Let's be honest, there are more than ten books I feel like almost everyone has read besides me. Those I-never-had-to-read-that-in-school so I never got around to picking it up, and the hyped books that I typically don't succumb to. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
1. The Help/Katheryn Stockett: Since the movie has come out, I feel like the last person who hasn't read this.
2. The Lord of the Rings/JRR Tolkien: The movie ruined me from ever wanting to read the book.
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude/Gabriel Garcia Marquez: I've had this one sitting on my TBR for over two years, I just haven't picked it up yet. After I finish it, someday, I'm sure I will kick myself for waiting so long to read it.
4. The Kite Runner/Khaled Hosseini: I actually am interested to read this one, just haven't ever picked it up at a bookstore.
5. The Hunger Games/Suzanne Collins: I've heard really good things about this series and I'm hoping to read it sooner than later.
6.Atlas Shrugged/ Ayn Rand: Honestly I simply have no interest for this book, no matter how many people tell me I have to read it.
7. Freedom/Jonathan Franzen: This one got a ton of hype last year, but I didn't succumb. Maybe someday.
8. Tinkers/Paul Harding: Everyone scrambled for this one after it won the Pulitzer in 2010.
9. Little Bee/Chris Cleave: Another one that I'm interested it but never picked up.
10. Never Let Me Go/Kazou Ishiguro: I have The Remains of the Day sitting on my TBR and I want to read that before I pick up any of his later works.
photo via Book Lover
There are approximately 4,532,328 books I plan to read before Atlas Shrugged, or as smart people call it, "philosophically justified selfishness."
ReplyDeleteGreg, That is so refreshing to hear!
ReplyDeleteThe Remains of the Day is my favourite Ishiguro, but Never Let Me Go is also brilliant. I hope you enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteLike Greg, I have very little interest in Rand. Life's too short.
I second Greg and Nymeth, I have no interest in reading Rand.
ReplyDeleteATLAS SHRUGGED is garbage Brenna, don't bother. Also, if so many people read Paul Harding, it's because he's a Pulitzer winner who wrote less than 200 pages. Josie bought it and after eight pages, she was like " Nooooooo waaay, I'm not doing that to myself"
ReplyDeleteAs for Franzen though...I can't say enough good things about the guy (well, his essays suck, but it's OK. Just don't read them). I didn't read FREDDOM, but STRONG MOTION and THE CORRECTIONS were jaw dropping
I loved The Help and The Hunger Games. I held out for a while before reading them, and kicked myself for waiting so long when I finally did.
ReplyDeleteOne Hundred Years of Solitude is also on my to-read list.
Nymeth, I'm really looking forward to Remains.
ReplyDeleteRed, Ok I feel better about that now.
Ben, Ok I am not going to bother with Tinkers or Atlas. The Corrections, now I may have to hit that one. However I've heard mixed reviews - a lot of people say to read Freedom over The Corrections.
Don't worry, as you are not the last person on earth and there's no plague of infertility, you are not and will not be the last person to read that list of books. As it is, I've only read 2 off that list.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel better, Brenna, I haven't read a single one of those either. I DID start Lord of the Rings once, made it almost a hundred pages, before my brain died from sheer boredom. The others... eh. Don't really care. And I've read enough about Rand's screwed-up philosophy to know I'll never read her.
ReplyDeleteHaven't read 6,7, 8 and 9. I second Nymeth in recommending Never let Me Go. The story obsessed me for a while. So creepy, so brilliant!
ReplyDeleteAbout One Hundred Years of Solitude, it was my favorite for years and now I'm afraid to pick it up and not feel the connection I felt 15 years ago.
I've read all of those except Tinkers and 100 Years. I hated Freedom, but there's merit in all the rest. I didn't love Little Bee. I agree with Ana, Remains is my fav of Ishiguro, but Never Let Me Go is interesting too.
ReplyDeleteAtlas is a beast and it is full of political nonsense, but there are some really interesting aspects too. I feel like you don't have to agree with an author's point of view to appreciate a particular character or plot. It's not a favorite, but I'm glad I read it.
p.s. I do love The Hunger Games series!
