How many of the BBC top 100 books have you read?

[Bluemooninmyeyes1]

I came across this list yesterday and I’m ashamed to say I’ve only read about 15 and most of them are the Roald Dhal books and Harry Potter I’ve obviously read more than 15 books in my life but they just don’t appear on this list! I’m making a conscious effort to read more classics this year.

How many have you read?

www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml

Definitely agree with that, @ThatIsNotMyUsername. I did stagger to the end of Ulysses, but definitely didn't enjoy it!

I love the 19th century stuff though, and haven't read Pratchett or Archer.

65, although that probably includes a couple of unfinished Austen's.

About half of them.
I'm not a Terry Pratchett fan to Jacqueline Wilson.
There are a couple of my all time favourites though -
The Magus
A Secret History

Has anyone ever finished a la recherché du temps perdu?

Does anyone claim to enjoy Proust?

Actually, thinking about it, Ulysses is very much like Pratchett's Guards books.

Lots of literary references, tiny details which pay off later if you are paying attention, lots of inference which is left to the reader to work out and the city is effectively a main character.

Of course it's a bit daft to compare one of the greatest examinations of the human condition in the English language to Ulysses.

@donquixotedelamancha

Has anyone ever finished a la recherché du temps perdu?

Does anyone claim to enjoy Proust?

DH but he has bloody read everything (English lit grad)! And probably in french knowing him (crazy good linguist).

Smarty pants (never play him at scrabble).

I’m thrilled at how high A Prayer For Owen Meany is

By Christ, there’s some shit on that list

Its just one person's list though. There's a few odd choices on there and loads of fantastic timeless authors completely missed off.

41, I think but some I may have read and forgotten. Seems a strange list though.

72

What an odd selection though

Who gives a fuck what the bbc thinks I should read? Im bored of being told what a good book is. Read whatever you like that grabs your attention.

@Hotcuppatea

Its just one person's list though. There's a few odd choices on there and loads of fantastic timeless authors completely missed off.

It’s the precise opposite of just one person’s list. That’s why it looks so bizarre, because it’s the amalgamation of several very different literary tribes.

It’s certainly not a list of what anyone thinks you “should” read; the idea was to get an honest snapshot of people’s actual tastes and use that to get people talking about books.

39
Agree it's an odd list!

I've read 40 of them. There's a lot of kids books and Terry pratchett on that list.

26

Also dominated by Harry Potter and Roald Dahl
but a few classics in there too. I might save this list and work on reading some more this year, thanks for sharing OP.

5 ... I read the Godfather in Italian though .. do I get points for that 😂
I’m an avid reader but must have different tastes from those who compiled the rest !!!

I didn’t count the Harry Potter books though I did read them aloud to my daughter ... but I was beyond bored with them and barely took the content in !

@donquixotedelamancha

Actually, thinking about it, Ulysses is very much like Pratchett's Guards books.

Lots of literary references, tiny details which pay off later if you are paying attention, lots of inference which is left to the reader to work out and the city is effectively a main character.

Of course it's a bit daft to compare one of the greatest examinations of the human condition in the English language to Ulysses.

Ha ha!

The list is also from 2003.

37 of 50.
Not looked at the second page, but even now I read a book a week .
There is something so good about leaping into a good read.

You read the Godfather translated into Italian? Is it any better?
It’s my Exhibit A in evidence for the thesis that crap/mediocre books make better movies than great books.

See also: Jaws, Gone With the Wind, Who Goes There? The Shining

What an odd list! 78 - I’m too old for JW & I don’t like Pratchet (sorry I know he is beloved but I just can’t - I’ve tried several)

So many of those books I have only read (probably too young) because they were on the bookshelves when I was growing up & if it’s there I will read it.

@LApprentiSorcier thank you! And your DH.
I knew I'd asked that question somewhere but couldn't remember where!
I will check those out

It's an odd list of books though.

Kane and Abel is one of my favourite books

62

Very dated list with too many Terry Pratchett and Jacqueline Wilson books.