50 books to read before you die discussion

I think this is a great introduction to the group, i have read 7 of the books on the list, some because i wanted to and others because i had to read them in high school but i want to see if i can really read all 50 so thats a goal i gave myself, so we will see how far i can get :)

Great idea! I think I've read 15 or 16, but some so long ago I don't remember them.
Did you compose the list?

No I found it on a metalic bookmark at barnes and noble, and I was inspiered to try and read them, all thought I'm currently in the middle of so many series I haven't had a chace to start on the list

Darn that bookmark. That's how I got started.

Have read 17 so far, but progress has been thwarted by delicious books that would never ever make the list :)

While I did enjoy the ones I have read, I can see there are some on the list that are... not to my taste. We'll just save those for last.

"...progress has been thwarted by delicious books that would never ever make the list :)"

Haha-love that. Ditto!

ditto for me too, i got the list a lil over a month ago, downloaded some of them on my nook, but i still havent read any of them, other books keep finding me lol....

and wow u guys are way ahead of me, i need to do some serious reading :)

I think I've read about 14 or 15 of them, but that was in High School, and that was about 5 years ago, so it's really hard to say. I would recommend most of them, though are few are hard to read and not really my cup of tea, but it doesn't mean other people won't enjoy them where I did not. We'll see how much of that list I make it through before I die lol.

I have read 10.

Mayra wrote: "ditto for me too, i got the list a lil over a month ago, downloaded some of them on my nook, but i still havent read any of them, other books keep finding me lol....

and wow u guys are way ahea..."

Not way ahead, I'm just old!

Mary wrote: "Mayra wrote: "ditto for me too, i got the list a lil over a month ago, downloaded some of them on my nook, but i still havent read any of them, other books keep finding me lol....

and wow u guy..."

well i was all proud that i had 7 down, i only have 2 other friends that are into reading as much as me, so i thought it was a good goal for us, but then i made the group and everyone else has ready somany of them, even if like me they were mostly for school....

The ones I know I've read are 1984, To kill a Mockingbird, Wuthering Heights, The Lord of the Flies, The great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, Brave new World, and Harry Potter Series (but not the last 2). I would definitely recommend To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, and Brave New World. LOVED THEM. And I think I liked Wuthering Heights but I can't remember.

I've always wanted to read 1984 bc that's the yr I was born, even though I have no idea what it's about, I know some of my friends read it in high school

I loved 1984. Great story. Actually read that one voluntarily. haha

I don't know about you guys, but I'm counting the series books (LoTR, HP) individually - some of those are thick!

I can send you the 7th HP book, KellBell, if you'd like. We have two copies here. One is in a box headed for the library.

Thanks Ashley but if I'm going to read them I'm going to have to start from the beginning again. I read them back when they were first coming out so it's been a while. If I do I'll probably end up getting them from the library!

Ashley the Magnificent wrote: "I loved 1984. Great story. Actually read that one voluntarily. haha

I don't know about you guys, but I'm counting the series books (LoTR, HP) individually - some of those are thick!

I can send y..."

yeah i thought that too, i was like well technically its more like 58 bks not 50, so how do u guys think we should start voting on the books

Oh, and I've read the Stranger - which I think is the same book as the Outsider.

Mayra wrote: "Ashley the Magnificent wrote: "I loved 1984. Great story. Actually read that one voluntarily. haha

I don't know about you guys, but I'm counting the series books (LoTR, HP) individually - some o..."

Start a thread for nominations? Or pick the ones you want to read and start a poll?

Both good ideas. Hopefully either will have more than 3 or 4 of us voting! 4 ppl voting on 50+ books (even at "top 3") could be interesting. But nothing ventured, nothin gained! We could always split the list into thirds or something?

Anyhoo, I like the idea of a group poll. That way, we get to use the poll feature :-P

Ok so we make a thred for nominations and then we can vote on the most popular ones, what do u guys think?

Sounds good to me.

I'm in.

Splendid!

I've only read three of those, but I have the rest in my personal library. I will get to them one day.

Of these I've read:
-To Kill a Mockingbird (most boring book I've ever read)
-Treasure Island
-Moby Dick
-The Picture of Dorian Gray
-1984
-Hamlet
-Lord of the Flies
-The Great Gatsby
-Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
-(Tried reading Catch 22 -- got pretty far, but couldn't handle it anymore. Tooooo long & tedious, haha.)

Mayra wrote: "I've always wanted to read 1984 bc that's the yr I was born, even though I have no idea what it's about, I know some of my friends read it in high school"

DO IT!!! ;)

I've read 21 (English major, what can I say?) of these. I have 29 to go. Is the purpose of this group to read through these one at a time with everyone else?

Hi Emily! Congratulations on your useless degree :) heehee
(I'm allowed to say that because I majored in Art) :D

Hmmm... What IS the purpose of the group? [ponders ponderingly]

I would say yes and no. Yes if you wish to engage in book-club-style witty book banter over the book 'o the moment. Or if structure motivates you. But mostly I think it's more of a self-paced "shared goal" kind of group. Misery loves company, that kind of thing.

I plan on reading one with the group every now and then, but mostly I prefer to read off "the list" as the mood strikes (and some I just don't want to read again.)

