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Original poster

Amazon 100 books to read in a lifetime

62 replies

Chopsypie · 08/05/2014 19:57

I've just seen the new 100 books to read in a lifetime from amazon. I've had a quick flick through and it seems like a pretty good mix of fiction and non fiction, so I think I'm going to set myself a target of reading everything on it.

Link

Anyone else up for the challenge? I've already read 25 of them, so I've got 75 to go!

OP posts:
Nocomet · 08/05/2014 22:18

100 objects is brilliant
I've read about 16, but most are the children's ones or the light weight adult stuff.

The only really adult one was Lord of the Flies and that's the only book I've ever actually wanted to burn.

Well except the contented little baby book, but that at least makes my DDs laugh.

hazeyjane · 08/05/2014 22:06

Hooray! I thought I was on my own there for a minuteSmile

ControlGeek · 08/05/2014 22:06

Ahh just seen I'm looking at the goodreads one (via the amazon link in the op) thanks

MotorLoo · 08/05/2014 22:05

Thanks, ooh I think I'll go back and try those two. It was a while ago that I started them but I remember them having slow starts - in Rebecca there was a long, boringdescription of a house (I think?) and The Book Thief going on about this girl and the colour.of the sky?!

I know I'll never go.back and try Midnight's Children, tried that one so.many times and.couldn't bare it. Not sure.about Do Androids Dream.. it seemed promising but then was boring for a few pages and I gave up.

OublietteBravo · 08/05/2014 22:03

I've finished 37 of these (there are others I either haven't finished or have a copy of but haven't read).

I loved Catch 22 - one of the few books I finished and then immediately re-read. On the other hand I've tried to read The Book Thief a couple of times and just can't get into it.

hazeyjane · 08/05/2014 22:03

I love that it manages to be (imo) very funny, very surreal and very shocking. He wrote the book from his genuine experience of war, but it reads like a grown up Alice In Wonderland, with the cartoon like characters and meandering style.

Devora · 08/05/2014 22:01

Ah, wrong list then! I'll try again. .

Original poster
Chopsypie · 08/05/2014 21:54

Motor loo - I adored the book thief. I read it for book club an it really affected me. First time in ages a book has made me cry.
I do love history though, and I love reading about how individuals are affected by things that affect the rest of us as 'events'

OP posts:
Best1sWest · 08/05/2014 21:52

Yes, yes to Rebecca, give it another go. It's brilliant.

Hazeyjane, what is it you love about Catch 22? My dad loved it too. I'm really interested as it is one book that seems to divide people.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 08/05/2014 21:50

Oh, I see, if you go through to goodreads it comes out completely different. Although handily already marked as read/not read when I log in...

Cockadoodledooo · 08/05/2014 21:49

35 for me, and I've seen several more as films but I'm guessing that doesn't count!

hazeyjane · 08/05/2014 21:47

I've read 68.

Am I really the only person that loves Catch 22, it's one of my all time favourites.

I might try and read some of the unread ones, but don't think anything is going to get me to read Tracy Beaker.

MotorLoo · 08/05/2014 21:41

Oops I lost count.. I think ive read 40 odd. Some of the books on the list are.my favourite books but some I've started to read and couldn't get into them so gave up, namely: The English Patient, Rebecca, The Book Thief, Midnight's Children and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I'm wondering if it's worth revisiting these books. What do you think? Are they worthy of this list?

mum2jakie · 08/05/2014 21:37

Are you looking at the list on Amazon or on GoodReads? On Amazon they are all different authors.

Original poster
Chopsypie · 08/05/2014 21:37

On the list I've got, only the first Harry potter and game of thrones are there.

I'm going to have to be sneaky with this, I'm trying not to buy books this year. (I've got 70ish unread on my kindle account, plus about 40 paper books sat next to my bed)
Library it is!

OP posts:
Best1sWest · 08/05/2014 21:33

Read about half. Another Catch 22 failure. I might try again as I was in my 20s when I last tried but I found it very irritating.

Cider with Rosie - failed on that too, but think I will try that next.

ControlGeek · 08/05/2014 21:32

On my list, there are a number of books by the same author - the harry potters are all listed separately, and there are three song of ice & fire (game of thrones) books on there as well as duplicates that I mentioned in my post above. Are we all seeing different lists then?

ControlGeek · 08/05/2014 21:31

I can see some books twice - Guards! Guards! and Rebecca both appear more than once for me. Perhaps the list changes depending on votes, and some versions of the book are on the voting list more than once?

mum2jakie · 08/05/2014 21:31

All of the 100 books are by a different author.

Oakmaiden · 08/05/2014 21:28

Boulevard - I was just about to say the same thing. There is only one Bill Bryson, and one Neil Gaiman on the list I can see...

Original poster
Chopsypie · 08/05/2014 21:20

I think I'm going to start with the wasp factory, as I've already got it on my kindle. I've been reading a lot of sci-fi recently so it fits in nicely

OP posts:
Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 08/05/2014 21:18

48 here. However, life is now too short to read books you don't want to.

plus3 · 08/05/2014 21:16

Glad I'm not the only one defeated by Catch 22

mum2jakie · 08/05/2014 21:11

Good challenge! I've read 26 of these. Only 74 to go!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2014 21:06

I also only saw them once, iirc.

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