Book meme time.

[zekkass]

The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here. Bold those books you've read in their entirety, underline what you've read more than one, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt.

01) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
02) The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien03) Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

Comments

[origamicage]

I have to giggle at some of your opinions. Some I disagree with, some I agree with (BURN STEINBECK BURN) but yes, a lot of classics are overhyped. I do say I disagree the most about Hitchhiker's Guide. I thought the book(s) were pretty damn good. Or at least the first one. I think I read the second one, but it was awhile ago. I'll read the first one again soon. That's the only thing on the list I really really disagree on (the other disagrees are just mostly 'eh, not really, not for me.)

But omg this made me giggle:

A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens aka I've read the first sentence several times.

YES. YES. I can't remember if I've read Little Women or not, but same thing with Pride and Prejudice, I get bored after a couple sentences, I just can't.

And who actually read ALL of The Scarlet Letter? I read about half, then used Cliff Notes for the rest of it.

[zekkass]

Hitchhiker's Guide is good sci-fi, but I don't think it deserves all the love and attention it's gotten when there are other, better sci-fi books around, and so I don't think it belongs on this list.

oh 'Classic' literature you are so boring!

[origamicage]

WELL THATS A CREEPY ICON. XD

I didn't see it on the list, but I greatly enjoyed 1984, and it's generally considered a classic?

[zekkass]

I agree with you on 1984 100%. That's one novel that's relevant, creative and great for discussion.

[demonicsoul_87]

It seems to me that most of the books on the list are either considered classics or have a well known movie based off of it (or both).

As for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, it is probably on the list because many people view it as *the* mainstream piece of literature with a main character on the autism spectrum. Personally, I enjoyed the book and was surprised by how much the main character had in common with members of my family with ASD. It probably has no business on this list though since the author admits that he knows very little about autism and based the main character off several non-ASD people he knew.

I'm not entirely sure what point the BBC is trying to make, but I'm pretty sure I can pick out at least a few of the ones they expect to be a part of "most people's" six books.

[zekkass]

*nodsnods* I see the same trend - but having a well-known movie based off a book does not make the book good, and so I'd argue about those books being on this list. :/

I see your point, and I agree that it doesn't belong on this list. Personally I didn't get through it, as it felt...artificial? It didn't mesh with me very well, in other words.

Regardless of what the BBC thinks, I like this meme, as we get to talk about books and vent some rage at certain 'classics' that made English class awful. :D

[demonicsoul_87]

There are a lot of things I think could be done to improve the list. For example, some authors are over represented on the list. I love Jane Austen, and I certainly believe she should be on this list, but I don't think she should take up 1/25 of a list that is supposed to encompass all of literature.

It is a fun meme, and I'm probably just wishing for too much from it, but it would be nice to see more variety on it as it might spur people to broaden their horizons even more.

Personally, I would love to see a list like this with more international classics. I feel works like the Ramayana are much more deserving than some of the books on the list because it has survived the test of time and is still an entertaining story.

[zekkass]

*nodsnodsnods* I agree with you 100% there.

I saw some European friends do the meme and comment that it was missing some authors that I'd never heard of (but I'm looking them up now!) so yeah. Variety is lacking.

I'm reading a translation of the Shahnameh right now, and I'd bet that it could go on this list - it's lovely and creative and has aged v. well.

[sofieyamaneko]

This is indeed a strange list. I mean, I already noticed differences in such lists whether they come from Europe or from America. This looks pretty US american style to me. A strange mixture of classics and pop-culture. (The Da Vinci Code = lol) I concider myself fairly well-read too, but according to this list I come off badly. tt seem my readings are much more based on european literature. When I usually make at least three quaters I can check only a very small third here.

[zekkass]

Most of my flist agrees that this list is lacking in numerous ways - (Da Vinci Code = bland thriller that was famous 'cause the author claimed it was based offa non-fictional stuff) - and I'd debate over some 'classics' on the list, as surely Jane Austen doesn't need that much attention?

Either way it's a neat meme as it generates discussion and I've learned of some neat titles that I should check out thanks to the discussion. :)

[sofieyamaneko]

After reading the introduction again I wonder if this is more a list of "what people read" instead of what they "should read"? That would explain the strange compilation and why there are four books by Jane Austen ;) Or maybe I was the only one who didn't realize this immediately ...