Amazon's 100 Must Read Books - Page 3

tubemonkey · 02-05-2014, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elemenoP

I've read 59, and my 8-year-old daughter has read 12 of them.

eP

12? Dang, looks like I need to read another one to catch up to her; and I think it'll be The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I need something deep and heavy this time around.

ProfCrash · 02-05-2014, 07:37 AM

I like the idea of the list, books in different catagories for different ages. It would be interesting to know how they compiled the list. I think it would be more fun if they had choosen 10 books for each catagory and let people vote.

I love that I get to count my sons board books into my total count. (grins)

I like the Percy Jackson series, I read them when they come out. I think they do a decent job of passing on information about the myths while telling a new story but I don't think of them the same way I do The Hunger Games.

Truthfully, it looks like they made up catagories to include best sellers in more then anything.

fjtorres · 02-05-2014, 07:40 AM

Too many recent bestsellers clogging the list.
For a list of lifetime must-reads you should automatically disqualify anything less than 10 years old; most of those will soon go out of style pretty soon.
Give it even five more years and half the recent books will be forgotten.

Also, not enough SF in there.
As much as I enjoyed Hunger Games it is far less significant to the field than CAVES OF STEEL or THE STARS MY DESTINATION. And I expect other genres have similar issues.

It's just a popularity contest.

elemenoP · 02-05-2014, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

12? Dang, looks like I need to read another one to catch up to her; and I think it'll be The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I need something deep and heavy this time around.

My daughter recommends that one!

ProfCrash · 02-05-2014, 08:05 AM

Do not mock the Very Hungry Caterpillar. The illustrations are awsome, it helps teach colors, counting, and metamorphasis. It is one of the Little Man's favorites. He loves the Saturday page with the chocolate cake, swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, pickle, cupcake, ice cream cone, cherry pie and a few other things that I am forgetting. He always flips back to that one. Although he has shown more interest in counting the oranges, pears, plums, and the like leading into Saturday....

elemenoP · 02-05-2014, 09:21 AM

Oh, I wasn't mocking. At 8, it no longer holds her interest, but it WAS one of her favorites. Besides teaching the concepts you mentioned (a lot of concepts in one picture book!), The Very Hungry Caterpillar is an excellent example of an interactive book (put your finger through the hole! Make your own caterpillar!), no iPad or other device required.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-05-2014, 09:27 AM

24 on each of the lists. Weird coincidence.

Some odd choices, but an interesting list.

But without Cannery Row in the top five means they are both utter garbage.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-05-2014, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Do not mock the Very Hungry Caterpillar. The illustrations are awsome, it helps teach colors, counting, and metamorphasis. It is one of the Little Man's favorites. He loves the Saturday page with the chocolate cake, swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, pickle, cupcake, ice cream cone, cherry pie and a few other things that I am forgetting. He always flips back to that one. Although he has shown more interest in counting the oranges, pears, plums, and the like leading into Saturday....

It also teaches the days of the week.

Catlady · 02-05-2014, 10:14 AM

I've read 30 on the Amazon list and 47 on the Goodreads list. I'm very surprised; usually my reading doesn't match up that well with such lists.

The Amazon list is screwy--how can I take seriously a list that includes Valley of the Dolls, but not Gone with the Wind, The Once and Future King, or anything by John Steinbeck or Shirley Jackson?

ProfCrash · 02-05-2014, 10:32 AM

I am guessing that the Amazon list was generated based on sales in each of the catagories they choose.

tlaine · 02-05-2014, 10:32 AM

I'm in at 21 and yes, Valley of the Dolls was one of them.

issybird · 02-05-2014, 10:37 AM

The Amazon list seems like a total schlockfest to me. Even the classics are the "popular" ones that middle-brow readers might like. That said, this

Quote:

“We listed the books alphabetically by title,” said Nelson, “because our assumption is that no book is more important than another.”

is absurd. Kinney and Susann are no less important than Dickens and Austen? Which is why the list doesn't deserve to be taken even as seriously as any other effort of this type.

Ken.Hagdal · 02-05-2014, 10:40 AM

9.

As much as I quite enjoyed Fear and Loathing, I wished they had knocked it off their list for a beefier adult novel like Celine's Journey to the Night's end or Death on the Installment plan. Some Bukowski would have been nice too.

