The vast majority of these lists contain “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad” by Homer, and who was Ovid anyway ? Beowulf was there, (I have read that and really didn’t think that much of it). What is it with Homer that he makes ALL the lists ? Maybe someone can clue me in on that. From what I gather several of these books are sort of “cowboys and indians in the Mediterranean” or “Tarzan the Crete” What is so important about them that they make, “the list”?
Of course everyone has his or her own ideas about the top 100. I read about 10 or 12 lists. And now and then, there it would be. “Ulysses” by James Joyce…. Ugh, gak, ptui.
I read one list from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a list of the books one was expected to read while getting a four year degree there. You can see it here:
I wonder how many people actually end up reading ALL those books.
And if anyone did, I want to shake their hand because that is a _ _ _ _ load of books !
On some lists the Bible makes it. On others it is absent. On some only the Old Testament is listed and others only the New. And some lists only have you read certain books in the bible, like Job and Song of Songs. Weird.
Anyway, all I came away with on my own list were the following:
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by H. Lee
“Utopia” Thomas More
“A Wizard of Earthsea” by LeGuin (yep it was on a list!)
And last and maybe least,
“Catcher in the Rye” by Salinger
I added that one because I read it in high school and didn’t get it.
I re-read it in my 30’s and still didn’t get it. So I am giving it a go in my 50’s and maybe I will understand why it makes the top 100 list. It’s become a matter of intellectual curiosity to me. If I figure it out, I will let you know.
I also found another site that has some intriguing books that you won’t find on the Top 100 list. You can look at them here:
I copied off about 4 or 5 of them and will see if I can get ahold of any of them. I bet I will have to request a few of them. We shall see… Don’t you just LOVE the library?