst. The story was good... just the presentation could have been better.
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
No... I have read The Time Machine by HG Wells though... *snicker* does that count?
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The what? O_o ooookay...
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
I think I've heard of this...
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
I've read this too... and oh boy... I totally can't remember which story this is! hahahaha... I mean, so many of Dicken's stories are about a character starting from little, and working and striving and finally reaching some sort of success... I seem to recall that this one is similar, but a little faster read than Great Expectations.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Um... >_< but the title sounds interesting. Not just from the perspective of an FMA fan, but I've actually studied some of the mysticism that was involved in alchemic science, and understand some of the things they were trying to learn about the nature of things. Some of it is VERY VERY wiered shit though!
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Middlemarch by George Eliot
I think I've heard of this book.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Might be interesting... but I'm almost willing to bet I'd put it down very shortly.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
I've heard of it... never read it.
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
I think I have heard of this book, but it does not sound like something that would interest me.
My further thoughts: (and I may go back and add to this some more later, but have to go to bed now)
Why is Watership Down not on this list?
Of Dickens, why include those two and ignore A Tale of Two Cities which was probably the best of his stories.
Being as I am the antipoet, I hate Shakesphere, but why is there no Shakespheare?
Ok I can see why Anne McCaffrey may not be something everyone in the world must read, but why were James Clavell's historical works completely ignored Librarians? huh? Surely Shogun merited some mention. How many authors can balance that many important characters make you know them, and still keep you caring about all of them? (he does not manage that in Whirlwind btw...at all.)
Stolen from
marynachaotica who stole it from nebroadwe Let me just preface this with the statement that for a writer, I am not a big reader. There was a time when I was a much more prolific reader, but even then, what I read was what interested me even to the point of not reading things I was assigned to read in English class, and still managing to pass the tests on those texts by osmosing anything that was said about those texts (most of which reinforced my desire not to read them.) and then guessing the few answers left I didn't know right off. Please note... I was pretty much a straight A student until My junior year, by which time I had already fulfilled all of my set english requirements and was happily fulfilling the remainder with electives like Creative Writing. So I expect that many MANY of these books if I've heard of them I have not read.
THE LIST
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Nope. I've heard of it, but never had any interest in reading it.
The Bible
I have read this series of books many times. I know and understand the stories and parables within better than most Christians, since I did not have someone interpret it for me while I read it my many times. I can cite loads of examples from these books that directly contradict some of the 'doctrine' that gets rattled at me from time to time.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
I read this for the first time when I was about 13 I think. That was about the time that the original animated movie was released on HBO. I remember that
composer2005 and I used to watch the movie alot. Before that, I had been more into Sci Fi. This book was what brought me fair and square into the fantasy genre for my reading preference.1984 by George Orwell
Another one I've heard of, but never read. In fact I think I have a copy of it ... somewhere... or did at one time.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I 100% disagree with
marynachaotica on Dickens. I love all Dickens and find it not the least bit boring. The thing about reading lit that is this old is that the style is pretty radically different. Back then people had attentions spans of more than 6 seconds, so an author could actually spend a little time painting a scene at the begining of a story before introducing a character into it. It was ok back then to be wholly omniscient, and nowadays that's scarcely done. A Christmas Carol needn't be dismissed just becuase it tells a story of obviously Christian men in a celebration of the Christmas holiday. Substitute the word Yule in every instance, and the story is still valid, and the morals and ethics Dicken's sought to remind us of are still sound. (note: I do not appreciate it when some Christians imply that only Christians have morals, values or ethics btw... and many do imply that. It's very insulting.)Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I've heard of this book... I've never read it, nor had any interest. I don't know what it's about.
I think I have read some of this book.... and I think I have seen the movie. If it's the story I'm thinking of, I did enjoy the movie, but I'm still uncertain if I've read the book. I may be mixing it up with Sense and Sensibility... in face, now that I think of it, I think I am.. but I do enjoy works from that time period even if they are really steeped in Christianity like this one is (if I recall). Again it's because the morals and ethics presented don't apply just to Christians faith and teachings.
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Well... I've heard of it. I've never read it.
His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
I've never heard of this book, or this author
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
I've heard of it, but never read it... don't have much interest...
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Nope... Lord of the Rings... King Rat... but not this.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
*blink blink* whu?
Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
again... whu?
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
I don't know.. You know, I'm pretty sure I've read Winnie the Pooh... so I'm going to bold it. I seem to remember having some Winnie the Pooh books... amongst my vaunted Dr. Seuss...
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Ok.. I bought this book becuase Pat Benatar did a song called Wuthering Heights that I really liked... and I didn't understand it at all.. the song I mean.. but it had a lot of really interesting musical dynamics that showcased some of Benatar's early operatic vocal training. What I could fathom of the story seemed interesting, but I found the book sorely disappointing. I felt that the heroine was a moron, and did not understand in any way why she seemed to go to such lengths to have herself abused for no good reason. She didn't even LIKE those people... so why keep going back over there? I also found it incredibly poorly written, disjointed and very difficult to follow. A classic? Pfft!
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
No idea what this is.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I have heard of this.. but never read it. I think I am afraid it will be as boring as War and Peace... and frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Being a Dicken's fan, of course I've read this too. It's not one of my favorites by Dicken's though. Seems like he kind of drags through his character's life rather somewhat more than usual. I'm used to Dicken's being a quick read, and this was pedantic at best, plodding at it's worst. The story was good... just the presentation could have been better.
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
No... I have read The Time Machine by HG Wells though... *snicker* does that count?
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The what? O_o ooookay...
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
I think I've heard of this...
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
I've read this too... and oh boy... I totally can't remember which story this is! hahahaha... I mean, so many of Dicken's stories are about a character starting from little, and working and striving and finally reaching some sort of success... I seem to recall that this one is similar, but a little faster read than Great Expectations.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Um... >_< but the title sounds interesting. Not just from the perspective of an FMA fan, but I've actually studied some of the mysticism that was involved in alchemic science, and understand some of the things they were trying to learn about the nature of things. Some of it is VERY VERY wiered shit though!
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I've never heard of this book, or this author
Middlemarch by George Eliot
I think I've heard of this book.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Might be interesting... but I'm almost willing to bet I'd put it down very shortly.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
I've heard of it... never read it.
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
I think I have heard of this book, but it does not sound like something that would interest me.
My further thoughts: (and I may go back and add to this some more later, but have to go to bed now)
Why is Watership Down not on this list?
Of Dickens, why include those two and ignore A Tale of Two Cities which was probably the best of his stories.
Being as I am the antipoet, I hate Shakesphere, but why is there no Shakespheare?
Ok I can see why Anne McCaffrey may not be something everyone in the world must read, but why were James Clavell's historical works completely ignored Librarians? huh? Surely Shogun merited some mention. How many authors can balance that many important characters make you know them, and still keep you caring about all of them? (he does not manage that in Whirlwind btw...at all.)
no subject
Then again there's quite a few books I'm shocked you've not read.
I agree with you about there should be Shakespeare on the list!
no subject
The first book of it is currently in theaters...The Golden Compass.
The movie was good enough that we have seen it 2x. (Even if once was on free passes and the other was on someone else's tab.)
no subject
I'd pass on A clockwork Orange, it made me physically ill for about three days. Disgusting book, 1984 has the same message and is better to read.
Lord of the Flies was more annoying than interesting, get the cliffnotes if you're curious.
And finally, you must read Pullman! His Dark Materials is my favorite series of all time, absolutely fantastic!