I hope you do read some with the group, as I think it would be nice hearing your professional opinion. My English Profs. used the word "flippant" a lot when grading my papers. I don't think I'll be much use here.

Ashley: I divide my Lit crit into paper writing (which this is decidedly not) and talking, and trust me, I understand "flippant" when I'm just talking about a book. I try to be a little more thorough and objective when I'm writing an essay though. I guess writing on a group discussion forum is kind of a mix of the two.

I look forward to seeing what books the group decides to discuss. I have a set schedule of what I need to read for the next few weeks, and most of them aren't on this list, but if you guys pick something I've already read then I would love to weigh in.

P.S. I think English is one rung above Art on the "useless degree ladder." Fortunately we're both above philosophy! :)

Hi everyone,
I've read 13. Some were great: catch 22, to kill a mockingbird, catcher in the rye I liked a lot. Others less so. I don't think I will ever manage to finish reading all the list.
I didn't have regular english language education, that's why I guess some classic english literature novels on the list seem outdated and boring and not worth reading to me. I mean books by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens or Geoffrey Chaucer. It would be great to hear a suggestion whether I should try one or another.

Of the list, I've read 20. The majority of them of course were in school. I'm 32 now and in the last several years I've gotten into reading for pleasure and finally tackled the HP series and some "classics" that I just felt I should read, such as Jane Eyre, Dorian Gray and Wuthering Heights. I'm so glad to have found this list of other classics I shouldn't miss. Glad to see so many fans of 1984 out there - my fave book on the list! To those of you that think some of these books are outdated, the reason they are classics is because they are timeless - they still appeal to us even 100 or 200 years later. The majority of these books have a paranormal element which will always be appealing to human nature (e.g. Ghost Whisperer, Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, etc.) I do not recommend reading these books in this order, however. 6 & 7 in a row will be torture for some. To get thru the Bible, look for a daily reading guide, such as one OT and one NT chapter a day. Might want to do this in addition to all of your other reading ;o) Thanks again for the list!

I have read 15 and started 3 others. I enjoyed LOTR and even read the other books published by his son. I read Pride and Prejudice more than once a year. I read A Christmas Carol every couple years in December. Some are on my to read list. I love the classics and the creativity of authors. I also enjoyed Dante and Ray Bradbury. Really, I am just a reader!! I love it!
Thank you for a group that inspires quality reading...

I have read 23 of them, I think. I'm probably right because if a book is any good, I remember reading it. It is all those books written by authors of 35 or 50 books that I can't remember the titles of. The books on this list really are good. At least, I can vouch for the ones I have read.

I've only read 11. I need to get the lead out. lol

11 is still more than what i've read :P

@Mayra; Haha same here; I've read 9, then the 10th would be 'Catch-22', but I stopped reading that cuz it was so lame.

@torie I read 7, and I'm reading 1984 right now so hopefully that will b 8 soon :)

1984 is my favorite of the books I've read in this list! It's unnerving yet insightful and brilliant. George Orwell was way ahead of his time.

I have read 26 but then I was and English major who taught English for 25 years. I love To Kill A Mockingbird. I just finished rereading 1984. I thought I didn't like it but the last read was different; I really enjoyed it.

I have not read LOTR but I will try.

I have read 43 of them. I guess I need to tackle the other 7. Several of them are on my mental list of books to read already.

Wow that's really good, so wich 7 do u need?

I just joined and I'm going to complete the challenge. This is easier and more realistic. I've read about 15 and I'd recommend all of them to anyone.

Steven wrote: "I have read 43 of them. I guess I need to tackle the other 7. Several of them are on my mental list of books to read already."

Someday soon I hope I'll be able to utter a similar phrase.

Have read nine of these, plus others long ago. Highly recommend V.S. Naipaul, he's so cool.

I have read 25 from the list - so I'm half way there! I'm currently reading "Moby Dick" and it's awesome. If anyone else is planning on reading this, I highly recommend you read Nathanial Philbrick's "In the Heart of the Sea" first. It's an historic account of the true story which Melville used as inspiration for "Moby Dick." It's really fascinating and helps you appreciate the story of "Moby Dick" even more.

Hi, I've just joined today. Of the list, I've already read 23, I'll try to join group reads whenever a book I haven't read is chosen.. or when you choose a book I've already read but wouldn't mind re-reading. Some of my favourite books are on this list, so I don't think it will be a problem.

How do you make a progress list (like Jane's and Antia's)?

Janet wrote: "How do you make a progress list (like Jane's and Antia's)?"

Janet, I copied the list from other's message and put it on a new message in "people's progress" board. To strike books you've already read check the "some html is ok" tip and it's explained there.

Antía wrote: "Hi, I've just joined today. Of the list, I've already read 23..."

I have a lot more catching up to do if I'm to beat you ;)

Mayra, here are the seven that I haven't read:

Men without Women by Ernest Hemingway
A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
Money by Martin Amis
The Way We Live Now by Antony Trollope
The Outsider by Albert Camus
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster

Steven

Amalie wrote: "Antía wrote: "Hi, I've just joined today. Of the list, I've already read 23..."

I have a lot more catching up to do if I'm to beat you ;)"

I sense a bit of a competition here?? :)