Top 100 Books to Read

[Optimus Prime]

Okay fellow CC'ers, it is time for me to ask your opinion on something important.

So, I have made myself a goal to read the Top 100 Books in reverse order from 100 to 1, but I have been having a difficult time finding a reputable list to work from. Now, it is no secret that any list made, despite who makes it, is going to have some flaws. Some boards of critics may rank things differently, include some things, and not include others, but I'm looking for a list that could be considered somewhere down the middle.

So far, after a couple hours of digging around on Google (granted my googling skills are not exactly the best), I have found the following site that houses two separate lists, one by the "board" the other by the "readers":

Modern Library's 100 Best Novels

I have taken a good look at both lists, and they seem to be differing quite a bit at certain junctures. Not the least of which is that the list compiled by the Board is completely devoid of any work by Ayn Rand, which I find somewhat difficult to believe. On the other hand, the list compiled by the Readers does seem to lean heavily towards favoring multiple works by several authors, which may or may not be somewhat skewed and open to interpretation.

So, before I make my first voyage over to the public library to pick up the first couple at the bottom of the list I would like to see if anyone here has an opinion on which list would be better to work my way through. Or, if possible, if anyone knows of a better source to find an accurate list from.

I will say this: I am currently leaning slightly more towards using the Reader's list if only because I think I will enjoy the experience a little more.

Thoughts, suggestions, comments?

Regards, Optimus Prime

[t-o-m]

ok i didnt read any of that,
i hate reading you see...

[Alex Youngren]

...............i watch movies

[InkL0sed]

Well, all of the books I know of on both of those lists are worth reading. As to whether they are "top" or not, is completely subjective.

[suggs]

1984 and Animal Farm by G. Orwell are essential, i think.
Hmmmmmm i love this sort of list banality

[suggs]

Lord of The Flies, W. Golding.
Dont know how old you are, but the younger you read that, the better. Ideally a teenagers book.

[InkL0sed]

1984 and Animal Farm by G. Orwell are essential, i think.
Hmmmmmm i love this sort of list banality

I haven't gotten around to reading 1984. As for Animal Farm -- well, essential, I guess. But I wouldn't rank it in the top 100 best books ever.

[Optimus Prime]

Well, all of the books I know of on both of those lists are worth reading. As to whether they are "top" or not, is completely subjective.

That seems to be the crux of the problem I am having in finding a list to go with. I found lists from the New York Times, USA Today, TIME Magazine, and several others and each one was completely different than the rest. Hmmmm.....

[Optimus Prime]

Lord of The Flies, W. Golding.
Dont know how old you are, but the younger you read that, the better. Ideally a teenagers book.

Almost 24.

I did read Animal Farm as a junior in high school, and Lord of the Flies as a sophomore I do believe.

[Minister Masket]

My bedroom is a virtual library. I've been reading from the age of two.
I'll see what I can do and I'll get back to you.

[InkL0sed]

Well, all of the books I know of on both of those lists are worth reading. As to whether they are "top" or not, is completely subjective.

That seems to be the crux of the problem I am having in finding a list to go with. I found lists from the New York Times, USA Today, TIME Magazine, and several others and each one was completely different than the rest. Hmmmm.....

For example, I've heard that "Of Human Bondage" was not very well accepted in its day. But now all of a sudden I've been hearing about how good it is Guess I need to read it myself...

[btownmeggy]

The readers' lists is controlled by cultists (Randian "objectivists" and Scientologists).

Go for the editors' list.

The Magus by John Fowles (no. 93) has gotten high praise on CC's Book Talk thread.

[Optimus Prime]

The readers' lists is controlled by cultists (Randian "objectivists" and Scientologists).

Go for the editors' list.

The Magus by John Fowles (no. 93) has gotten high praise on CC's Book Talk thread.

I can believe that statement about the Rand fans.

Hmmmm.....perhaps I should do a comparison of the two lists? Read the #100 book from each and then use my own opinion to decide which is actually better?

[InkL0sed]

I find it interesting that I, Claudius made it onto both lists. We've been watching the TV show in Latin class

[william18]

Personally I think that the Readers List holds the better books. the Readers List has a wider range of genre's, and many more classics.

[mandyb]

The Catcher in the Rye
ninteen eighty-four
Of Mice and Men
Farenheit 451
Catch 22
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Stranger
Testament of Youth
The Stranger

Mostly old classics but all deserve a place on the bookshelf.
I left out the more 'girlie' ones..
You should check out Hecter's new forum - lots of good suggestions in 'Norses Book Club' - really

[suggs]

I find it interesting that I, Claudius made it onto both lists. We've been watching the TV show in Latin class

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAV SHOWS! Superb acting, horrific, gory plot, everyone dying-fantastic.
The books are excellent, thank you:

Robert Graves, I Claudius and Claudius The God defintely in the top 100.

btw, of course any list is subjective- books are written by subjects, and read by subjects, after all . But the best books are generally the ones liked by a lot of people, as they touch on human experiences that people can relate to.

eg in the case of I, Claudius, family rivalry, power, lust, love etc.

[suggs]

Lucky Jim, Kingsley Amis.

a must.

[suggs]

Something by Martin Amis, probably "Money" which is FUCKING HILARIOUS and deeply disturbing.

[Napoleon Ier]

Lord of The Flies, W. Golding.
Dont know how old you are, but the younger you read that, the better. Ideally a teenagers book.

AQA has irrevocably destroyed all the beauty of that novel for me.

Also, after my English lite xam is over, the first thing I'm going to do is grab an air-rifle, and kill a fucking mockingbird.

[Napoleon Ier]

In actual suggestions, Le Comte de Monte-Cristo is a definite, if you can read the original.

[InkL0sed]

I find it interesting that I, Claudius made it onto both lists. We've been watching the TV show in Latin class

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAV SHOWS! Superb acting, horrific, gory plot, everyone dying-fantastic.
The books are excellent, thank you:

Robert Graves, I Claudius and Claudius The God defintely in the top 100.

btw, of course any list is subjective- books are written by subjects, and read by subjects, after all . But the best books are generally the ones liked by a lot of people, as they touch on human experiences that people can relate to.

eg in the case of I, Claudius, family rivalry, power, lust, love etc.

Yeah, the show is great. I've added the book to my "To-Read" list.

[suggs]

9re: Naps shooting mockingbird)


I wish now i had done English Lit "A"-Level.
I was so sick of analysing books, that i did philosophy instead. Which was great, but i feel i prob missed out something. My knowledge of the classics is lamentable.
On the plus side, YAY THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUEMENT

[suggs]

In actual suggestions, Le Comte de Monte-Cristo is a definite, if you can read the original.

Or, take the easy route, and read Stephen Fry's "The Stars Tennis Balls" which apparently is basically a rewrite of the Count of Monte Christo.

Is a bloody good read though, and TWISTED. I defy anyone not to cry at the end of it.

[Napoleon Ier]

9re: Naps shooting mockingbird)


I wish now i had done English Lit "A"-Level.
I was so sick of analysing books, that i did philosophy instead. Which was great, but i feel i prob missed out something. My knowledge of the classics is lamentable.
On the plus side, YAY THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUEMENT

I'm hesitating between the two atm. If I dont get an A* at gcse because I fail to compare Carol Mann Duffy's pseudo-intellectual -post-feminist shit to Shakespeare then I have to do Philosophy or something, I guess, but English Lit really is a Man's subject. Even if the course is a travesty. You have to love their historical notes on TKAM though: "Historical context of Teddy Roosevelt's (yes, I know) New Deal is vital to understand racial tensions..."