Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

Use this Topic to discuss books you are reading or that fit the 6th Scavenger Hunt task.

Task 6: Read a book which has been gathering dust on your shelves for more than 5 years or sitting on your shelves the longest.

Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

I think Martin Chuzzlewit has been there since 2010, when I was still in high school and hadn't discovered the list yet. Going with that one.

Not quite 5 years, but I began collecting used copies of list books when I found them cheap. The first unread book I ever got is still unread.

Lord Jim

I think I was in high school when I got Stranger in a Strange Land in a box of old books from my uncle. So probably more than 16 years ago (but definitely pre-2009). Time to finally read it!

I'm reading at least twenty-two 1001 works this year, and more than half of them have been sitting on my shelves since 2013. It's just a matter of plugging in one of the ones that isn't used for the other scavenger topics.

I purge my bookshelves so regularly (especially fiction) that I really don't have that much old! But I think my oldest is Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, which I'm pretty sure i got during secondary school (so, like, 2012-13). I'll do that I guess, unless I can find anything slimmer (ha! :S)

The book which has been on my shelf the longest is probably Trainspotting. I bought it secondhand when I was still in high school, about 20 years ago. I once started reading but immediately put it back after realizing it was written almost entirely in Scottish slang. If it wasn't a list book I'd have sorted it out long ago. Let's see if I finish it this time!

I think the oldest unread list book I have is Treasure Island. I bought it at a sale at my local newsagent. I'll have a look at my shelves though...

Can I use a volume in a multi-volume series for this one? Because I've had the entire Sea of Fertility on the shelf for years on end and only read the first two volumes thus far.

Nocturnalux wrote: "Can I use a volume in a multi-volume series for this one? Because I've had the entire Sea of Fertility on the shelf for years on end and only read the first two volumes thus far."

I'd say that qualifies!

Sean wrote: "Not quite 5 years, but I began collecting used copies of list books when I found them cheap. The first unread book I ever got is still unread.

Lord Jim"

Done!

I just finished Rob Roy by Walter Scott. I practically had to shovel the dust off it.

Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. Had it for more than 20 years.

Is to kill a mockingbird on this list ?

Yes, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is on the list.

Sarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd. It is on my bookshelf, and I see it every day.

Leona wrote: "Sarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd. It is on my bookshelf, and I see it every day."

Unfortunately, this is book is not on Boxall's list

The Hobbit, Part One by J.R.R. Tolkien (I actually have the four-book box set) and The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

Both have been on my shelf for a long time. I plan on getting to them this year.

I attempted to read Great Apes and have gone as far as maybe 15-20%, but I just cannot take it. Instead I have read well listened to Catch-22. This was immensely more enjoyable and felt worthy of taking the time. I found the receipt to my original purchase of this latter book on Amazon in 2013. I guess it counts.
(Also I may later count it instead for 22 challenge, but for now I am hoping to find something more creative for that)

I'm gonna use Jane Eyre for this one. I've had the book over 15 years and every year I've meant to read it. I've started it couple times but never finished it. But I hope that this time I'll finally finish it.

For this task I read the book The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek. It has been on my bookshelf since 2004. The book weighs quite a bit over 1 kg so it will be a physical challenge as well. ;)

I read Great Expectations. I attempted to read it roughly 10 years ago but didn’t get very far before abandoning it. So pleased to have read this now as I really enjoyed it.

I finished Kristen Lavrensdatter, a trilogy. I read the first two volumes 5 years ago and finished it recently. It is excellent, I just read other things in between.

I am nearly finished with That They May Face The Rising Sun by John McGahern, which has literally been in my bookshelf for over five years. I bought a nice used copy at Powell's in Portland and just never got around to reading it.
I now think I would have read it sooner had I known I would like it this much! So I'm thankful for the push to read it finally.
It was only in the 2006 edition of Boxall's list. However, McGahern's Amongst Women remains in the latest edition.

George P. wrote: "I am nearly finished with That They May Face The Rising Sun by John McGahern, which has literally been in my bookshelf for over five years. I bought a nice used copy at Powell's in Por..."

I did finish in July, and enjoyed it. I actually decided while reading it that I wanted us to visit Ireland, and we have a trip planned in October! Life imitates art I guess.

Janet wrote: "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that has been on my shelf unread for 32 years."

That might be the dust-gathering record!

Starting my last book for the challenge -- The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Painful to admit how long this book has been on my bookshelf. As I finished college in the spring of 1976 with a semester of student teaching, I had a stack of books (including The Brothers Karamazov) ready to enjoy in the summer after May graduation. I had already interviewed with several school districts, had a few more scheduled, and was planning to relax, read, and wait. (No teacher shortage in the 70s -- we were told most districts probably wouldn't be hiring until the new school year started.)

One of the smaller districts I interviewed with was really eager to hire me immediately and sent me out to interview with 2 principals. I really liked the second principal (even though the school had had a fire in the school office and damage was still being assessed) and he offered me the position, called the personnel director, and I signed a contract the same day.

Still time to read before school started, so I finished a couple of books in my stack and then got a call fron the Ed. Dept. Chairman offering me a partial (3/4 paid) scholarship to graduate school to be done while I was teaching. Couldn't turn that down, so goodbye to serious reading for about 4 years!

So 46 years later, in retirement, I am finally going to read The Brothers Karamazov!! Wish me luck -- with the teacher shortage, I am getting calls to return to work!

Karen wrote: "Starting my last book for the challenge -- The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Painful to admit how long this book has been on my bookshelf. As I finished college in the spring of 1976 wit..."

I tried reading this with a group this summer but I got stuck somewhere in the first 100 pages. I'll give it another try some time in the future...

Karen wrote: "Starting my last book for the challenge -- The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Painful to admit how long this book has been on my bookshelf. As..."

Ok that's got to be the dust-gathering record in this group. Interesting story Karen.

Ellinor wrote: "Karen wrote: "Starting my last book for the challenge -- The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Painful to admit how long this book has been on my bookshelf. As I finished college in the spri..."

I'm about 120 pages into the book and realizing just how much I prefer Tolstoy!

Success!! Forty six years after it landed on my shelf, I've finally completed The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. What a wonderful feeling!