Books to read before you die

[BlackFlyChardonnay]

Slightly dramatic and morbid way of phrasing it, but these lists always seem to conclude with a reminder of our own mortality.

Anyway, I'm an avid reader but tend to read a lot of popular genre fiction/whatever Richard & Judy are recommending. I read a lot, but I recently saw one of these lists and realised that I've only read 22 out of these 55 "must read" books - pretty poor? So I have started reading books from the list, Lord of the Flies first and now The Great Gatsby.

Do you think it is important to have read what are considered to be important works of literature? I'd be interested to know why you think yes/no.

I have to say, I read Lolita, Jane Eyre & Catch 22 over a decade ago, and can only remember scant details of each. Even Little Women, which I probably read at least 4 times as a child (and watched 2 movie adaptations) I can only remember the highlights of. This suggests me working my way through the list is more of a tick-box activity than something that will enrich my life or mind, because my memory is so appalling.

How many of these books have you read? (Watching the movie doesn't count 😏)

Any books missing from the list that you think should absolutely be included?

I wish more writers (well, probably publishers) valued conciseness more. Now that everything has to be at least 350 pages there are far too many bloated novels that could have been cut down to 200 pages or fewer.

Even so, I don't think it's the masterpiece it's made out to be.

Kite Runner and The Alchemist give me The Rage 😁

Exactly this.

I've read some of the books on that list, but others don't appeal at all.

Why is Lord of the Rings specified as a box set? That's merely the packaging.

I've read 15 in that list. The rest I couldn't care less about, and most of the ones I had to read for class I wouldn't bother with again, either.

I'm more interested to know about books you should read after you're dead.

This.

I used to be one for wanting to read all the classics, cult-classics etc and I barely read 3 books a year as a result.

Now I've found what I like, and I read LOADS. I still throw in the odd classic but stopped thinking about what I 'should' read and I'm much happier.

I love a booklist - if only to see it discussed.

People's opinion of it are always so varied. From loving it because they have already read a large amount to hating it because they haven't, as well as scathing opinions about the inclusion of books they haven't actually read, not forgetting people having polar opposite opinions about particular books on it.

I think OP that this list is as good as any (there's a lot of the usual suspects - many seem to crop up on all lists). Try reading all of them and, importantly, if you find you dont enjoy it place it on a "started but didnt finish pile".

I'd suggest borrowing the books rather than buying each one. I'd also suggest you have a set number of pages that you get to before you make the decision as to whether you keep reading.

(Mine is a 100 pages - though I must confess if it's a short book I press on, then wish I hadn't 😄.)

@WeAreTheHeroes I have to agree as far as the book itself goes; it didn’t make much of an impression on me. But when it comes to length, I score it very highly! Not enough books are around the 150 - 200 page mark these days. It’s the perfect length for developing characters and story while keeping everything tight.

Agree The day of the triffids should be on there.
Also The shinning Stephen King

Do I get double points for reading Ulysses twice? Very strange list, but most of them are. Funnily I am just watching The Great Gatsby at the moment.

Re To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men - I can see why you'd say they're problematic, but are absolutely deserving of a place on the list imo

I read TKAM in lockdown and am kicking myself I never read it before. Brilliant, thought provoking and funny.

Go Set A Watchman....not so keen.

I need to get better at this, but I have this compulsion to always finish a book even if I'm not enjoying it. One, because I always hope I'll be pleasantly surprised by the end, and two, I think if the hard work the author has put in and feel guilty.

Go Set a Watchman is so disappointing on so many levels. I'm basically choosing to pretend it never happened.

I think The Shining might be my favourite Stephen King book.

Now I've found what I like, and I read LOADS. I still throw in the odd classic but stopped thinking about what I 'should' read and I'm much happier

Books are infinite, time is finite. I prefer non-fiction with a dollop of fiction. I probably 'should' read more fiction but that's a self-imposed rule.

Lists like this are a nonsense.

Yes this is me. The second someone gives me a book and tells me how I have to read it, I know I'll not get into it.

I've been like that since my dad insisted I read LOTR before I watched the movie - I think that was early 2000s and I still haven't managed to read past Tom Bombadil.

Go Set a Watchman is so disappointing on so many levels. I'm basically choosing to pretend it never happened

Lost the will to live when Scout and her uncle are arguing 1950s politics for pages. Told myself I probably SHOULD be interested (not enough to look it all up, mind) but if ever a book was crying out for an introduction and notes....I can see why Harper Lee didn't want to publish that one.

I've been like that since my dad insisted I read LOTR before I watched the movie - I think that was early 2000s and I still haven't managed to read past Tom Bombadil.

Skip Tom Bombadil and the barrow wights. The films did.

I've read 43 - Ulysses was only last year, and I enjoyed it more than I expected.

Or The Chtysalids. One of the best books I've ever read

*Chrysalids

I think it’s an odd list. But I don’t mind lists. I read a lot and I think it’s useful to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. With so many algorithms at play, it’s too easy to go online and get ‘if you liked that book, you’ll like this one”

I love Dickens, Jane Austen et al. Dickens has outrageous coincidental plots, characters that are farcical, heroines that are wet as milksops, but there are sentences that make you smile for days. But I love mostly the stuff that show you how they used to live. The fear of smallpox ruining a girls complexion and thus her marriage prospects. Or that ‘crossing sweeper’ was something a beggar boy could do to earn money.

Ive also read Fortunes of War and the Raj series and my takeaway from that is they were pissed all day long.

I’ve also read lord of the rings and games of thrones and enjoyed them.

my all time favourite book (the Crystal cave), never makes it on any list.

Some books and films make it on a list because a ‘certain set of people’ think the books have something important to say. You may or not agree with them.

I personally think that Dan Browns Da Vinci code was the worst book I have ever read. And I hated it the more because it was such a page turner, I had to read it to the end!

50 out of 55. Currently reading Shakespeare as it was a gap in my “Chase” scoring. Enjoying it more than I thought I way.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend Titus Adronicus.

Lists like that are shite. Someone who enjoys Ulysses (seriously? I’ve tried and couldn’t get beyond two pages!) isn’t necessarily going to want to read Game of Thrones (brilliant books by the way, really worth reading) or Little Women.

I’ve read 45 of those - some I’ll read again and again, others I can’t remember the plot.

It’s good to try something outside your comfort zone, but just read. Anything. Read to enjoy, to learn, to broaden your horizons but not to tick some imaginary boxes.