Good call on Catch 22.

soulfuldog · 02-05-2014, 10:42 AM

Didn't even notice the link to the Goodreads list, 19 on there and one of them is a book I'd completely forgot all about, which absolutely blew me away when I read it as a teenager - The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

I might just go back and re-read that now.....

WillAdams · 02-05-2014, 10:49 AM

22 or so on Amazon, 37 on Goodreads.

Both lists leave a lot to be desired. Agree both are too cluttered w/ recent best sellers.

Said that not much on philosophy or ethics made either list, nor folklore --- quite a few other gaps.

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02-05-2014, 07:37 AM	#32
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I like the idea of the list, books in different catagories for different ages. It would be interesting to know how they compiled the list. I think it would be more fun if they had choosen 10 books for each catagory and let people vote. I love that I get to count my sons board books into my total count. (grins) I like the Percy Jackson series, I read them when they come out. I think they do a decent job of passing on information about the myths while telling a new story but I don't think of them the same way I do The Hunger Games. Truthfully, it looks like they made up catagories to include best sellers in more then anything.

02-05-2014, 07:40 AM	#33
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Too many recent bestsellers clogging the list. For a list of lifetime must-reads you should automatically disqualify anything less than 10 years old; most of those will soon go out of style pretty soon. Give it even five more years and half the recent books will be forgotten. Also, not enough SF in there. As much as I enjoyed Hunger Games it is far less significant to the field than CAVES OF STEEL or THE STARS MY DESTINATION. And I expect other genres have similar issues. It's just a popularity contest.

02-05-2014, 08:05 AM	#35
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Do not mock the Very Hungry Caterpillar. The illustrations are awsome, it helps teach colors, counting, and metamorphasis. It is one of the Little Man's favorites. He loves the Saturday page with the chocolate cake, swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, pickle, cupcake, ice cream cone, cherry pie and a few other things that I am forgetting. He always flips back to that one. Although he has shown more interest in counting the oranges, pears, plums, and the like leading into Saturday....

02-05-2014, 09:21 AM	#36
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Oh, I wasn't mocking. At 8, it no longer holds her interest, but it WAS one of her favorites. Besides teaching the concepts you mentioned (a lot of concepts in one picture book!), The Very Hungry Caterpillar is an excellent example of an interactive book (put your finger through the hole! Make your own caterpillar!), no iPad or other device required.

02-05-2014, 09:27 AM	#37
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	24 on each of the lists. Weird coincidence. Some odd choices, but an interesting list. But without Cannery Row in the top five means they are both utter garbage.

02-05-2014, 10:14 AM	#39
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I've read 30 on the Amazon list and 47 on the Goodreads list. I'm very surprised; usually my reading doesn't match up that well with such lists. The Amazon list is screwy--how can I take seriously a list that includes Valley of the Dolls, but not Gone with the Wind, The Once and Future King, or anything by John Steinbeck or Shirley Jackson?

02-05-2014, 10:32 AM	#40
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I am guessing that the Amazon list was generated based on sales in each of the catagories they choose.

02-05-2014, 10:32 AM	#41
tlaine Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 145622 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southwestern Ontario Device: Kobo Aura HD, Mini; Kindle PW2	I'm in at 21 and yes, Valley of the Dolls was one of them.

02-05-2014, 10:40 AM	#43
Ken.Hagdal Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 260130 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Kindle	9. As much as I quite enjoyed Fear and Loathing, I wished they had knocked it off their list for a beefier adult novel like Celine's Journey to the Night's end or Death on the Installment plan. Some Bukowski would have been nice too. Good call on Catch 22.

02-05-2014, 10:42 AM	#44
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	Didn't even notice the link to the Goodreads list, 19 on there and one of them is a book I'd completely forgot all about, which absolutely blew me away when I read it as a teenager - The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I might just go back and re-read that now.....

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02-05-2014, 10:49 AM	#45
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	22 or so on Amazon, 37 on Goodreads. Both lists leave a lot to be desired. Agree both are too cluttered w/ recent best sellers. Said that not much on philosophy or ethics made either list, nor folklore --- quite a few other gaps.