Amazon's 100 Must Read Books - Page 5

LovesMacs · 02-05-2014, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Jane Austen wrote more than 30 years ago.
Also, sorry I discovered that Dickens was on the list.
The announcement I read didn't state that the books had to be written in English, but I guess they need to be available in English. Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote in Spanish as an example.

Forgive me, I was referring to what I see as a strong bias in the list towards more recent works, and works written in English as opposed to translated. I'm not saying that there should be a quota for translated/older literature but surely there is a lot of fluff on the list that could have been left off.

Kumabjorn · 02-05-2014, 11:07 PM

Ahh, I see. Hence why I was surprised by the lack of some Classics.
I understood the list as if you'd live to be a 100 years old, here is one book you should read every year of your life. But I guess they would have ordered it chronologically instead of alphabetically if that was the case.

Andrew H. · 02-05-2014, 11:18 PM

55 on the Amazon list. It's a weird list, though, although the fact that I happened to read random things like Persepolis, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Moneyball boosted my score.

I like the list, but I disagree with its description. Moneyball, Me Talk Pretty, Gone Girl, and Kitchen Confidential are all books that I liked, but they don't really belong in anyone's lifetime "bucket" list. Nor do many others on the list.

However, what I like about the list is that it is a good list to turn to when you want to read something new and maybe break out of a rut. It has good answers to the question "What should I read this weekend?", but its answers to the question "What are the 100 most books everyone should have read in their life?" are not as good.

NickyWithNook · 02-05-2014, 11:21 PM

37, but I think it was weighted toward newer books they're hoping the list will help generate sales for.

ucfgrad93 · 02-06-2014, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

No Virgil, Homer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Verne or Melville?

The Amazon list had:

Great Expectations by Dickens

The Goodreads list had:

A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations by Dickens
Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

poohbear_nc · 02-06-2014, 11:14 AM

37 for me - a very odd mixture with huge omissions.

samhy · 02-07-2014, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samhy

I've read about 14 of them, but more are on my TBR list.
What I like about those lists is that it gives an idea of what to read to get a better glimpse of a different culture.
Not everyone reads those books, but I guess almost everyone has at least heard of them. So they (plot, characters...) can be used as references in everyday conversation, advertisements...

My mistake, I have only read nine books from the Amazon list. The 14 read ones are on the GR list.
Several books from both lists are on my TBR, so the number will go up soon.

applesauce · 02-07-2014, 06:25 AM

17 for me on the amazon list. I think about 10 more on my TBR list. The rest I have no real interest in.

applesauce

Connallmac · 02-07-2014, 06:47 AM

I'm at 24.

Polyphemus · 02-07-2014, 04:19 PM

21 of the Amazon books

36 of the Goodreads books

Hamlet53 · 02-07-2014, 05:42 PM

As it currently stands I've read 50 out of the 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list at Goodreads. Having no interest in any of the Harry Potter books or the Hunger Games books is very limiting for me. On the other hand I'm not sure that listing all of Shakespeare's plays individually makes sense, but it does up my total.

NickyWithNook · 02-07-2014, 06:13 PM

I've read 64 of the Goodreads one, but my degree is in English and I took a lot of literature classes.

peachiekene · 02-07-2014, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

As it currently stands I've read 50 out of the 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list at Goodreads. Having no interest in any of the Harry Potter books or the Hunger Games books is very limiting for me. On the other hand I'm not sure that listing all of Shakespeare's plays individually makes sense, but it does up my total.

I actually stopped counting once I got to the third listed HP book.
I have read them all, but I don't think any series should take up more than one spot.

meeera · 02-07-2014, 09:32 PM

I just checked the Goodreads list... 73. Most of the others seem to be "Great American Classics" that I don't have a whole lot of interest in.

It would be nice to look at an Australian version.

tubemonkey · 02-07-2014, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

It would be nice to look at an Australian version.

Would that list include The Very Hungry Koala?

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02-05-2014, 11:07 PM	#62
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	Ahh, I see. Hence why I was surprised by the lack of some Classics. I understood the list as if you'd live to be a 100 years old, here is one book you should read every year of your life. But I guess they would have ordered it chronologically instead of alphabetically if that was the case.

02-05-2014, 11:18 PM	#63
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	55 on the Amazon list. It's a weird list, though, although the fact that I happened to read random things like Persepolis, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Moneyball boosted my score. I like the list, but I disagree with its description. Moneyball, Me Talk Pretty, Gone Girl, and Kitchen Confidential are all books that I liked, but they don't really belong in anyone's lifetime "bucket" list. Nor do many others on the list. However, what I like about the list is that it is a good list to turn to when you want to read something new and maybe break out of a rut. It has good answers to the question "What should I read this weekend?", but its answers to the question "What are the 100 most books everyone should have read in their life?" are not as good.

02-05-2014, 11:21 PM	#64
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 748 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	37, but I think it was weighted toward newer books they're hoping the list will help generate sales for.

02-06-2014, 11:14 AM	#66
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,777 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	37 for me - a very odd mixture with huge omissions.

02-07-2014, 06:25 AM	#68
applesauce Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 3553492 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle oasis	17 for me on the amazon list. I think about 10 more on my TBR list. The rest I have no real interest in. applesauce

02-07-2014, 06:47 AM	#69
Connallmac Transplanted NYer Posts: 455 Karma: 520286 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Eastern IN Device: Kindle Fire HD 8.9", Kindle Fire HD 7", Kindle Touch	I'm at 24.

02-07-2014, 04:19 PM	#70
Polyphemus I am not The Stig Posts: 131 Karma: 1881506 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California Device: KK-3g; PRS-350; Galaxy Tab 7.0+; Galaxy Tab 3 10.1	21 of the Amazon books 36 of the Goodreads books

02-07-2014, 05:42 PM	#71
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	As it currently stands I've read 50 out of the 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list at Goodreads. Having no interest in any of the Harry Potter books or the Hunger Games books is very limiting for me. On the other hand I'm not sure that listing all of Shakespeare's plays individually makes sense, but it does up my total.

02-07-2014, 06:13 PM	#72
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 748 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	I've read 64 of the Goodreads one, but my degree is in English and I took a lot of literature classes.

02-07-2014, 09:32 PM	#74
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,658 Karma: 66417824 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	I just checked the Goodreads list... 73. Most of the others seem to be "Great American Classics" that I don't have a whole lot of interest in. It would be nice to look at an Australian version.