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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:
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.

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!

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...

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.

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:
Devora · 08/05/2014 22:01

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

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.

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.

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.

ControlGeek · 08/05/2014 22:06

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

hazeyjane · 08/05/2014 22:06

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

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.

IndridCold · 08/05/2014 23:23

50ish, plus there are another 16 authors who I have read, although not the titles on the list.

I loved Catch 22 too, although I read it a very long time ago!

gamescompendium · 08/05/2014 23:34

I've read half of them. Lots of the kids books are too recent for me to have read (although I've never read Goodnight Mr Tom) and of the adult books I've not read there a lot of recent authors I'm not so fussed about so don't care that I've read them. Is it really more important to have read High Fidelity (which I have read actually) than Jane Eyre?

There are apparently over 1200 Penguin Classics. I'd rather spend some time reading 100 of those grumpy today

Devora · 08/05/2014 23:36

I found the list! It's MUCH better than the one I was looking at [numpty emoticon] and my score is now up to 45.

Devora · 08/05/2014 23:37

I still think, though, that no self-respecting list can leave off 'Beloved', 'If This is a Man' or 'Foreskin's Lament'.

Original poster
Chopsypie · 09/05/2014 07:34

Games - I quite like this list because it's very varied. Not just 'classics' but modern literature.

Also Jane Eyre is rubbish. Staying with randoms who turn out to be cousins? Wink

OP posts:
bibliomania · 09/05/2014 09:20

I've read about 48. On the whole, it's a good selection, though I could quibble with a few. Not sure why 100 objects on there - it's more like a catalogue than a proper narrative.

I liked Jane Eyre's cousins! Okay, the coincidence is a bit much, but I like the independent young women who were earing their own living.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 09/05/2014 09:43

I can't believe I have never heard of Foreskin's Lament, which has to be a contender for best title ever. It does sound rather good, will add that and the 100 objects one to my wish list...

RiverTam · 09/05/2014 10:00

it's a total Amazon marketing thing, Goodreads is part of Amazon and it's based on their average review rating.

Why are all the HPs listed separately but The Chronicles of Narnia boxset is just one entry? I've only read TLTW&TW, can I count it? Agree that not all those Gaimans need to be in there, and yes, where the hell is Wolf Hall??

I've definitely read 51 and I may have read some more but not 100% sure (obviously not very memorable!) but haven't seen anything on there that I want to read that I haven't already.

skinmysunshine · 09/05/2014 10:09

Remus Catch 22 is terrible for the first 100 pages and then it is very very funny. I tried about 5 times over the years until someone said this to me and it was so true.

Original poster
Chopsypie · 09/05/2014 10:10

I know it's marketing but seemed like a nice varied list to start with. I've lost my way a bit with reading since having the kids, and want to try new things. This list seemed like a good way to discover new authors ad genres to potentially go off and explore.

OP posts:
ToffeeJungle · 09/05/2014 10:14

Not sure if I've looked at the correct list (used the link in the OP which took me to Amazon - not GoodReads?).

I've read about 17 of those listed and definitely want to read some more including Grapes of Wrath, The Book Thief and The Wasp Factory.

Am currently reading The Da Vinci Code which is brilliant so far though not listed in this top 100.

skinmysunshine · 09/05/2014 10:14

I've read I've read 61 and have read some other books by some of the authors where I haven't read the one picked (e.g. East of Eden instead of Grapes of Wrath). I'm definitely up for trying to read more.

I'm currently visiting some of the classics that were listed in the BBCs list that I'd never gotten round to. Almost through Far From the Madding Crowd which I'm enjoying very much.

DuchessofMalfi · 09/05/2014 13:27

I've read 33, and quite a few more are on my immediate tbr list.

Not taking the list too seriously though, because there are so many lists out there that claim to be the definitive ones that you should read everything from :o Just a bit of fun to tot up how many you have in common with the Amazon editor who compiled it.

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