Ten Books to Read Before You Die (according to AOL's shopping page).
I'm not sure I totally agree with this list. After all, they don't have any Jane Austen books listed!
1) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2) Lord of the Rings Trilogy by R. R. Tolken
3) Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowlings
4) The Stand by Stephen King
5) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
7) Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
8) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
9) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
10) The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
With two series in here, it's actually more than 10 books, it's more like 18 books. Plus, two of the books I know to be over 1,000 pages long...so that's like 2 1/2 books each, which brings us to 23 books to read before you die.
I've read: The Stand, Gone With the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the first 5 of Harry Potter's.
What books would you put on a “Read Before You Die” list?
~Anna Kathryn
24 comments:
oohhh...what a question..I have all the books on the list except for the hitchiker's guide and the second Dan Brown...
Would add Maya Angelou books...Bless me Ultima, Rain of Gold, and Pablo's Nerudas...20 poemas de amor...
ADELANTE!!!!
Zulmara
I'm aghast that there is no Shakespeare on it. . . although actually I'm aghast that anyone could confine to only ten the number of books to read before you die! And I like zulmara's suggestions, too!
I'll agree with Tolkien, Rowlings and Harper Lee. And I'd add
Watership Down
Pride and Prejudice
Oliver Twist
Canterbury Tales
for sure. I'm tempted to say War and Peace out of pure meaness...if I endured it so can everyone else, if only to see what lack of pacing does to a book.
I'm pretty prejudiced against Shakespeare, I've hated him since school. Besides they weren't really meant to be read but be seen on stage, which makes a colossal difference.
I would add:
Macbeth
Animal Farm
The Great Gatsby
Of Mice and Men
Good one!
Gone With the Wind is a must read for everyone. My son has read the Harry Potter book but I haven't read them yet. He tells me I need to. The list you gave is a fantastic list.
I absolutely loved the book by harper Lee. It's really one of those big reading moments. I'd add Jane Eyre by charlotte Bronte, Midlemarch by George Eliot, 1984 by George Orwell. I agree that there should be some Shakespeare plays, like Hamlet, or the sonets. In general more of the classical books, although I agree the books by dan brown are worth reading.
I forgot one :
Lord of the Flies
I Have to agree with you on Jane
Austen.As many of her books as you
can read.
Dairy of ann frank.
A christmas carol.
Of newer books I think of any books by Isabel allende. She's very nice.
These are great books you're recommending. I had to read "Animal Farm" in High School. It's a great study of "communism."
Oh, and "The Diary of Anne Frank," another good one on the study of human nature. It's hard to beleive that's one of the most banned books in America. Or at least one they try to ban the most.
Anna Kathryn
Really? I didn't know about Anne Frank under that threat. Banned, sounds strange these days.
Tessa, yes, Anne Frank is in the top of the list of books banned or trying to be banned in the past. One of the reasons was her discription of Peter when she sees him naked and talks about it. I think there were other things as well that she talked about that people found 'offensive,' but I remember reading it was her talking about Peter being naked that one person or group cited as reason to ban it.
A.K.
And of course, many parents have tried to get the Harry Potter series banned, because of the witchcraft. "To Kill a Mockingbird" I believe has also been challenged, becuase of the use of the N-word. And I'm sure someone has challenged Dan Brown's stories, since the paint the Catholic church in a bad light.
I'm always against banning. I don't care if it's something I'd not read or even support. Once it starts, where will it stop? I'm sure every book out there has someone who doesn't like something about it, so we'd have to ban them all, if people found it offensive.
If you don't like the book, don't read it. The problem is, most people who want something banned or censored, have never read the book or seen the movie. They go with what others tell them and don't think for themselves on the subject....
A.K.
And manuy of the things those people find offensive aren't really anything if you compare to much material, both film and books, that they don't say anything about.
My list would like take a ream of paper but would definitely include all of Anne McCaffrey's books Dragons of Pern series, her Primes series...Laurell K. Hamiltons books Anita Blake series, Meredith Gentry series...Shelly Laurenstons books Pack Challenge, Here Kitty Kitty and all the rest...Jet Mykles books Dark Elves series and Leashed books...Barbara Kazmarin's The Huntress...
I've actually read them all, though I'm a bit embarassed to admit I've read the Dan Brown books. I do not think they should be on a top ten list. I'd definitely have something by Jane Austen on there, and something by Charles Dickens. As much as I enjoyed the Harry Potter series, I'm not sure they belong on the list. I'd add 1984 by George Orwell and Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. What about all the great American writers like Hemingway, Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Willa Cather, etc.? I'm running out of room, a top twenty would be easier!
Two authors I would definitely put on my "Books to Read Before You Die" list would be Marjorie M Liu and C.L. Wilson. Why? Because their books are very captivating and throw a tidal wave of emotions at you throughout the story. I'll admit that I've laughed and cried while reading these two authors. There's just something special about the way they write. And one thing that I seem to always feel when I read their books is a strong undercurrent of hope along with that relentless pursuit of happiness. And in the last books I read before I passed on, hope and and happiness would probably be heavily on my mind.
Well, I think if you're Christian, the Bible is a definite read. I've read a few of the recommended books. I would also add "1984" because I think we are in the era of big brother right now.
I'm rather disapointed in that list. They are are all fairly contemporary and several of them are rather dark in tone. I loved reading Gone with the Wind. I also enjoyed Lord of the Rings(but the movies were better), Harry Potter, and Atlas Shrugged. But some classics are missing, as someone else mentioned Shakespeare, and newer classics like Heidi.
sandie
1984 by George Orwell is one I think should be on there too.
sandie
I have read so many great books in my life, I wouldn't even know where to begin with a top ten list!
Rhonda :-)
Actually, this isn't a "Top Ten List." It's just a list of ten books you should read before you die. And it was done by AOL Shopping Guide, so no doubt, someone was promoting their books. But I am surprised by the list and what they didn't put on it vs what they did.
A.K.
Wow, I am not sure what I would have on a top ten list. I have read and enjoyed so many. I have only read #'s 2,4,6 and 9 on that list. I have the Dan Brown's, but haven't got to them yet. So many books, so little time....
I would add
Jane Eyre
Wuthering Heights
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Merchant of Venice
The Notebook
Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew was always my favorite.
And add some Stephen King and Alfred Hitchcock.
Post a Comment