Gee, I'm surprised. These days I don't read nearly as much as I used to since I'm working a lot in the sciences and in math but if I counted correctly I've read 40 of the books listed.
Printable View
Gee, I'm surprised. These days I don't read nearly as much as I used to since I'm working a lot in the sciences and in math but if I counted correctly I've read 40 of the books listed.
About 30.
Well, one of the fifteen books I nominated made into the list which would still be there without my vote, because if Master and Margarita would be missing from that list, it would be an outrage.
So, my votes were quite pointless.
Still, seems like a sensible list, most of the books there are on my "I should read those at some time" list.
I've read 15. :( Toni, I believe has read more. Some of the books listed still lay on the shelf. Got to spare time for those! Definitely a good browse, Muse! I'd keep those listed the next time I drop by Powerbooks. :)
I've read 18, and am currently working on 3-4 more from the list, with a majority of the list being on my "I need to read that eventually" list.
Because, look how many people left just this post, or very little else - or who just came in here to ask a question about a book their teacher assigned, left their top 10, and vanished.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hank Stamper
In truth, it would be interesting on many levels a) to see how reading these boards has effected ones judgment and value of literature, b) how, I would say, more established readers (being that they have been reading for longer, or more books) choose books verses beginner (I hate to use that term though) readers value books.
wow, most of the books i've only read the sypnosis of...:D it's hard to get copies of em... anyways, i've been meaning to read the fountainhead after i read atlas shrugged... great book btw...:D Thank you dark muse for the list!:D i have to check em out!:D
Great list, Dark Muse. I suppose you've put lots of effort in this but it's worth it. Thank you for making it :)
I am glad the list is so balanced, there are classics and some quite new books. May be the greatest surprise for me is that "The Kite Runner" made it to this list. It was unexpected, but not disappointing actually, the book is very good :) after all. The other surprise was that in the list there is so much Greek literature and quite close to the top. I am very glad "Brideshead Revisited" made it to list. The first time I read the list I didn't see the title and I was quite disappointed, but in the reread I saw it :D:D:D (54/100)
DM, just out of curiosity, did you keep track of how many Lit Netters contributed to the list?
Of course, the next mature step will be for us to start telling each other how stupid we are for ranking x over y. Wait for it. It's coming.
It is hardly balanced - where are any of the world books - like I said, not one Canadian book, and that is even a country that speaks English! There is clearly no balancing in terms of ethnicity - maybe in terms of time-scope, but really, I doubt if we took another test in 10 years, half the contemporary books would be on it, given the change in tastes over time. I'm just peeved that nothing international that isn't a rather cliché choice made the list. As it is, the modernist ones, and contemporary ones, all seem to be English books, and from England or the UK.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexei
Lets be honest - what is the better work of world literature, the Poems of a Thousand Masters by various poets from the Tang and Sung Dynasty of China, or Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. Who is more central, Yukio Mashima, or Heller? Seriously, who is the better writer, Virginia Woolf, or Patrick Suskind?
I'm making popcorn as we speak.Quote:
Originally Posted by PabloQ
I've only read 52. Of the remaining books, I only want to read about half of them. The list is interesting, although I agree with JBI that it is skewed (what list of such a manner isn't?) and a bit predictable (with all the Dostoevsky and Orwell fanatics... er, "fans"). The biggest void, as JBI points out, is the absolute dearth of lyric poetry... but then again, as a regular participant in the poetry discussions, this is no surprise, either. The other great "flaw", if we can call it that, is certainly the lack of cultural balance. Not a single non-Western book!? Only one book from Latin-America... and its not even something by Borges or Neruda? Still I wouldn't find fault with the notion that most of these books are worth reading, and it does offer a bit of an insight into the reading habits of the LitNetters. Good job, Dark Muse... I wouldn't wish to have had to organize the same myself.
Granted, most of the people that participated haven't read nearly as much as posters like JBI and stlukesguild. Which is why I avoided contributing anything to the list, I haven't even read twenty of the novels that actually made it onto the list.
But of course it's just the LitNet list, so it's going to be a reflection of the tastes of the forum members here, not necessarily of any sort of objective academic ranking of important literature from around the world. It's just the favorite books of LitNet users.
And I hate Ayn Rand more than just about any writer I've ever read!Quote:
Originally Posted by limajean
No, I did not count, exzactly how many memebers votedQuote:
Originally Posted by PabloQ
Haha, yes I think Stlukes and JBI will begin the wtich hunt shortly. LOL I knew I could rely upon them to have something critical to say.
I see what you mean and I agree with you. When I said it is balanced, I have in mind the time period the books were written in. Yes, probably after ten years some of the them wouldn't be in the top 100, but of course this list is bound to change. First of all, all members who voted are going to read many more books from now on and I am sure they will find at least 2-3, which are better.Quote:
Originally Posted by JBI
There is something else. Thinking that one actually votes for the best book is maybe rather unreal. To be honest nobody can say what the best book is, one votes for the books that are his personal favourites, for the ones that managed to impress the reader most, for the ones that were most influential. That is also bound to change in time. For example there are books that I don't really like the first time I read, but after some time passes I find out that they have actually impressed me and my mind keeps dwelling upon them. For me this makes a book rather good in spite of the fact that while reading it I've found the characters rather unconvincing, the style tiring, the plot dull or whatever. For me if one book is influential it is good.
Still this thinking is reminding me of your amazement there is not a single poetry book, because indeed what can be more influential than poetry. But I didn't see any short stories too (if we don't count Kafka's Metamorphosis, which I've seen to be classified as one, but I don't really think it is a very good classification). So this isn't the only strange exception, right? But to be honest when I hear "the best book I've ever read" I never think of poetry first, I start thinking about novels. That's not because I don't like or I don't read poetry it's just the way my mind works and I am sure there are other people who do the same. So no matter how stupid it sounds maybe some of us didn't think of it, God knows I didn't :D:blush: But then there is the question can you put poetry and prose of any kind in one list? For me they are different universes, so I can't do it, but I suppose there are others, too.
As for the English literature I have no explanation and I can't argue at all.