Recently, the Guardian published the results of a World Book Day poll conducted by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), in which librarians around the country were asked the question, "Which book should every adult read before they die?"

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,1721526,00.html

Here is the list of books that they came up with -
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Bible
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien
1984 by George Orwell
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
All Quite on the Western Front by E M Remarque
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Tess of the D'urbevilles by Thomas Hardy
Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn

I was curious how many of these books have posters here read already? My number is embarrassingly low - 5.

I've read 9 and started a 10th but didn't finish it (Time Travelers Wife).
Sal

I've only read two off this list. I've heard of most of them. I just don't have a desire to read them all.

Mine is only 7. Now I have another reading goal

That is a very interesting and unusual list of classics, contemporary fiction and, of course, the bible. I have read 16 books on the list.

I am surprised that “The Time Traveler’s Wife” was chosen and nothing by James Joyce, Ayn Rand, or Louisa May Alcott made the list.

Chapter Chaser - that brings up an interesting point/question.

So, if you (or anyone else reading this thread) could get rid of some titles and replace them with your own choices, which would stay and which would go?

For me, I would get rid of The Lovely Bones; it's a great book but not one that I think everyone should read. I would replace it with Don Quihote (sp?).

Hmmm. I'd get rid of "The Poisonwood Bible" - too long and dull IMHO. I'd nix "Life of Pi" too - cute and engaging but not a must read. And, as I mentioned before, "The Time Traveler's Wife" was okay but not great.

Jet - I would agree with your assessment of "The Lovely Bones" too. It is a good book but not necessarily one everyone should read.

My replacements would be "The Odyssey" by Homer, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, and just about anything by James Joyce, Willa Cather or Louisa May Alcott.

Hi there!

Wow... I thought I might have more, but right now I'm at 14 from the list. But I agree with JET in that some of the titles just don't belong on the list, in my own eyes.

I think I'd remove 'The Time Traveler's Wife,' The Lovely Bones' and perhaps even 'Gone With the Wind' -- all lovely books, but not ones I'd ahve in a list of "must reads". I think I'd add in 'Tom Sawyer" which is a nice look at a different time in America, any of the 'Narnia' series -- an interesting set of children's books that can be read by adults in a totoally different way. And I'm sure there are others... but you're catching me pre-coffee

Yikes, I've only read 2 on the list but I think they are missing some classics too. "Frankenstein," "Dracula," and "House of Seven Gables" are missing for a few gothics. Then science fantasy is missing "War of the Worlds," "Fahrenheit 451," and "The Handmaid's Tales." Nevermind getting into American Indian literature.

Just my thoughts,
Rawiya

Have read 10 on the list. But those i havent read i really dont feel the urge to read. Like most others there books i would have on it that i think should be. "Confederacy of Dunces " , John Banvilles "The Sea", and many more .

I'm probably the oldest one here. I read 18. I agree about the gothic classics and science fiction. Not that I've read science fiction, but my husband is writing a book about it. Just became a member. Glad to be here among readers.

quote:

Originally posted by RosieReader:
I'm probably the oldest one here. I read 18. I agree about the gothic classics and science fiction. Not that I've read science fiction, but my husband is writing a book about it. Just became a member. Glad to be here among readers.

Hi there Rosie!

Welcome and hope you're enjoying yourself here in our little home on the web!

Your husband is writing a book about science fiction? Oooo, sounds really interesting -- about the written or movie genre, or both? What part of it? The early, golden and silver years? The middle part where we kinda went series happy? Or, perhaps the cyberpunk and heavy tech flavored modern era? Share!

Yeah ::hangs head:: I was a junkie of the genre for years, even to the point of fandom. Still like some, admittedly less on the really dark and depressing or overtly tech ended. My thoughts were that reality is dark enough for me a lot of times, and honestly, while I like nonfiction, I'm *cool* with an author saying "the drive works because I says it does" -g- and not having to teach me quantum physics along the way.

What an interesting list! I'm sure we could all come up with additions and deletions. Reading is such a personal experience, as I've found from my book group's monthly meetings. As for a number, I've read 10 completely, and 11 if you count passages from the Bible. And I agree with earlier comments. I don't see TIME TRAVELER as finishing ahead of a lot of classics, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm so glad I found this message board!

I am new to this board. I have read 8 completely and maybe a few more during high school. I was very surprised that several of the books made the list

quote:

Originally posted by Sandy:
I am new to this board. I have read 8 completely and maybe a few more during high school. I was very surprised that several of the books made the list

As was I-- I felt that there were a lot of titles that are current favorites, and a few that many consider classic.

Usually, when faced with a list like this, I look it over, nod, then erase the ones I feel simply fail to apply to my reading habits and add enough of my favorites to balance it back to the same number.

And, by the way, Welcome to the Board; may you find and start many wonderfully fulfilling discussions!