Never Let Me Go is fascinating .... Remains of the Day is on my TBR shelf too! I don't think I'll ever read Atlas Shrugged. I had it once, and gave it away without even trying.
ReplyDeleteDon't bother with 100 Years of Solitude. There's a million guys called Aureliano. That's all you need to know.
ReplyDeleteOther than the Kite Runner, I haven't read any of these either. I have tried 100 Years twice but kept putting it down.
ReplyDeleteI've only read four of those (The Help, Hunger Games, Freedom and Tinkers), but I read all of them in the past two years. Many others are on my TBR!
ReplyDeleteYou're not the last person to have read The Help- I'm right there with you! I definitely need to read The Hunger Games and One Hundred Years of Solitude too (although, to be fair, I did read the first few pages of the latter and was pretty bored. So I don't know about it at all...)
ReplyDeleteThe Help and The Kite Runner are fab.. I've been meaning to read Atlas Shrugged too...
ReplyDeleteMichele | My Top 10
I loved the Hunger Games, even though I initially thought I wouldn't. It's well worth a read!
ReplyDeletePlease avoid Atlas Shrugged and Little Bee - I dont hate many books but I truly disliked those 2. The Remains of the Day is completely different from Never Let Me Go. Both are brilliant. The Help and The Hunger Games are quick and fun reads. I cried so much with The Kite Runner.
ReplyDeleteI highly suggest 3 and 10. Both are so good. Most of the others I have in common with you too!
ReplyDeleteI have read The Kite Runner and The Help - really liked them both. Oh and the first two in the Hunger Games series. Other than that, I'm with you on your unreads. I wasn't a huge fan of the LOTR movies, so I never had the desire to read the books either.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Hunger Games! I took a sci-fi class in high school that turned me onto Atlas Shrugged. Freedom wasn't quite my cup of tea either. I feel like I have to read The Help, but for some reason everyone else reading it just makes me want to not read it, lol
ReplyDeleteI've only read half of your list. As everyone else said, don't bother with Atlas Shrugged, which is a bloated Fountainhead, which is probably a bloated Anthem. I'm sad the movies ruined reading The Lord of the Rings for you. I don't know that I'd've enjoyed the movies had I not read the books.
ReplyDeleteI've read #3, #9, and started #10. I really enjoyed Little Bee, and I would really like to finish Never Let Me Go. I loved Remains of the Day.
ReplyDeleteCome check out my list at The Scarlet Letter.
It all comes down to personal taste, doesn't it? I will never read most of the classics deemed must-reads, I'm sure. I couldn't stand Franzen's The Corrections and therefore didn't finish and I'm not likely to ever pick up another of his.
ReplyDeleteBasically, I read what I feel like, regardless of what everyone says. I'll try stuff that people suggest if the plot and writing interest me, but otherwise, there's really no such thing as a must-read, I've learned. There are books I absolutely love and feel people must read so they can have the same awesome experience as me, but if they don't interest them, it's not going to have the same effect anyway. Like you, too, I tend to rebel against much hype. But not always. I'll try the Larsson series, and I did read Harry Potter. I've read 5 of the books on your list (loved 4).
I really think it's okay to read whatever you want, to make your own decisions. What's not okay, what doesn't even make sense, really, is for us to feel lesser if we haven't read certain books.
DF has been listening to Altas Shrugged religiously on tape. 60 plus hours. He giggles every now and then but I cant bring myself to listen or read it!
ReplyDeleteAtlas Shrugged: Run right out this very moment and AVOID IT! Sorry for shouting.
ReplyDeleteI just read Room by Emma Donoghue - pretty sure I'm the last one to pick that one up. I read Tinkers and thought the prose was lovely, but the book as a whole was so-so.
ReplyDeleteI've read only one of them (Freedom), and I sure don't plan to read any of the others. We should unite in solidarity!
ReplyDelete